Musings

For many of us, the Christmas story reads like a myth. That is why increasing numbers omit the ‘Christ’ component of Christmas and will celebrate X, Y and Zmas as they see fit. C.S. Lewis concluded: * "Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened : and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God’s myth where others are men’s myths…" Men’s myths usually have no real geographical location, whereas God’s 'myth' does. Just in passing, increasing archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem continue to prove the historicity of the Bible. As I stood in the Shepherds’ Field outside of Bethlehem back in September of this year, it was deeply moving to relive in my mind the events of Luke 2: 8-20. What a privilege to stand in the actual place where the ‘glory of the Lord’ shone around the shepherds as they received the he...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. Luke 1:38 Mary did not hesitate to accept the * rhema word of the Lord when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. The news of the miracle which would take place in her womb was undoubtedly strange to her ears: And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name  Jesus . He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.   Luke 1:31-32   She could have doubted that it would come to pass as the angel said or she could have presented the case from her point of view: I'm not married! What will Joseph think? It's going to be a scandal! I could be stoned to death! Instead, Mary received the rhema word by faith and humility. Gabriel tells her she is 'highly favoured' and when we consider how mortals can please God, we find the answer in Hebrews 11:6:  But withou...