Pastor’s Thoughts

Weekly sermons can be found on You Tube by searching “Phylip Henry Rees”

 

8 January 2022

We often sing at this time of the year

In the bleak midwinter
Frosty wind made moan
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone
Snow had fallen
Snow on snow on snow
In the bleak midwinter
Long, long ago

I don’t know about you, but the opening verses seem to overwhelm the Good News that Jesus has come into the world, and I don’t seem to revive in my spirit until we sing of the gift that he treasurers the most and that is our heart.

My friends, as we go forward into this year please remember that in giving Jesus our heart, that his nail pierced hands are constantly held over our head saying as I have repeated over the head of many a child myself: “The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace”.  If we could realise that fresh each day this new year, and every year, that we are pilgrims in this world, then what a difference it would make to our occasional gloomy days but also to those days when the spring flowers bloom again, and we are physically nourished anew with the warmth; yes the warmth of the sun and the breeze of the fresh air. Yes, Hope of better days is ever alive in the breast of those who are in Christ as nothing, not even the gloom of bleak mid winter  can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ, and that is why we say: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and one with another the people of God say:

This is the day the LORD has made. And we will rejoice and be glad irrespective of the days,  as our God holds those nail pierced hands over our head.

Happy New Year.