It’s Adveeeeent!
Today is the first of December, which means the first day of Advent! Waking up this morning there was frost everywhere, on my way to an appointment it snowed every so slightly and it definitely feels like the festive season is here! Logging into socials (usually the first thing I do each day, so bad I know!) and my feeds were filled with Elf On The Shelf, extravagant ways to mark the first day of the month with chocolate and toddler boxes, homes decorated to the nth degree…. It’s very easy to… Read More
Making Room For The Marginalised
It’s the last week of Advent and Christmas is just 4 sleeps away! This week’s devotional scripture is: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the… Read More
Making Room For Community
We’re in the 3rd week of Advent and as we continue with our devotional we are looking at another verse from Luke: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she… Read More
Making Room For Limits
We’re continuing with our Advent devotional and this week we are focusing on the passage from Luke: “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God… Read More
Making Room For a Promise
This week we are looking at the first devotional of Making Room In Advent. It talks about the parallels between ‘Zechariah waiting to have a child. Israel waiting for the Messiah. A barren couple and a barren nation.’ How often do we have to wait for what we think has been promised to us? How long will we have to wait for His second coming? But perhaps those are the wrong questions. Perhaps the right question to ask is, what does God need me to learn and/or who does God need me… Read More
What Are You Thankful For?
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Thanksgiving is most definitely an American holiday but I’ve always loved the idea of having a day to focus on the positive things in our lives. The blessings that the Lord has afforded us, despite always falling short of His expectations. As we close out the year, the first year in a while without lockdowns, there are lots of things we could focus on that could bring the mood down…. Read More
Advent Reflections: Love
I come from a very straight Anglican church background, we sang hymns and in the church choir we wore robes and cassocks. Though I love the style of worship we have at Church At Barking Riverside, I do sometimes miss the hymns and anthems I was so used to singing week in, week out. One of them being, God Is Love, His The Care. Again, not always upbeat and not really a Christmas hymn, but the lyrics stick with me and are very poignant to this week’s Advent Reflections on Love. 1… Read More
Advent Reflections: Joy
This week the video the Bible Project shared on their socials was about Love, but this week’s reflections are based on their video about Joy. You can watch the video on Joy here. This is one of my favourite Christmas hymns, it’s not the most upbeat but the lyrics get me every time! Most Christmas carols/hymns are about Jesus being born to Mary. But this hymn is about the joy that is to come. It is all about the fulfilment of what Christ came to do in the first place. Christmas is… Read More
Advent Reflections: Peace
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV Continuing on from last week’s Advent Reflection on Hope, this week we’ll be focusing on Peace – you can watch the video here. These days… Read More
Advent Reflections: Hope
Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:6-7 ESV From this week we will start our advent blog series following Bible Project’s daily reflections and videos on hope, peace, joy, and love. Every Monday, we will share the weekly video then on Wednesdays we will post our blog reflecting on the video and daily devotional/questions. This week we’ll be focusing on hope – you can watch… Read More
