Saturday, January 01, 2005
life to the full
Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere comes wrapped in winter and (hopefully) covered with snow. It’s short days and long nights.
It’s the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where Christmas comes wrapped with summer and (hopefully) covered with sunblock. It’s long days and short nights.
I am now away on holiday. I have been wondering this week what happens to the Christ of Christmas as I leave for the beach and bach.
Then I reflected on the image of Christ in Hebrews 4 as the giver of Sabbath Rest. This makes the Christ of Christmas, the Emmanuel God-with-us, as the giver of rest and relaxation. This suggests that my summer relaxation and refreshment is a continued celebration of Christ as the Christmas gift. It’s a participation in the life of Christ, who comes that we might have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).
That’s my summer prayer for me and all my blog readers;
Enjoy the Christmas gift,
rest with Christ,
Giver of life to the full.
)
Thanks for that prayer, Steve. I’ll take it and put it in my pocket to go. Oh and I dig the Summer-Christmas-rest imagery.
Interestingly, I have really been moved by the relationship of Winter to Christmas this year. In a very Narnian way I suppose I latched onto the imagery of Emmanuel coming in the midst of our frozeness and dark (as winter often is) and heralding the coming spring….new life and all that.
Btw, on my blog right now I’m also contemplating the color green as peace and balance. Is there a connection in all this? Hmmmmmm…
Thanks again
Comment by Rich — January 4, 2005 @ 5:19 am