Noel Noel

Come and see what God has done.

With still a few items to buy on our Christmas list, we took a break from the Christmas rush to bring it back to what Christmas is all about, the amazing story of love and grace that brought hope back into the world. This hope was reminded to us as the Soweto Gospel Choir led us at BBC in a time of reflection and hope.

Afterwards we went to Montecasino for a small family supper in the courtyard while children played in the fountains. Although there was the busyness of all the traditional Christmas decorations everywhere we looked, God was far from many here at Monte as we huddled in our little family group. Matthew and I witnessed a couple in full drunken altercation in the parking lot with security guards tearing them apart. Where was the hope that God promised, the peace that we sang about a few hours earlier.

Noel Noel

Amazing Grace

It was a night just like tonight that God did an amazing thing. He allowed His son to be born to Yosef and Miryam. They called Him Yeshua. No one knew the plan that God had foretold many times, the plan was for this baby Yeshua to become the Messiah, the saviour of the world, by dying for us, you, and me included.

Amazing love, how can it be that you, Yeshua, should die for me so that I might live?

It is your amazing Grace that you, God, sent your Son to die in my place so that I could be forgiven and be accepted as your son too, a son of God. Thank you.

Amazing Grace by the Soweto Gospel Choir at BBC this Christmas eve

Soweto Gospel Choir

Twas the night before Christmas, over 2000 years ago the Messiah, saviour of the world, was born unto a virgin. Although we don’t know the exact day when this life changing event happened, tomorrow is the day we give thanks to God for sending us his Son, Jesus. So today along with the Soweto Gospel Choir we celebrated and give God all the glory, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God in the highest.

So over 2000 years ago, a carpenter called Yosef, realising that his fiancée Miryam or as we know them nowadays as Joseph and Mary, was in serious trouble so he took her with him to Bethlehem as he was required to be there for the Roman Census. Yes she was heavily pregnant yet they were not married yet which means the looks and gossip amongst the neighbours must have cut to the bone. Yosef was not required to take Miryam with him to be counted in the census but to protect the love of his life, he took Miryam with him out of their village until the baby could be born and emotions simmer down.

They arrived at Yosef’s home town Bethlehem and went to the home of relatives as it was his home town where most of Yosef’s family stayed. But because of the census, a lot of the family had arrived so sleeping space was minimal. So they chose a place down stairs where the animals were kept safely and warm. Here Miryam and the wise women folk of Yosef’s family prepared for the birth of the new addition to their family in private out of the way of the men who were catching up on news as one does when there is no internet and you haven’t seen each other in months if not years.

Yes this story is most likely not quite like you thought it would be. No Father Christmas, no Christmas trees and egg nog, no presents, and certainly what mother would allow cows to lick a new born baby. The culture in the time of Yeshu'a ben Yosef was all about family, hospitality, and community because things were tough under the Roman iron shod feet but God was good and is the same today. So the King of the world was born into the hands of a skilled midwife into a home filled with laughter and community which makes it the more authentic. God with us, the greatest gift of all time.

And as the Soweto Gospel Choir leads us, glory to God in the Highest, gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gloria in excelsis Deo

In trouble times that I find myself on this night before Christmas, all I have left is to lay my troubles down at the cross.

Skye's condition has turned critical by the onset of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) and the only remaining course of action is to suppress the immune system with human medicine used for organ transplant patients. This turn for the worse has really put a dampen on my spirits.

Tonight to take my mind off Skye, I went to BBC's Christmas service where the Soweto Gospel Choir joined us in giving God back the Glory. Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu in Gloria Dei Patris.