The Christmas holiday is now over and many of us have spent way too much money on gifts that we won't be able to wear next year, or electronics that will be upgraded - making that new Wii look antiquated, and ate enough turkey and dressing not to want to see a turkey leg for another 11 months; Oh, and I almost forgot - the reason for the season - the birth of little baby Jesus... Sooo now that we have obeyed the Hark! And listened intently to The Herald Angels Sing (Messengers bringing the "Good News" about the birth of Jesus), we've girded up our loins to Go Tell It On The Mountain, and listened to the Little Drummer Boy serenade baby Jesus on a calm and Silent Night - a night boasting "a triumph of the skies" - that astronomical occurrence said to happen only once every 3,000 years - what's next?
What do we do now? Now that the child who was born to swallow up death has arrived, are we to continue living the same way? Are we to continue on the same course we were presently on, even though it does nothing to nurture our soul or adds to our spiritual growth? Do we continue with the same go nowhere do nothing crowd? Or do we change our minds and get involved with our own salvation, both personally and spiritually? It's time out for lazy Christians who quote biblical scripture to buttress their prejudices without a full understanding of what it is they are quoting. It's time out for opportunistic and convenient activist who show up at dark times in other people's lives. It's time out for doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. And finally, it's time out for playing church!
With the birth of Jesus, aka Emmanuel (God with us), more is required of us. A sacrifice of the Most High has guaranteed our ransom. We ought to want to do better, to be better, to love harder. If God required a sacrifice of God's Self, what must S/HE require of us? The birth of Jesus is said to have reconciled God to humankind; What then will it take for humans to be reconciled to one another? Now is the time for humankind - men and women - to take responsibility not only for our own self, but to get actively involved in the life and struggles of others. With the birth of Jesus, the logos made flesh, we must show up, be present and accounted for and become worthy of such an awesome sacrifice.
As I close I want to invite you to participate in an age-old tradition that I grew up knowing as "Watch Night" Service. On December 31, 1862 enslaved Africans in America gathered together to wait for the news that freedom had come by way of Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, the word did indeed come - although freedom in its purest sense was still elusive. Since that time, African Americans have gathered together in homes and churches across this nation and abroad in worship, song and praise to commemorate the night that our ancestors watched and waited for freedom's arrival. Just as they stood watch over freedom, we too will gather together in celebration, song, dance and praise to watch over our spiritual relationship with God and the coming of a New Year, full of new possibilities, new beginnings, renewed covenants and yes, new freedoms!
For more information please visit our website at www.rizefellowship.org. RIZE UP and BE FREE!
© Dorinda G. Henry, 2010
THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!
© Dorinda G. Henry, 2010
THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!
Rev. Henry, you don't PLAY church, therefore I look forward to RIZE being the deliverer of a spiritual education so many of us have been seeking. New possibilities, new beginnings, renewed convenants and YES...finally, new freedom from oppression. Thank you, God, for little baby Jesus and you, Pastor.
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