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Sacred Spaces 659 – Christmas Ready Part 3 – The songs

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Again, I am veering away from the usual Christmas songs to point out two that I have liked over the years:
(If you’ve journeyed with us over these three weeks and six songs, thank you for coming along.)

1. While you were sleeping (Casting Crowns)

Oh, little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you’re lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight, tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man and stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King

United States of America, looks like another silent night
As we’re sound asleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we’re laying in the dark
There’s a shout heard ‘cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night
In the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping?
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay?
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King

– How good are these lyrics? Wow!
– Casting Crowns have always done great “story songs” – there lyrics have a parable nature to them.
– Over 2000 years, there have people who have either had room for the King or not? Whether it be in Bethlehem or USA or UK or South Africa, wherever – people have a choice: To pay attention to the King, born in that stable… or to just ignore it.
– People’s disbelief, ignorance or apathy doesn’t stop the truth.
– TRUTH IS – Jesus was born.
– I wish upon each of you to have a “silent night” where that questions hovers over your soul? What will you do with the Saviour’s birth this year?

2. May you find a light (Josh Garrels)

Lost and weary traveller
Searchin’ for the way to go
Stranger, heavy-hearted
Longin’ for someone to know

May you find a light
May you find a light
May you find a light to guide you home

– There is a melancholy and nostalgia to this song…
– I’ve always liked the contrast of Light and Dark.
– John 1 speaks of it too.
“The light shines in the darkness but that darkness has not overcome (understood) it.”
– Christ’s Light shines on!
– May it shine on so many things of your life.

Sacred Spaces 657 – Christmas Ready – Part 1: the songs

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I’ve always loved Christmas.
Because this year, like the year before and the year before that (etc.) someone else will come to meet Jesus in some way.
Essentially, the meaning of Jesus being born to our world, is that God is revealing Himself to people.
So each year, as we celebrate another Christmas, another year around the sun – we celebrate that someone new, someone else will receive a revelation of who Jesus is.

“God is with us.”

So I always try to make myself “Christmas Ready” – using readings around Advent (Thanks Brian Draper for that ministry of yours), Christmas songs and hymns and the joy and magic and wonder of Christmas.

I can do many things wrong, but one thing, I want to try get right: is not missing the Christ child, at Christmas.
Jesus, light of the world.
One of the “ways” God reaches me, is through lyrics, so each Sunday leading to Christmas I want to share two songs:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds and bring us light.

(Oh come Oh come Emmanuel – sometime in the 15th century)

– If anyone has felt “captive” to a destructive habit, an addiction or a thought pattern and has been set free from that, then they get “the rescue” of God.
– Or those who know loneliness all too well, then “lonely exile” strikes a chord.
– A day spring, full of cheer – it just lands so joyfully in our ears and spirits.
– I like the contrast of light and dark in the last two lines. That imagery – metaphorically and physically is so powerful: A small candle flickering in a dark cave, changes the whole atmosphere of that darkness. It pierces and shines through bringing hope. So many people live in perpetual darkness – needing that Divine Light.



Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night
Of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till He appeared
and the soul felt it’s worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
Oh, hear the angel voices
Oh, night divine
Oh, night when Christ was born

(O Holy Night – 1847)

– Most of us have had the opportunity to be marvelled by a sky full of stars.
– We probably don’t do it enough – just standing there under the night time sky.
– That “thrill of hope” speaks volumes. I’m certain that most of us, need an injection of hope.
– “soul felt it’s worth.” Wow, that’s potent too. I think a lot of people devalue their worth and their existence. The prayer with this song, and this Christmas that people will genuinely know their worth. Hearing Jesus speak it over them.
-Oh holy night” – The word “holy” has probably been lost in these modern times, this busy era. But may we be arrested by a moment of holiness this Christmas. A feeling we can’t shake. A feeling we can’t explain. But a divine experience that leaves us forever changed by His grace.

Sacred Spaces 515 – Twenty Sixteen

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Hi all, this is my last Sacred Space post for 2016.  (And from this side of South Africa too)

If I had to choose my favourite song of 2016; it would have to be The Window by THRICE

“All that I’ve known’s within the walls of this room where there’s a window
Roughly boarded up
It’s true the gaps are patched but even through the tiny cracks, I feel a wind blow
I see a light of strangest hue

And there’s nothing I can say
There’s no way I can prove
That there’s a place
Beyond this room
But still, there’s something in the way
The light comes shining through
And in the way
The curtains move”

the-window

(Click on the image it will take you to the song too)

I preached on this scripture on the weekend:

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.  The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.  Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution
he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.  Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.  The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. (Isaiah 35)

(It’s teeming with descriptive words that invite you in)  May the encouragement and motivation you need for your relationship with God be found in these verses.

Your story is not done!  Keep keeping on! 🙂

I’ve enjoying capturing life via Instagram.  380 posts ago was my first picture of 2016:

first-insta-2016

(I think the traveling theme of the photo is fitting for our move down to the Cape.)

A new (ish) band for you to check out is The Vocal Few – I think this beautiful song for “those who don’t like Christmas music” is brilliant.  Check it out.  it will move you:

Lastly, I want to give a shout out to The Sanctuary Centre .  This is their slogan:

“join us on the journey to where world and worship meet”

They’re doing great things in their corner of the world. (And beyond) I love what they wrote about Christmas this year:

It’s been a good innings in Secunda but I am very excited for the new job at Pneumatix in Somerset West. The job is going to be great. It’s going to challenge me. Yet I have a very good feeling we will thrive down there. A new era is dawning…

But, if I had to state the most exciting thing for me, about next year; is to be able to go to church with my wife, not as a “staff member” – but to just be. To sit in the background. Unknown, unnoticed. Sounds like bliss! For the first time in 16 years, I won’t be working for the year. The new season sounds so exciting!

