WEEK ONE - How Long? is a Cry for deliverance
Reflect the struggle and pain that many people feel today, individual cries and communal cries of people who feel overwhelmed by the occupation of foreign troops. The ‘how long’ of many Christians in the UK waiting to see God answer their prayers for the renewal of our churches and communities .
WEEK TWO - Mary’s voice to sing our personal songs of deliverance.
The magnificat highlights the significance of weakness, God’s trust in humanity. The danger of riches, and how God can use the destructive power of poverty to deliver righteousness and justice.
WEEK THREE - Jesus is Our Song of Deliverance
Jesus as the deliverer. He comes to break into our worlds of anxiety and fear. The place of darkness and hopelessness and sings over our depression the song of deliverance. He is in fact the song. The one who is the melody and the words brought to us on the breathe of the Spirit.
WEEK FOUR - The creation is longing to be delivered and redeemed.
In Romans 8. 22 Paul speaks of the creation groaning to be free. This reflects the idea that heaven has come to touch earth at Christmas. Indeed Christmas reminds us of the mystery of God. The mystery of God and his creation and his incarnation all adds to the wonder of Emmanuel God with us. The mystery of the heavenly choir, the mystery of angels touching humans, bringing messages of deliverance and hope. Connecting with the mystery of God. The idea of his Kingdom breaking in and out all over the creation to speak of a new creation. Angels singing ‘Good Tidings of Great Joy” is certainly a song of deliverance for a world in which so many feel only the darkness and the destruction of life.
WEEK FIVE - Lead us not into temptation - is a prayer of deliverance.
The meaning of deliverance in the face of various temptations. While we may not wish to face the struggle of spiritual struggle - as in birth we struggled to be born. So it is with the things of the Spirit we cannot help to be faced with struggle. Lift our hearts to the one who has delivered us already from the power of evil. Look to the past year's struggles and cry for inspiration hope and forgiveness as we look into the new year.
Very Rev Albert Bogle
