How often does it happen to you that you are reading the bible and something just hits you like a hammer between the eyes. OK, well maybe it just jumps off the page a bit and speaks to you, but the point is that for me so often when I get into God’s word, not really expecting anything but just doing my devotions, God speaks.

I think this is why in Hebrews 4:12 it refers to the word of God as living and active. God speaks to us through His word corporately as a people and personally as individuals. You get to hear, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within you, God’s voice.

And it is often a strange feeling. You read something; you know it is there; you have read it before and even meditated on it and one day Bam! It just hits you. Perhaps it has a lot to do with what you are thinking and feeling at the time, but I take comfort in that because it shows me that God is speaking directly to me right where I am at the time.

I was reflecting on Hebrews 12 this week. It talks about Moses coming before a terrible, frightening God at Mount Sinai, but then it says but that is not where we are at in this place and time. It says that amongst other things we have come together as a people, as a community and Verse 23 says “You have come to the Assembly of God’s firstborn Children, and further on, the spirits of the righteous ones who have been made perfect”.

As you look around you in this body of Christ the church, is that what you see? I know I fall down here sometimes, but despite all our failings that is how God sees us, as His firstborn children. And like all children, we carry the mark of the Father with us; we carry the presence of God with us into any and every situation we might come across: Work, school, rest, leisure, and family, in fact everywhere we go.

Let’s remember, particularly at this Christmas celebration time that we are indeed “Kids of the King” and this baby whose birth we are celebrating is our brother Jesus. And let’s remember that this incredible family we are part of has the power and responsibility to change the world, simply by carrying the presence of God with us wherever we go. We make a difference when we see ourselves as God does!

.....Blessings     Martyn