One of my favourite books from the past is one by Norman Grubb entitled, "Rees Howells Intercessor". Rees was a Welsh missionary, Bible school teacher and leader, and intercessor. He was one of the leaders of the Welsh revival and was mightily used by God, especially during World War II. What stands out about him was his utter devotion to God and dependence upon God, which manifested themselves in him in a life dedicated to seeking the Lord's face and the Lord's will (and doing it) and to prayer and fasting on behalf of others. Intercessory prayer was his passion and one that he taught to others. I have often wished that our world had more people like him, and that I was more like him. Today's Quiet Time meditation deals with the topic of God's intervention in our lives and in the life of the world. I think that many people yearn passionately for this to happen. However, what I suspect is that it needs more people like Rees Howells if this is to take place. Maybe that 'someone' is you and I.

To me, it seems like a very strange and rather unnatural configuration of events, namely that the dastardly insurrection of the American Capital building should also take place on Epiphany, the feast of the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. But then, it is perhaps not quite so weird, for the world into which Jesus was born was likewise, especially in Palestine, a world of turmoil and party politics and very real violence. So our passage from Isaiah, with its message of hope, of future possibilities and of God's continuing hand in history and in our affairs, is strangely pertinent. This is what I have tried to pick up on in my meditation for today. I hope you enjoy it and find it helpful and inspiring.

Happy New Year to one and all, even though here in Lloydminster at least, the weather is frightfully cold and snowy--a great excuse to stay indoors! And while you're 'at it' to take a look at today's meditation. Our passage from Joshua, to me at least, seemed to have two messages that happen to be very pertinent for the new year--and for all time. The two messages concern 'who we are' and 'whose we are'. The 'whose we are' relates to our belonging to God, to Christ Jesus, and to His incredible intervention in our lives and in our world. The 'who we are' relates to our corporate identity, namely that we are called to belong to each other within the Body of Christ, the Church. In our passage from Joshua, the folks are called upon to erect a memorial that will call to remember these two questions or messages. It is basically a way of 'telling our story' but in a very physical and lasting way. Maybe this would be a good thing to ponder in the start of this new year, namely how WE will tell our story so that it is not lost, either to us, or to future generations.

The New Year each year affords an opportunity for changes in behaviour, new resolves etc. Carol and I recently watched an episode of the British comedy 'Rev' where the archdeacon ridiculed Adam's attempts to live like Jesus. While this attempt can certainly go overboard, as it did in Adam's case where he allowed a rather degenerate fellow free range in the Rectory and actually boarded a known drug addict/ alcoholic in his home several days, I don't think that this general idea of trying to be like Christ is really that bad. Certainly, that general idea is found in today's passage where Paul advises the Ephesians to live (that is, in this case, to forgive) as God in Christ Jesus has forgiven them. Clearly then Christ's behaviour back then is meant to be a model for ours today. Anyway, I don't know about you, but this has given me some food for thought, for reflection--and for possible changes in behaviour--for this new year.

Here we stand at the cusp of a brand new year. Once upon a time--when I was notably less positive about myself--I used to look at myself in the mirror first thing in the morning and thereby exclaim, 'well, here is a brand new day, one that I haven't managed to make a mess of!' I certainly don't look at life, or at myself, in this way anymore. However, every day IS a brand new start, and the New Year a brand new start as well. There have been many things this last year that weren't THAT great and so there is lots of room for improvement. But there were also things that WERE great, and a good reason for rejoicing. So, let us approach this new year with hope and gladness. Our God is a God of hope, of newness and surprises, so who knows what He will pull off.

So, to start you off, here are a few meditations to inspire you and whet your appetite for more of what God has in store for you and the world.

No one ever said that the Christian life wasn't a challenge. Or at least, Jesus never suggested it. In fact, just the opposite. He was continually laying out with His followers the costs of discipleship. Nowhere is this challenge more highlighted than in the struggle between truth (the content of our faith) on the one hand and practice (living out the faith in our daily lives, especially through our love for others) on the other hand. It is this struggle that is foremost in today's meditation.

Today's meditation remembers one of the lesser known 'saints' commemorations, and one of the uglier episodes of Biblical history, the state ordered murder of the innocent children of the town of Bethlehem. Almost since the earliest years of the Christian church, these youngsters were remembered as unintentional martyrs in the 'cause' of Christ, martyrs because they were seen as threats to the secular order, people who were simply 'in the way.'

I remember, so very vividly, my first realization that no one is expendable, no one left out or excluded from the grasp or reach of God's love as found in Christ Jesus. I was visiting a woman in Trochu Hospital who was paralyzed from the neck down. In sitting there beside her, holding her unresponsive hand, and looking into her very responsive eyes, I said something that was unintentionally quite profound. I said "Lena [not her real name], Jesus, while on the Cross, was paralyzed even as you are, but for other reasons. His hands and feet were fastened by nails and so He too was unable to move. And so He understands fully, from His own experience, what it is like for you. He suffered that agony, and even died, just for you. In fact, if there had been no other person on earth, He would have done that, just for you. Yes, just if you had been the only one." I could tell from the look in her eyes that this was something that deeply moved her, and it became something of a touchstone each time I visited her.

But, isn't that the reality of Jesus in every world and every life. "If you had been the only one." Isn't that what the 'Every child matters' movement is trying to tell us? Yes, if you or I, or anyone else, had been the only one. You see, in God's love, God's economy, there are NO expendable ones.

I hope that all of you are staying safe and warm, as it is incredibly cold here on the Prairies--not 'fit for man nor beast' as some would say.

Our meditation for today deals with the strange and unpleasant dichotomy of life, namely that good and evil coexist and that evil sometimes seems to flourish, as the psalm says, 'like a bad weed.' However, we need to realize that this is NOT the final word. We need to remember that God is in control and that He will ultimately even out everything and see that justice, real justice, is eventually done. So, we just need to hang on, remain faithful, and simply trust, trust in God no matter what.

today's meditation (on Matthew 23) reminds us of the peril, and ever present danger, of rejecting God's loving rule for our lives.

Galatians 3 reminds that God has never left Himself without a witness, but has been present in every age and culture

meditation on Isaiah 9 talks about the hope, hope in even desperate and uncertain times, that we have in our Messiah, Jesus;

Psalm 46 emphasizes the importance even of small things, small actions on our part;

It touches on the idea of God as the author of the 'unexpected', which most surely is one of the themes not only of Christmas, but also of the entire Bible. My conviction is that God is always 'pulling off' the unexpected, if only we could see it. May you and I always be open to this.

Today, inspired by something that the apostle Paul said to his fellow worker Titus, you will find a completely different 'take' on Christmas, one that runs afoul of much of what has been told to children over the years as part of the whole Santa Claus narrative. Sadly, however, it hasn't always been just children, but adults as well, who have bought into this 'I'm not good enough' narrative. God loves all of us, each of us, regardless of how good we are or aren't. God just loves us, period, end of story.