Jesus Coming of Age

Already we are a week into 2017. It will be a year of many changes and challenges, and I am excited at all that God is doing among us here.  We have issued a pastoral letter to every member of our four churches, in which we have emphasised the word 'together'. Using the analogy of fell walking, we have likened our churches' journey to that of an organised hike or ramble as distinct from a number of individuals all following different routes.  We don't all have to be moving at the same pace, but we do need to be going in the same direction!

Over the next few months, we hope that the 'conversations' conducted in each church will start to result in some concrete actions, leading us all deeper into fellowship with God and each other, and leading many others to turn to God perhaps for the first time.  I am particularly concerned that we devote ourselves to prayer. I was struck yesterday by Paul's mention of Epaphras, who is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured (Col 4.12)  May we learn to wrestle in prayer, and long to see that particular request fulfilled in each other and many more!

I guess the Eastern mystics whom we remember at this time of year provide a good analogy. We don't know how many 'wise men' there were, but together they followed a star (their vision) which led them to worship. Ultimately, all our endeavours as Christians and churches should lead us to bow the kneel before the One who is Lord of all.

Tomorrow's readings in our series enable us to reflect on Jesus' baptism, which launched him on his public ministry. In a sense, it was his 'coming of age.' The point about this is that he had not yet begun his work, and yet his Father was 'well pleased with him'. McLaren comments, ...in that relationship there was an invitation to us all, because Jesus taught that all of us could enter into that warm and secure parent-child relationship with God (p110).  The trouble is that our default seems to be that somehow we have to earn God's love and approval. Yet, our best prayer and work for God proceeds from that relationship, and deepens it, rather than being a condition of it.