Thursday, 18 December, 2003

This series of devotions are focused around Soren Kierkegaard’s “Christian Discourses etc.� The biblical text to consider during these devotions is: Matthew 6:24-34.



The poor bird soars high aloft in the sky without being weighed down by the anxiety of poverty, but the Christian soars still higher; it is as though the bird were seeking God in its flight toward heaven, but the Christian finds (God); it is as though the bird were flying far, far away from God, but the Christian finds (God), and s/he finds God (oh, heavenly bliss!), s/he finds (God) upon earth; it is as though the bird were flying to heaven, yet heaven remains closed to it, only for the Christian does heaven open!



We find God upon earth. What a timely word to come as we are moving through the season of Advent and listening to the stories of the Reign of God breaking in again and again…in this time and this place. The followers of Jesus are not some folk flying far off to another place for our God has come to be among us. John once wrote “abide with us� in his gospel. God is in the midst of us…right in the thick of it. God is not lost…so there is no finding God. God walks into our lives and settles in to be with us for all time. This story of God upon the earth helps to make sense of Paul’s words “nothing can separate us from the love of God.� Why? Because it is among us and never leaves us. There is no flying up or going to another place….this love is here with us…without end.



Connection: Sometimes we can be so afraid of opening the door to a life that has been delivered into our hands. It is as though we must find it somewhere else like a bird soaring high in the sky. When will you let yourself open the door to take hold of the gift that is present for you today?



Lord of life, surprise us with you touch and pull us into your presence for we so often turn our back to you as we attempt to be looking for you but never able to find you. How wonderful it is that you come to us and promise to stay with us even when we go off on our own trusting in everything but you. Thanks be to you, O God. Amen.