Bible Readings
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
Thought
Rob and I have been watching a sci-fi television series called ‘Battlestar Galatica’ which was originally shown in 2003 (Rob watches all of it, and I watch most of it as I close my eyes in bits I don’t like). At the beginning of each episode you are given a reminder of the main premise of the programme. Its goes something like this ‘Human created Cylons (these are robots), the Cylons rebelled (they are now trying to kill off the humans) and they have a plan’. Exactly what this plan is we have no idea, but every episode you are reminded that they have this plan.
This got me thinking about plans and in particular God’s plan for us and for our world. God created us, we rebelled and it is God who has the plan.
While thinking about this I was reminded of the image of an icon representing the trinity. It is a well-known image of Father, Son and Holy Spirit sitting around a table. I tried to imagine a conversation between the three of them which might have gone something like this:
Father: I have a plan
Son and Holy Spirit: Oh yes and what would that be?
Father: You remember the humans that we created, the ones who never seem to do what they are told to do? They are so very important to me, I love them very much, so I have a plan to save them.
Son and Holy Spirit: That sounds good, exactly what do you intend to do?
Father (directed at the Son): I intend to send you to them.
Son: Sounds good to me. Do I get to be their King? Do I get to wear a crown? Do I get to be all powerful? Will I be adored and worshipped?
Father: Not exactly. I intend to send you as a baby, small and vulnerable, I intend for you to be human. I intend for you to live amongst them, to be poor, to be despised and rejected.
Son: But do I at least get to wear a crown?
Father: Oh yes you will wear a crown, but it will be made of thorns.
Son: Not sure I like this plan of yours.
At Christmas we celebrate God putting his plan to save us in place. He sent Jesus into our world and when Jesus left he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always. We cannot understand why he would do this for us, we can only marvel that he did.
Prayer
Father God, we thank you so much for sending your Son into our world to save us. Thank you for loving us and through your Spirit being with us always.
Amen
Song: I cannot tell
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