[This reflection by Chris Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 10/Dec/2023]
If any one is in Christ, old things are passed away, all things have become new.[1]
Christmas and New Year seem to be a time when we rethink our lives afresh. It’s a bit like spring cleaning, when we clean out stuff that has sat on our shelves all year long, collecting dust, do we really need it and do we want it.
Patterns of our lives change, forced by circumstances beyond our control, we change the habits of a life time. This year, for instance I am rethinking sending Christmas cards because the price of stamps have gone up so much! The trouble is when you get older and don’t send people a card at Christmas, they think you’ve died.
Do our life long habits dictate what we should or shouldn’t do now? I have been challenged recently to reach out to those who are struggling with life, especially the lonely and those in need with families. But the question is how do we get to know them, perhaps through a food bank, or just chatting to people in the street.
I love that verse, “give and it will be given you”[2], but do I just give because I want to get back?
There used to be a song we sang, “I’m going to put off the old life, put on the new, put off the old life that’s what I’ll do”, the new life is Jesus His love peace and joy, so I’ll put off the old and I’ll put on the new.
Please Jesus show me how to become the person you created me to be, so I can reflect your glory and give you praise,
So Happy Advent and every blessing for a prosperous Christmas to each person who is seeking Jesus in this special season.
Christmas Blessings
Resources:
[1] 2 Corinthians 5 v17
[2] Luke 6 v38
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Last week’s reflection: Advent by Martin Shorey
Contributed by Chris Ginter; © Chris Ginter