the gift...

Well I should be working on an essay on Eschatology, but work avoidance is far more fun and actually I can count blogging as work this!

Last week in our Life and Service session we were looking at the confession we make at our ordination. Now, you may think that this is a bit premature, since I still have three years, 1 term and 6 weeks to go, but if you're going to look at what it means to be a minister in the URC I guess it a good a place to start as any. This week we were asked to consider a particular phrase within the statement and how we might explain it to someone who has absolutely no concept of what this is all about. So I thought I might attempt this as my blog this week!

The phrase is "the gift of God's very self to the world".

Over Christmas did you see the John Lewis advert? This little boy is really impatient for Christmas to arrive, but not because of presents he'll receive, but because of the one he has to give. It is big and not very well wrapped, and the smile on his face as he bursts into his Mum and Dad's room is magical. It is a present that he has put himself into and is his way of showing how much he loves his Mum and Dad. And this is how I see this phrase in our confession of faith, God has this massive gift for the world and it's himself! And he's really impatient about giving us this gift. He doesn't really care about the things he get's back, the presents the little boy runs past at the end of his bed, what is important is his present to us. Maybe its not as neatly wrapped as we'd expect, but it is big, bigger than we can really image and it is for everyone! And its not easy giving yourself to people!

Fairly awesome! Even mind blowing when you really think about it. Well I think so any!

(P.S. You can watch the John Lewis advert at http://www.johnlewis.com/Magazine/Feature.aspx?Id=993&intcmp=HP_minipromo_featuresvideo_993_111111)