Texada Island United Church
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • History
    • Links
  • Focus on Spirit
  • Prayers for the World
  • Milestones
    • Births, Deaths & more
    • In Memoriam
    • Advent Bible Study >
      • Advent Bible Study
      • Advent & Christmas Candle lighting
      • Past Events
  • Photo Gallery
    • Karen May, New Legion Chaplain
    • Church Photos
    • Battle Services >
      • Battle of Atlantic service - April 2015
      • Battle Service 2010
    • Tea & Bakesales >
      • Dessert Tea & Bake sale April 2015
      • Church Tea & Bake Sale Dec 2013
      • St Patricks Day Tea and Bake Sale 2013
      • St Patricks Tea 2010
      • Bake Sale 2009
    • Christmas >
      • Christmas Dinner 2014
      • Christmas Concert 2014
      • Christmas Day 2013
      • Christmas Eve 2013
      • Christmas Concert 2013
      • Christmas dinner at Legion 2013
    • Music Events >
      • Chor Musica Powell River Mens Choir - March 2015
      • Chor Musica Video
      • Joyful Noise Photos - 2008-2010, 2013
      • Advent in Song, Dec 2008
    • KSE photos >
      • KSE Photos 2010
      • KSE Photos 2009
      • KSE Photos 2008
    • More Photos >
      • Certificate of Thanksgiving 2014
      • Doretta's 60th
      • Appreciation Service, May 2010
      • Bowen Island Weekend Sep 2009
      • Yard Sale March 2009
      • Earth Day 2009
      • Van Anda Days July 2008
      • Leban Wedding, 2008
  • Church Notes
  • Reflections
    • From Services
    • For Kids
    • Something to Ponder

For unto us a Child is born

6/12/2020

0 Comments

 
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 
N.B. Sometimes the last verses are inclusively translated as:
    Wonderful Counsellor, Strength of God,
    Eternal Protector, and Champion of Peace.
 
Reflection
 
This passage from Isaiah promises that one will come and he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
 
Isaiah was writing when Ahaz was the King of Judah (about 734-732 BCE) and Judah faced the threat of attack from its northern neighbours Israel and Syria. One option Ahaz contemplated was to call on the superpower Assyria to defend him against his neighbours. But that would mean making a political alliance that, in the end, could mean that Judah was absorbed into Assyria and Ahaz out of his position and his kingdom.

Ahaz’s other option was to throw his lot in with Israel and Syria in their efforts to cast off the Assyrian yoke. But that could also mean disaster for Judah especially if the local coalition proved ineffectual against the superpower.
 
In the face of Ahaz’s political dilemma Isaiah urged a third solution that required the bringing of religious belief into the world of real politics and national security. He urged Ahaz to stand firm in faith.
 
But really the assurance Ahaz had been given that God would indeed come to his aid, hardly seemed impressive. It consisted of the prophet, his word and the child whom the Lord had given, who bore names of prophetic importance. That is all that is offered by way of a ‘sign’ for Ahaz, a king, who no doubt was used to making decisions based on firm, accurate knowledge and intelligence.
 
I doubt if this prophetic poem really goes far toward alleviating Ahaz’s dilemma. The ‘deep darkness’ that has spread over the land will be pierced by light, but a light which will start simply as the flicker of a small flame. The reason for the joy ‘For a child has been born to us, a son given to us’.  This one in whom the people’s hopes are centered is one who comes to them as a gift.
 
The expectations are great and bear the promise of God -  A Messiah, A King, a Mighty Counsellor -  and yet  there is an element of human frailty attached to them just by the fact that this  promise is all bound up in one baby. We think this baby is Hezikiah- the son of Ahaz- and a man of extraordinary piety and leadership qualities, so yes, he lived up to Isaiah’s prophecy.
 
When the Isaiah’s thoughts resurface in our nativity stories they are again bound up with the ideas of liberation, this time from the Romans, and salvation from the pagan gods and a call to a renewed faithfulness to the one true God- Yahweh.
 
But this time we have a baby not born to a king but a baby born to a poor family struggling for its very survival in the village of Nazareth.
 
