The promise you can trust
During Advent we've been thinking in our church services in Bo'ness about the important place reflection plays in all of our lives. We all need time out in order to get "time" into perspective. Advent invites us to think seriously about our lives, to slow down a little and do a bit of self analyses.
The thing is when we engage with self examiniation we are confronted more often than not with the challenge to change. Now making changes and living with change can be one of the most difficult and distressing experiences of life. Hence we neglect the idea of reflection. However it is only when we face up to the truth about ourselves and our situations that the truth itself sets us free to become less stressful and less discouraged.
This morning in church we were listening to a track from Bruce Springsteen entitled "The Promise" Its a pretty sad comment on the human condition. Springsteen writes about the profound disappoint that lingers in all of our lives as we recall how we have to live through the pain of broken promises and lost dreams.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xOSZtrMWys&feature=related[/youtube]
Yet Christmas speaks into all our disappointments and hurts. It reminds us that God has not forgotten us, His promises can be trusted. He has given us the greatest gift of all the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. It is God's Holy Spirit at work in the world and in our lives that brings alive the story of Christmas. His Spirit lifts us from despair and fear. It is the Spirit that makes the Star speak of Hope, It is the Spirit at work in our hearts that makes a manger speak to us of our poverty and God's amazing humility. It is the shear vulnerability of a child that God uses to tell us He trusts us with the gift of an only begotten Son.
Keep looking at his vulnerability,
lying in a manger or nailed to a cross,
keep looking,
keep asking how can this be God?
It is surely God rescuing us, reminding us we cannot save ourselves, we are a people of broken promises engaging with the one who became broken and helpless in order that we might be healed through His Promise and sacrifice. It is simply quite amazing. All this is revealed not through wisdom or intellect but by the Gift of the Holy Spirit. So if your unsure what you want for Christmas ask for the Gift that will change your life for ever - the Holy Spirit. Here's the amazing truth if you ask he makes the promise he will send the Holy Spirit to indwell your life. Quite amazing!
Posted By: Mike Munro On: 21 Dec 2011 At: 2:25pm
Albert, as you have often told us, when spending time with God we need to spend as much time listening as speaking, and when we have invited the Holy Spirit to dwell within us He will surely speak. We need to share more what God has been saying to us, so encouraging others.