Devotions to help you live out your faith
At this time of year when you drive on the roads there is all sorts of dirt that gets sprayed up onto the windscreen, making it hard to see until you squirt the water to allow the wipers to clear the windscreen. And then within a minute you find yourself having to do it again. […]
“ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the […]
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I […]
I was struck recently when thinking about the two sets of visitors we traditionally see at the nativity scene just how different they were. On one side of the manger you have shepherds, and on the other you have Magi. On the one side there are lowly unwashed peasants, on the other are highly educated, […]
“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2 A question we must ask when we think about the Christmas story is […]
“And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 It is a classic scene in the nativity play – Mary and Joseph arrive at the inn, helped by a donkey (that usually seems […]
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring […]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men Jesus was there as the earth was formed. As stars were placed in the sky […]
“The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14 The Old Testament is full of prophecies about the coming of a Messiah. A ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of […]
“Christmas time, Mistletoe and Wine Children singing Christian rhyme” So begins the chorus of the inexplicably popular Christmas song by Cliff Richard. And as we approach the Christmas period those lines provide a couple of images that point to what Christmas was pointing to. Because that night in Bethlehem was only the opening act, the […]