Christmas Message - Hope
Dear Friends.
I came across a reflection this week that I would like to share with you.
"Two friends were walking across a barren concrete wasteland. One commented on a single blade of grass pushing through a tiny crack. Years later, they returned to the site and found the sea of concrete now covered in a carpet of grass. What small signs or shoots of hope can we see in desolate scenes today? What would it take to nurture them and help them to grow? What has God placed within the natural world that we can partner with to bring forth good and hopeful things? And how might prayer that is alert to such things contribute to this? "
There is always hope even in the most dire situations, we just need to find the positives in each and every day. Jesus came as the shoot of Jesse, one little branch that brought hope to the people of Israel. His light shone in the darkness and the darkness would never put it out. See how much light a flame gives in the darkness, that is the hope of Jesus for this world.
This is what Christmas is about, Jesus comes to bring us hope, the hope of the future that is secure in His presence. I watched a programme about Chernobyl, and how after all this time, nature is growing in the barren waste. Even in the hardest of places the love of Jesus can soften and grow. Mary was a devout Jew and prayed to God every day, seemingly as a young girl, a nobody to the outside world, but was very much pivotal to God’s plan.
Because she was tuned to God, she knew it was Him speaking to her, because she knew it was God, she was able to say ‘Yes’, without doubt. And so began the incredible life of Jesus and all that meant. Hope sprung in the heart of Mary, and although it was not easy being the mother of Jesus, her heart was broken so many times, she knew she was part of God’s plan and she played her part to perfection. Because of her, the saviour of the world was born.
We live in a world where the Christian faith is becoming less and less important, children and young people are not taught about God and Jesus, is there any wonder that the world we live in is broken and sad?
We are the hope for the world today, we hold the saviour in our hearts and we need to allow Him to be known to the world and our community. We need to be bold enough to speak about Him, to share our faith with those around us, we need to be the green shoot, sticking out from the concrete, so that in years to come our church will be full to the brim of people worshipping God.
This Christmas may we give to God our hearts and lives and be that shoot for today. Amen.
I wish you all a very Happy Christmas Your Servant as always in His Name Julie
