Birth and Rebirth

Birth and Rebirth

All of a sudden the birth pangs came
Hoped for, dreaded, intense
Focusing every bodily sense
Into the crisis of pain.

The baby lay on my arm
Small, round, red, crushed face
Every finger and toe in place
Suckling at last and calm.

Oh the joy of a baby’s smile
When dark eyes looked at me
The stirring of life in a soul is seen
In the love of a little child.

I thought of the birth pangs borne for me
As Jesus hung on the cross
What agony and bitter loss
He paid for a soul set free!

But oh the joy on the Father’s part
When I look to Him above
When He sees a smile of adoring love
Awakening in my heart!

Christmas

Highlights of present opening time: A little fellow with a book set which included coloured glasses. When he put them on I showed him the pictures in the back of the book and saw him move his hand to hold the 3D image of a charging rhino! A vegetarian teenager with a packet of all flavoured jelly beans -unlike the ones in Harry Potter these had a chart to tell you what flavour to expect! His delight at finding that they did not contain animal gelatine so he could enjoy them!

The ABC concert on the Christmas evening did not entirely miss out on the central message of Christmas, including an item from the Messiah, and finishing with Hark the Herald Angels Sing - a carol with wonderful words if we take the time to comtemplate them.

"Glory to the new born King". May Jesus be reborn in your hearts, may you live in constant conversation with Jesus, the king of all kings, and give him the glory! When we all do so then at last we will have peace on earth, good will among men.