Rivertown United Reformed Church

“Hard-wired love”

It is one thing to put your ideas in the hands of someone else. It is quite another to put yourself in their hands. Christians believe that was what God did in the birth, life and death of Jesus. From start to finish the Bible story is about how people like you and me began to realise that God was not one of many, one of a group of distant dictators doing little more than playing with human fate. God has never sat on the sidelines and fiddled, while humanity tore itself apart. God has wept bitter tears of despair; demonstrated angry jealousy over us his children, when we have fallen under destructive influences. God has, through his chosen leaders and spokespeople, appealed to us, all but begged us to go his way.

The writers of the Bible believed that, throughout history, God had continued to speak to his people through prophets, priests, and kings. And ask great things of them. Things they could not possibly achieve by themselves. Noah – asked to build a floating zoo when there was no sign whatsoever of a single drop of rain. Moses, called to take on the Egyptian Pharoah and lead his people out of the Promised Land – then face their betrayals, their often violent moans and groans in the desert. Elijah, battling on Mt Carmel with vicious Queen Jezebel’s priests; Daniel, braving the lions’ den; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego defying the hotter than ever furnace. Jeremiah, thrown down a well; Hosea, called to love and marry a virtual prostitute – as an illustration of how Israel had been unfaithful to God. And New Testament Paul, who catalogued the slings and arrows of his particularly outrageous fortune in his second letter to the Christians at Corinth. The faithful who have made a difference to others and society in general, have been those whose stand made them vulnerable. The priest who went to live in an island leper colony and died of the illness. Missionaries who endured everything that humanity and life could throw at them to spread the good news.

No relationship worthy of the name is without vulnerability. Vulnerability means, in a sense, never closing the door on the other person; watching and waiting as they ignore our advice, try our patience, despise our faith and commitment to them, day after day, year after year. Coming back for more, time after time, after being told “I don’t need you, I don’t want to see you; just go away”. There is always a reason for such reactions. Firstly, by rejecting us, they are testing us, proving for themselves whether we really do care or not. Secondly, our presence is a reminder of a problem they would rather not, or feel they cannot, face.

Christmas reminds us that God will not be put off loving us, sustaining our lives, by anything we do, say or are. God’s love is hard-wired into the life of the world. And to make that plain God came to us in Jesus. Jesus, who wept, toiled, got very frustrated, very angry, spent whole nights in prayer (more than once I’m sue) going over the whole thing with God. The most vulnerable time in any life is during conception and immediately after birth. Mary, whatever her situation might have been, was incredibly vulnerable – because of her age and unmarried status. How would the average 14 year old girl, suddenly pregnant, react today? The life of Mary and her baby were constantly under threat. Diseases too, were rife, and medical treatment not the wonder it is today. The death rates in childbirth must have been high. And then they became a refugee family. And 33 years later, Mary was to watch as the son to whom she had birth was taken, tried in kangaroo court, taken outside Jerusalem, nailed to a cross and left there to die in horrific pain.

Yet the wonder of it all is – that love is still very much alive, still hard wired into human life, still seeking us out. To live by that love requires that we love others to the point of making ourselves vulnerable. To love our neighbours as much as we love ourselves. Knowing that God is, day by day, loving us, sustaining us, befriending us. Jesus went one step further – he loved us more than he loved his own life. How great is our love and care, compared to all this? Sometimes I think I’ve only just touched the tip of iceberg in my understanding of God, this holy friend, this creator and restorer of life.

2012 will see us with Bible reading scheme that we can all follow, with an opportunity for questions to be raised; a Pastorate Family Weekend (11-13 May) at Beechwood Court, Conwy (if you are interested, please let your Church Secretary know immediately). Thank you for all your good wishes following my cut tendon. I’ve got to hand it to you…! As you look into the New Year, perhaps this song would be a good one… “put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water……”

Have a wonderful Christmas, and an even better New Year. God bless.

Your friend and minister,

Colin