Hebrews 1.1-3
Long
ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, 2but
in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all
things, through whom he also created the worlds. 3He is the reflection of God’s
glory
and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his
powerful word.
Thought: The fog of fear consumes the imagination of
many. Our creativity is the remedy—the spark needed to burn away the hate so we
may see Love’s mercy, light, and glory.
When you hear
‘the glory of God’ or ‘give glory to God’ what comes to mind?
How are you
reflecting God’s glory—Christ?
John 1:4-5The
Message (MSG)
3-5 Everything
was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.
Thought: As much as we celebrate light we need not be
afraid of the dark. Darkness is beautiful. Darkness is where dreams are born.
When was the
last time you went into the darkness? Did you appreciate the light more when
you returned from the dark? Why are we afraid of the dark when it is the light
where we are often exposed to the harshness of life?
Poem:
Sweet
Darkness
When
your eyes are tired
the
world is tired also.
When
your vision has gone
no
part of the world can find you.
Time
to go into the dark
where
the night has eyes
to
recognize its own.
There
you can be sure
you
are not beyond love.
The
dark will be your womb
tonight.
The
night will give you a horizon
further
than you can see.
You
must learn one thing.
The
world was made to be free in.
Give
up all the other worlds
except
the one to which you belong.
Sometimes
it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement
of your aloneness
to
learn
anything
or anyone
that
does not bring you alive
is
too small for you.
-- David Whyte
from The House of Belonging
©1996 Many Rivers Press
Zephaniah
3.14-17
14
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice
and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
15
The Holy One has taken away the judgements against you,
God has turned away your enemies.
The
king of Israel, the Holy One, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
16
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do
not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.
17
The Holy One, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
God
will rejoice over you with gladness,
God will renew you in God’s love;
God
will exult over you with loud singing…
I love our
church. Plain and simple. I love the people. I love the building. I love our
awareness for ministry. I love the energy we have for mission. I love the
energy we have for our children and youth.
Again I say, I
love this church.
Some thoughts
on Love:
We are created
in the image of God. If God is love our image is Love. Our identity and destiny
is love.
Thomas Merton
once said, Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by
ourselves alone - we find it with another.
What do you think he meant by this?
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