Who would have thought it?  Is this the way God works?  Well, yes, this is exactly the way God works. I don’t know why but we keep expecting that God will somehow take note of our brilliant and logical ways to solve a problem – say world peace – and do exactly what we say.
 
And yet it has never worked that way – that’s why we have all these stories that defy our rational plans So we have a God who decides that the way to feed a people who are hungry is to give them manna in the desert, when we would have advocated – give them a plot of land and let them grow the food – don’t leave them wandering in the desert for 40 years.

We don’t know how God works, we can’t know how God works, and yet we believe that God does work.  God breaks into our world, our lives constantly – God was there at the birth of Jesus and somehow invites us to witness this birth ourselves. And this babe too will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. A gift to his parents certainly, but also a gift to the world.
 
 Jesus proves indeed to be a Prince of Peace as he says to his disciples who had gathered around him
 
27 Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.
                       John 14:27 

 
“My Peace I give to you” – This Peace is a gift offered to us.
This Peace is not something and never has been what we strive for.
All we have to do is accept the gift.
 
Do we give up on working toward peace in our families, in our communities, in the world? Do we give up the rallies and dinners and marches and education for peace? I don’t think so, but when we come together as people of peace, then, that allows peace to be furthered wherever we are.
 
Maybe there will be a time of peace, maybe there will a respite from war and violence and terror, maybe as we work where we can, when we can to extend the peace we have been given to someone else, then the world will become a more peaceful place.
 
Our advent time is a time of waiting, a time of anticipation, a time of hoping, It is also a time of peace.
 
