Who’s in charge here?

13 Aug Who’s in charge here?

Hi everybody!

Leonie found an interesting news article this week & sent it around: https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2021/08/09/nsw-outbreak-open-christmas/

The headline is the best: NSW ‘will remain closed’ to other states, Xmas in doubt, without fall in cases

It’s that Christmas “in doubt” bit that we laughed about…as if a government or a virus was in charge of Christmas. I know what they’re talking about…it’s the whole travelling to visit families, big community celebrations, gatherings of worshippers etc…that’s what they want us to know is “in doubt.”

 

But I want you to know and God wants the world to know, that there was no barrier and there remains no barrier too great for “Christmas.”

God the Father, who created all things for his pleasure & delight, broke down the quarantine of his heavenly glory so that his only Son could come live among us and die as one of us so that all of us could be restored to our proper place as God’s precious beloved children…so that we could be retrieved from sin death & evil and live forever in his presence in joy and love. That is never in doubt. When Leonie sent that around, she suggested we needed to evangelize Ms Berejiklian to that good news. As always, Leonie is spot on. We should find creative ways to work on that…

 

That’s why the New Testament was dogged in calling for prayers for our political leaders.

They forget the limits of their power and assume their decisions will be carried out exactly and have precisely the impact they intend. They forget that under their political authority live…people…human beings…or as we know, “sinners” who are going to do all sorts of weird and wacky and sometimes hurtful things. And you can’t quarantine, threaten, fine, or lock us down enough to break that “sinner” habit we all share. And…viruses are “living” things. They’ll reproduce and mutate and spread and do whatever they can to live on and on and on…despite the harshest restrictions or “rings of steel.”

 

So…Christmas, God’s undeniable presence with us and for us, is not in doubt. God has always kept his promises and in Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, they’re all a resounding Yes! And…unless things change, and we’ll keep you posted as best we can, we will be together for worship….spread out, masked and not singing…but together for God’s Word, Christ’s supper and then…Giving Beyond Ourselves and Morning Tea!

 

You don’t want to miss it…we’re just one wandering traveller from being locked down ourselves because the Premier thinks that’s going to work this time.

It hasn’t yet but I suspect she’ll keep trying.

 

Never forget…God’s in charge and we have work to do in his name!  God bless you immeasurably!

John