I am attempting an artful response to some bible passages during Advent this year. They are taken from the church’s 3- year programme of readings for each day (called the lectionary).
Three years ago I attempted something similar but with passages identified from a different source. If you click on ‘Advent’ in the tab on the right you will see all of them. This year, as in 2013, my medium will be the Paper 53 iPad app.
I will read the passage and reflect before drawing my response. I hope that you might join me in reading the passage and perhaps use my picture to help reflect on the words. Or perhaps you can make your own picture using whatever medium you prefer. I may on occasion also offer some words of reflection.
Psal 72:1-7
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.
3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure[a] as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.”
This psalm looks forward to the time when justice will be done. The afflicted, the poor, the needy and the oppressed will be saved and defended and Jesus will be the rain that waters them. The coming of Jesus heralds a new era when everything is made new, justice is served, and sickness, poverty and oppression are no more.
Yet whilst during advent we anticipate Jesus birth, and we wait, we also recognise that he has already come and is even now living as the risen Christ and so those of us who call ourselves Jesus followers need to seek to imitate him. And so I ask myself -how am I also bringing justice and healing to the afflicted? How am I saving the children and defending the poor?
I recently wrote to my MP to express concern over the unaccompanied migrant children in Calais. I find myself very dissatisfied with the answer I received whereby the government are only focussing on under 12s. I have a 13 year old and a 17 year old and the thought of them being alone in such a place fills me with horror. I can only call myself Christian if I am prepared to stand up for these children and so I need to find ways to pursue this.
Perhaps you too could ask yourself the same questions ‘How, this advent, am I bringing justice and healing to the afflicted? How am I saving the children and defending the poor? ‘
I pray that as we anticipate the coming of Jesus, God would show you how you can be part of his plan.
O come, O come Emmanuel – God with us.
janelydialoves 