Demonstrating that oldies are goodies...

HT Perpetua for this one:

And RB for this:

Psalm 66: 10 - 13

Daniel 3:26 - 27

2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Now, if you want a random set of readings, this is surely it!

So, which shall I ponder?  Given the psalm extract stops half way through a sentence, and the Daniel is so far out of context as to be pretty meaningless, I'll opt for the lovely verses from 2 Corinthians:

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I think that perhaps of all the verses I've played with this week, it is in this one that something of the essence of joy is actually seen... it is in some ways part of the treasure held in paper cups (vessls of clay, disposable, cheap, throw-away).  It is a product of the light of God, i.e. Christ, within our hearts, transforming us.

Today I received a birthday gift through the post called a light jar - it sounds a bit odd perhaps, essentially it looks like a kilner jar but the lid contains a solar cell that, once charged, lights the bulb housed in the jar proper.  This is probably headed the way of cheesy sermon illustrations, but somehow maybe our faith allows us to be 'charged up', to have our joy refreshed and renewed?  Tomorrow lots of churches will be singing carols by the light of candles and torches, so maybe it's an appropriate point to have reached today?

Aware of our own vulnerability

The ease with which our fragile hopes are shattered

Our dreams destroyed

We offer our hearts to be filled afresh with joy

With the light of Christ

That the darkest darkness can never defeat

Wondering that you, great God,

Would place something so precious in us

And trust us

To be light jars in a dark world

Amen.

Go here for a gentle, thoughtful telling of the nativity and beyond...

An informal photo taken after the graduation ceremony today... more will follow in due course, including, possibly, me with snow falling all around me!

It was a great day, many thanks to G & G who came as my guests, and renewed an acquaintance from their youff darn sarf.  Also to the lovely people at LKH who included me in their celebration lunch despite me being a direct U of M student.

By the wonders of advance posting (I am in Manchester graduating, as one does) ...

The readings:

Psalm 137:3

Nehemiah 2:2

John 21:24

You know that old joke about opening the Bible three times at random?  Well these verses are of that ilk...

For there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

So the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid.

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Misery unbounded, it seems... just what we don't need in the final run up to Christmas.  Yet more unjoy?  Or is it actually something about truth and honesty?

Jolly Christmas carols and songs everywhere we go... but how does it feel inside?  Are we forcing ourselves to sing along through the pain of bereavement or illness ot unemployment or uncertainty or...  Do we have the 'sadness of heart' the powerful King observed in the terrified Nehemiah?  After all, these words are true...

From fake jollity that denies reality

To real joy that transforms it

From forced smiles that fail to reach our eyes

To inner joy that makes them shine

From denial of truth

To indefatigable joy

Lead us, God of joy

Amen.