Thought for the week

Dear Brothers and Sisters

This Sunday just gone I invited each of us to prayerfully decide what we would give up for Advent.
To begin with, as a counter cultural people, we are called to be distinctively different from the world around us; in the world (right up to our necks), but not ‘of’ it!
More importantly Philippians tells us in the idiomatic Street Bible translation that Jesus, in deciding to come to earth as an act of supreme love, ‘cut up His heavenly credit cards and dismissed His royal bodyguard….to come and be born as one of us…’ He gave up everything to be with us. When I struggle with self worth I need to be reminded of this.
Advent, not Lent, is a time to act against the incessant wants and demands of the ‘must have’. It’s also a beautiful time to engage with the brokenness of our world and within ourselves. Time to let go, give up, shed, move on or reconsider.

Amen.
Mike