Thought for the Day - Sunday 22 November

Message from Session Clerk Holytown On behalf of Minister: Holytown l/w Wrangholm Parish Churches Thought for the Day – Sunday 22nd November 2020 Psalm 46 10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted on the earth. As I sit down to write today’s thought, I switch on my laptop and immediately I’m bombarded with lots of ‘black Friday deals’. 40% off, 50% off, the underlying inference is that I would be a complete idiot (or the more familiar eedjit) not to take advantage of these incredible, never to be repeated offers to buy things that I’ve previously never felt the need to buy. The first festive lights have appeared in my street although shops have had the Christmas theme for weeks and weeks now. Advent is indeed beckoning but in a decidedly secular way. Is it just my imagination or is society becoming more secular as each year passes? I find myself writing the same things in the approach to Christmas whether through this medium or, as in previous years, through our church magazine i.e. ‘remember the reason for the season’ and ‘keep Christ in Christmas’. One of the Christmas experiences I will miss most due to COVID will be the traditional watchnight service. There’s a certain atmosphere at that service that I genuinely love but do not have the ability to describe it. Maybe it’s to do with the carol requests, maybe it’s to do with seeing folks joining us when it might be the only time of year when they do join us, maybe it’s being there at the very moment Christmas Eve turns into Christmas Day, maybe it’s the handshakes and cuddles with friends and strangers in recognition of this special day or maybe it’s just the celebration of the wonderful Christian Christmas story. Advent is a time of reflection and preparation for Christmas and there are a few suggestions going round as to how we might keep Christ in Christmas that I feel are worth sharing and these are as follows: • Find ways to put some time aside just to ‘be still’ to make room for God • If you are writing cards, always spell Christmas properly and never use the shortened version and this will bring Christ to mind. • Phone someone you have never spoken to for a while • When you pray, ask Jesus to reveal himself to you • Forgive someone you are at odds with • Decorate your tree with Christian ornaments • Send Christian Christmas cards • Listen to Christian music • Invite a friend to join us at our Zoom services of worship A Christmas prayer (Robert Louis Stevenson) Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.