Praying Together 26 November 2023

These things are worth meditation and thought, as we enter this Holy Week – but the even more important question that we can only answer for ourselves, is embodied in twelve straightforward words written by Charles Wesley.
How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

“Lazarus, come out.” He calls Lazarus by name. Even death cannot triumph, and so it is with sin. There is no depth or distance to which human being can go that can prevent them from hearing that call. It is up to them to choose to accept or deny it.

Simeon, though, didn’t just hear about the Messiah being incarnate in the child – he also knew that the child’s destiny would involve pain and suffering in order to fulfil His mission. And Mary knew too. The consolation of Israel – of the world – would cost her the life of her child.

And in turn, we are challenged to become messengers ourselves, however unsuitable or ill-equipped we might feel.

If we are to appreciate the gentleness of a lamb, we need to know its opposite. If we are to understand what safety is, we need also to experience the possibility of danger.

Perhaps, when we pray, we need to remember it is the Jesus on the Mountain to whom we address our prayers, the one whose face shines like the sun and transfigures our faces as we radiate in His light.

Is Jesus suggesting, not to eat and drink? And is he saying we should not wear clothes but go naked?
How unrealistic is this, and how depressing – we need to eat and drink, and we need clothing.

Christ’s words are given to all His people in the face of the difficulties we ourselves face in life. We claim them and are assured of Blessing. And that is all we need.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In prayer, we ask: Who is God calling to come and use their specific individual gifts to continue to build His Kingdom in the future?
His reply is clear.
“You”, He says.

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.

Joseph’s example is one of love, human reaction, vocation and ultimate obedience to his Creator. So we rightly celebrate both Mary and Joseph as the chosen parents of the Christ-child. But we must also remember that they were ordinary people with human emotions who lived extraordinary lives.