The peace that passes all understanding is being offered to each one of us. And we get to say “Yes I will accept the peace and let it fill my present moment even though there is chaos in the world and there is sadness in life, and there is disappointment and anger and bewilderment all vying for my heart- I will accept the peace the Christ offers to his disciples.  I will accept the peace offered by God in the form of a tiny baby born in a stable.”     
                                                                                                                 Amen                          
​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Jan. 22, 2023 More John the Baptist
    Jan. 15, 2023 Jesus and John the Baptist
    Jan. 8, 2023 Magi, Herod and Jesus
    Jan. 1, 2023 Welcome to the Kin-dom Kingdom
    Dec. 24, 2022 It's Christmas!
    Dec. 18, 2022 Love is Wild and Risky
    Dec. 11, 2011 Here Comes John the Baptist
    Dec. 4, 2022 Here Comes the Kingdom of God
    Nov. 27, 2022 Visions of Hope
    Nov. 20, 2022 Reign of Christ Sunday
    Nov. 13, 2022 The World We All Hope For
    Nov. 6, 2022 We are Invited!
    Oct. 9, 2022 A Little Faith!
    Oct. 2, 2022 Washing Feet, Being Love
    Sept. 25, 2022 Reconciliation
    Sept. 18, 2022 Forgiveness Again and Again
    Sept. 11, 2022 Confession
    Sept. 4, 2022 Freeing Jesus: Presence
    AUG. 28, 2022 Freeing Jesus: Way
    Aug. 21, 2022 Freeing Jesus: Lord
    Aug. 7, 2022 Freeing Jesus: Saviour
    July 31,2022 Freeing Jesus:Teacher
    July 24,2022 Freeing Jesus: Friend
    July 17, 2022 Let's Look at the Bible
    July 10, Hey Zacchaeus! I'm Coming Over!
    July 3, 2022 Who is This Jesus....
    June 19, 2022 The Trail to God
    June 12, 2022 The Trinity and the Good News
    June 5, 2022 It's Pentecost
    April 24, 2022 What About Peter?
    April 17, 2022 Easter Sunday
    April 10, 2022 Palm Sunday 2022
    April 3, 2022 Lent 5
    March 27, 2022 Jesus Overturning Tables
    March 6, 2022 Lent 1
    Feb. 27, 2022 Transfiguration
    Feb. 20, 2022 Called to Be the Church
    Feb. 13, 2022 Hagar was a Slave
    Jan. 23, 2022 Storms
    Jan. 16, 2022 Call and Temptation
    Jan. 9, 2022 The Magi and the Light
    Jan. 2, 2022 A New Year Awaits
    Dec. 19, 2021 Love...Grace....Response
    Dec. 12, 2021 What is this Joy?
    Dec. 5, 2021 Preparing the Way
    Nov. 28, 2021 Hope in This Advent Seaon
    Nov. 14, 2021 Surely God is Here!
    Nov. 7, 2021 What We Carry
    Oct. 31, 2021 Stories!
    Oct. 24, 2021 All About Ruth!
    Oct. 17, 2021 Gardengate
    Oct. 10, 2021 Thanksgiving Anyone?
    Oct. 3, 2021 What Unites Us
    Sept 19, 2021 Forgiveness etc.
    Sept. 12, 2021 Does Being Christian....
    Sept. 5, 2021 Connected
    Aug. 29, 2021 So Many Miracles
    Aug. 22, 2021 Advent to Easter
    Aug. 15, 2021 Messy Love
    August 8, 2021 JOY
    Aug. 1, 2021 Jesus Welcomes Us
    July 25,2021 Today I Choose Happy!
    July 18, 2021 Forgiveness
    July 11,2021 We Are the Church Together
    July 4, 2021 Gifts of the Spirit
    June 27/21 Unending Love, Amazing grace
    June 20, 2021 Walking the Road of Love
    June 13, 2021 Draw the Circle Wide 2
    June 6, 2021 Pentecost to Today
    May 2, 2021 Jesus: "Who do I say I am"
    April 25, 2021 Death Has Lost Its Sting
    April 18, 2021 Follow Me!
    April 11, 2021 The Road to Emmaus
    April 4, 2021 Easter Sunday
    April 2, 2021 Good Friday
    April 1, 2021 Maundy Thursday
    March 28, 2021 Palm Sunday
    March 21, 2021 Lent 5 Who is Jesus to You?
    March 14, 2021 Lent 4: Jesus Wept
    March 7, 2021 Lent 3: Desert Mothers & Fathers
    Feb. 28, 2021 Lent 2: Arwa's Story
    Feb. 21, 2021 Lent 1
    Feb. 17, 2021 Ash Wednesday
    Feb. 14, 2021 Love
    Feb.7, 2021 The Be-Attitudes
    Jan. 24, 2021 What is this Kingdom of God?
    Jan. 17, 2021 Calls - Nudges and Visions
    Jan. 10, 2021 Baptism of Jesus
    Jan. 3, 2021 You are the Light
    Dec. 25 2020 Christmas
    Dec. 20, 2020 Advent 4 - Love
    Dec. 13, 2020 Advent 3 - Joy
    Dec. 6 2020 Advent 2 - Peace
    Nov. 29, 2020 Advent 1- Hope
    Nov. 22, 2020 Light of the World
    Nov. 15, 2020. Talents and Gifts
    Nov. 8, 2020 Lest We Forget
    Nov. 1,2020. How to be a Saint
    Oct 25, 2020 Love God
    Oct. 18, 2020 Followers of the Way
    Oct. 11, 2020 Give Thanks
    Oct. 4,2020 Out on a Precipice
    Sept. 27, 2020. Out Beyond
    Sept. 20, 2020 Where is God
    Sept. 13, 2020. Intersectionality???
    Sept. 6, 2020 God IS Love
    Aug. 23, 2020 This is not a Test
    Aug 16, 2020 Draw the Circle Wide
    Aug 2, 2020 Wrestling with God
    July 26, 2020     Find and Seek
    July 19, 2020 I Know You
    July 12, 2020 Parable of the Sower
    July 5, 2020 What Do You Hope For?
    Sunday, June 28, 2020
    Sunday June 21, 2020
    Sunday, June 14, 2020
    Trinity Sunday, June 7, 2020
    Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020
    Sunday, May 24, 2020
    Sunday, May 17, 2020
    ​Sunday, May 10, 2020 – “Mother’s Day”
    ​Sunday, May 3, 2020 “There IS abundance!”
    Prayer for a Pandemic
    Hanging Out With Jesus

    ​COMMENTS: 

    We welcome discussion on content posted here!

    A comment field is present when looking at individual posts. If you don't see the comment area, click on the article heading to bring up the single post and its comment area.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.