Soak Up The Son
"SOAK UP THE SON"
Greetings in Christ! The scripture texts today are two fold, both from Luke’s Gospel. Both texts have to do with the birth and life journey of John the Baptist and his preparation for making a pathway for Jesus Christ, and preaching "light" to a darkened world. I have recently been reflecting on each passage, I hope you will join me in savoring them:
Luke 1: 65-66 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way." (Read Luke 57-66 for full context).
And our second connected passage:
Luke 1: 76-79 And you, my little son will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the light of heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." (Read Luke 1: 67-80 for full context).
As YIAT Coordinator, I am blessed by being able to watch "youth in action" as they communicate the love of Jesus Christ by the things they do and say, through their interactions with each other, their world, and by the events that they design in spreading that light amongst God’s people.
Something happened most recently at our Confirmation Gathering that has been imprinted in my mind, a transformation of such that is most gracefilled. At our closing communion worship that day, four of our youth were asked to serve communion. Our Bishop Sally Dyck nurtured them and assisted them in what to do. As I watched the four of them, serving the bread and the cup, a transformation took place. Four shy teenagers began to smile, bodies relaxed, heads held high ....... Christ emerged. And .... "I wonder what these children will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon them in a special way".
Moments such as these revitalize me, even when I am exhausted after an event, it is the fuel that keeps me pressing on. And I think of those who are missing it for whatever reason, they are wrapped in darkness. I think of those who choose to relish on things such as theological differences that hinders the light of Christ from it’s full flame, and it makes me weep. I think on those who do not know this light and wonder if I am doing all I can to communicate it to the world. I think on all the youth who have blessed my life in so many ways by being a light to me, just when I need it most.
Sometimes it takes the transformation of a young life to bring us back to the light. Our Sr. High UMYs event is upon us, registrations are coming in. Why not experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ through teenagers as they prepare the way for our Lord’s everlasting love?
"The light of heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide them to a path of peace."
SOAK UP THE SON ................. UMYs 2006!!
Grace & Peace~
Lori
Greetings in Christ! The scripture texts today are two fold, both from Luke’s Gospel. Both texts have to do with the birth and life journey of John the Baptist and his preparation for making a pathway for Jesus Christ, and preaching "light" to a darkened world. I have recently been reflecting on each passage, I hope you will join me in savoring them:
Luke 1: 65-66 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in a special way." (Read Luke 57-66 for full context).
And our second connected passage:
Luke 1: 76-79 And you, my little son will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the light of heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." (Read Luke 1: 67-80 for full context).
As YIAT Coordinator, I am blessed by being able to watch "youth in action" as they communicate the love of Jesus Christ by the things they do and say, through their interactions with each other, their world, and by the events that they design in spreading that light amongst God’s people.
Something happened most recently at our Confirmation Gathering that has been imprinted in my mind, a transformation of such that is most gracefilled. At our closing communion worship that day, four of our youth were asked to serve communion. Our Bishop Sally Dyck nurtured them and assisted them in what to do. As I watched the four of them, serving the bread and the cup, a transformation took place. Four shy teenagers began to smile, bodies relaxed, heads held high ....... Christ emerged. And .... "I wonder what these children will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon them in a special way".
Moments such as these revitalize me, even when I am exhausted after an event, it is the fuel that keeps me pressing on. And I think of those who are missing it for whatever reason, they are wrapped in darkness. I think of those who choose to relish on things such as theological differences that hinders the light of Christ from it’s full flame, and it makes me weep. I think on those who do not know this light and wonder if I am doing all I can to communicate it to the world. I think on all the youth who have blessed my life in so many ways by being a light to me, just when I need it most.
Sometimes it takes the transformation of a young life to bring us back to the light. Our Sr. High UMYs event is upon us, registrations are coming in. Why not experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ through teenagers as they prepare the way for our Lord’s everlasting love?
"The light of heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide them to a path of peace."
SOAK UP THE SON ................. UMYs 2006!!
Grace & Peace~
Lori
posted by Lori @ 3:46 PM
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