Some ramblings that may constitute a little talk-ette for the 10am Family Communion:
There are so many ways that we’ve told this story over the last few days and weeks. We’ve been gradually filling this crib scene with figures (and it’s not finished yet – the wise men are still on a window ledge in the chancel!); we’ve dressed up in our crib service yesterday, we’ve had bible readings, poems, and carols galore.
The story we’ve been telling is a story of how heaven touched earth.
Heaven touched earth when Mary was visited by the angel, and heaven touched earth in the angel’s reassuring dream to Joseph.
Heaven touched earth all the long months of Mary’s pregnancy, as the baby grew inside her, and heaven touched earth in every minute of the family’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, as they were kept safe.
Heaven touched earth when the angels visited the shepherds on the hillside, and again when they ran to the stable and saw Jesus for themselves. And heaven touched earth every time they told the story.
Heaven touched earth when God sent the star to guide the wise men, and again when they laid their gifts at his feet and saw that he was King and God and sacrifice.
All of those moments in our story were moments of heaven touching earth.
But there are more moments, and they still happen.
Heaven touches earth every time we sing a carol and feel that the hopes and fears of all the years are being met in Christ.
Heaven touches earth every time we, like the shepherds, share the story.
Heaven touches earth every time we pray, ‘be near me Lord Jesus’.
Heaven touches earth in the nice, glittery bits of life (the triumph), and in the dark dingy bigs, too, in the war zones, the illnesses, and more…
In a moment the children will sing to us ‘Away in a manger’. As they do, think about all the people who are praying ‘be near me Lord Jesus’ at this moment, and all the people who don’t know that they can ask or pray.
Think of those people as we sing, and pray in your hearts that heaven will touch their little bit of earth as it has touched ours this morning.
Amen.
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