Scripture: ‘Jesus said: ‘About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father’’ (Matthew 24.36)Reflection:A man used to stand outside Victoria Station carrying a large placard with the words ‘REPENT, FOR THE END IS NIGH’. Nobody seemed to take him very seriously, and why should they, when Jesus himself said nobody except God knew when the world would end?But Jesus also made clear that we should not be unprepared either for the end of the world, or indeed our own death. Advent, the four week period before Christmas, is a time to reflect on our lives in the light of eternity; to ‘repent’, which actually means to change direction. To consider where we are in life and where we are heading. If necessary to re-programme our spiritual Satnav. ‘Be prepared’ is a perfect motto for Advent - and not only in terms of Christmas shopping! Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
Scripture:“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23 39-43) Reflection:“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” - The criminal who heard these words from Jesus had done nothing to earn paradise. He couldn’t bring a bag of good works, or a filing cabinet full of fine sermons, or a résumé of caring Christian service. He’d done wrong, a lot of wrong, and now he’s dying because he’d lived a miserable, cheating life.But salvation isn’t earned by anyone. It’s not about knowing a lot or doing a lot. It’s about grace, about God being good even when we’re bad and giving us something much more wonderful than what we deserve.God is merciful to anyone and everyone who will call out to his Son. No one is too sinful and no one is too late. But there is a time, a moment, when the opportunity is there. One criminal was too wrapped up in his own pain and resentment and could not see the Saviour was right beside him. The other criminal saw the King, and appealed to him and he was promised paradise that very day. It was his last moment, and thankfully he took it Lyn Hayes, ALM
Scripture:‘The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' (1 Samuel 16 v 7)Reflection:Some people ‘wear their heart on their sleeve’ - it means that they do not hide their feelings. The heart is not only where our feelings come from, it is also where our motives lie. Perhaps we might say our heart is our conscience - it guides our thoughts and instructs us how to act. It is a sobering thought that God does not see first our thoughts or our actions - He sees what we keep hidden in our hearts - our motives and our desires. He sees all that is unseen. People living in biblical times knew this - perhaps that is why a psalmist prayed ‘Create in me a clean heart, O Lord’, - a heart free of my own motives and desires, and replace them with yours. Vicki Young