Have a blessed and thoughtful Christmas!

See you in the new year!

Sacred Spaces 465– Light & Dawn

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9 June 2015

I came across this picture yesterday:

11402489_10205866911885070_406290546688185754_o (Medium)

My friend, Ben posted it.  It just grabbed my attention and got me thinking:

There is this great verse from Isaiah 58: 8

 “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.”

Maybe this picture and that verse stir something in you.

God IS doing something in your life.

Perhaps you need to just wait for the light of dawn…

You may also be familiar with this verse, Matthew 5:16

 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

In the picture, you can tell what the source of the light is.  Can people see where the light in you comes from?

Then in conclusion, I like this verse too:

Ephesians 5:14

“Why he said, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.”

Another version of the verse goes like this: Wake up oh sleeper!

Perhaps there are too many followers of God who are sleep walking… and not fully awake!!

Quoted:

“Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness” Tim Hughes

Sacred Spaces 369 – Dear John

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homesfin SS header 4 cropped

Sacred Spaces 369 – Dear John
27 February 2013

Dear John,

No need to worry, this is not one of those letters.
Besides you have been long gone, having dwelled on this earth, many years before me.
I don’t know if you will read this, but I am sure your Father, the one that draws us altogether, past and present and even in times to come.

He is the One who will observe these words.  He may convey the message to you.
However, if this letter falls in the hands (or computer screens) of others; I simply pray that the words of truth that you, dear John penned many years ago, will remind them of our Father’s love and purposes.

The letter (gospel) you wrote shows you walked with the Son for a few years.  You saw how He lived.  You heard what He said.

stock-photo-4215488-dear-john-letter-with-pen

You started off with this:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome [understood] it.”
(John 1: 5)

You saw the word become flesh.
You saw the glory of the Son, full of grace and truth.

Those words I have often claimed as my “power verse” reminding me of Jesus, who will not be extinguished.  Maybe the darkness does not always understand Him.  Come what may, the darkness will NEVER snuff Him out.

And in this truth, in this Saviour, I put my trust.  That’s reassuring!

Then you wrote this of yourself: “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.” (John 13: 23)

How it must have been something so beautiful for you to jot those words down.  You would have remembered Him with fondness.  Our Saviour, who you knew without a doubt loved you.

I wonder if people from here and now, in 2013; if they really believed that Jesus loves them; how would they live differently.  Would they live with more confidence?  Would they live with more conviction?

Now, let me ask you about your time on that island, Patmos.  I wonder how it must have been, away from the world, no distractions and in that place, God revealed to you some striking imagery and assured some heart-warming promises.  You inscribed these words:

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21: 4, 5)

In your mind, how did that look?  I have such peace of mind when I imagine it.
Our world this year, 2013 (as I suppose of many other years), is aching.
Heroes have fallen, lives damaged.  People are lost.  People are cold (in both senses of the word.)  People are broken.

But you wrote those words, “I am making everything new” with sincerity.

I hold onto that.  I pray others will too.
But not only hold onto it, but ask our Father more frequently:

“Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”  And then when they declare amen, their lives express that prayer in action…

Your brother in Christ,

Darrel

TWITTURGY
 
Gospel to Revelation
He saw
He loved
His Saviour
From the good news we hear
To the truth He reveals
So can we love Him
Our Saviour

ssignature no 4 cropped

Sacred Spaces 341 – This city

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Sacred Spaces 341 – This city
17 July 2012

So I sit from this place where I am house sitting and get to see the most stunning view of Durban City. These city lights get me thinking these things:

Firstly a pic of Durban City Lights, my measly camera:

Then one I got off the net:

I guess best view is by day, from my camera again:

(Oh for variation in these SS)

Often, I think in lyrics (as you have probably noticed by now). These two songs come to mind:

1) Blindside – City Lights (Click on title of song to listen to it)
2) U2 – City of Blinding Lights

Some words from them:

“And I’m starting to smell something beautiful
Though these streets are rotten
Trade love for the city lights
You chose me to stay” (Blindside)

“I’ve seen you walk unafraid
I’ve seen you in the clothes you made
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
… Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights” (U2)

I look at this city from above.
From this vantage point, I think of the view of God and how He could possibly see this city?

He sees potential in this city
He sees creativity in this city
He sees hurt in this city
He sees loneliness in this city
He sees life in this city
He sees death in this city
He sees joy in this city
He sees the movement of His spirit
He sees despair
He sees hope

This city is packed with a lot of emotions and conditions.
I thought of the whole “laying of hands” we do in church as a symbol of God’s anointing on the “person” we pray over.
That got me thinking about us on this hill that oversee the city. In a metaphorical way, what if “we laid hands” and prayed for our city?
Are we as people who loved God, pray-ers?
Do we pray for the mighty movement of God?
Does that prayer lead to effective action in our own lives?

We could walk past people in this city that are aching; would we notice?
We could walk past people, who need a potent word of encouragement spoken to them; would we speak that word?

Now, I am talking about the city of Durban, yet wherever you read this from; the same applies to you and the city or town or village that you see.

My mind wonders to this verse we know oh so well:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden… In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 14 & 16)

Carry the Light of love and hope and grace into the city you see!

TWITTURGY
These flickering lights
From cars
And city buildings
Sometimes want to fade out
People calling out for hope
A Light that would shine
Upon them and their circumstances
Use me, Lord as Your torch