It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas! Last Sunday night we had our Carol Service with the Presbytery Choir, readers and supper shared with friends and neighbours. Pretty special.
The morning sermon is here on wordsurfers.com. Just go to sermons and look under 'Other Sermons' for 'A Child is born Isaiah 9'. The short evening Thought is reproduced below.
A friend from a former parish recently reminded me of this Christmas reflection which I wrote and first shared back in 2006. With homelessness on the increase, the words seem more pertinent than ever. How comforting to think that Jesus Christ, in Whom so many people worldwide trust, is no stranger to hardship and suffering! Yet the ‘home’ He most desires is the grateful welcome of each human heart.
The first verse is from an old hymn by Hilda M Day, the last from one by Emily Elliot.
No Room
No room for the baby in Bethlehem’s Inn,
Only a cattle shed!
No room on this earth for the dear Son of God
Nowhere to lay His head.
Only a cross did they give to our Lord,
Only a borrowed tomb.
Yet today He is seeking a place in your heart -
Will you say to Him, ‘No room’?
No room for the Saviour today it seems,
So busy we just don't have time.
Only contempt do we hear on TV
For the Lord of all glory sublime.
Selfishness, pride and idolatry reign
And are dragging us down to our doom!
God's grace isn't wanted, salvation despised
By a world that hasn't got room.
Oh we’ve room for gambling, violence, sex,
Drunkenness, lying and more,
Spiralling deeper in darkness and pain
Unable to find the door.
Jesus would save you, bind up your wounds
And assure you of Heaven to come.
In stubborn defiance will you remain?
Will you still say to Him, ‘No room’?
The King will return here for judgement soon.
Creation will bow to His name.
Among His people that day will you be
Or crying out in terror and shame?
Let Him find room in your heart and your life,
Let Him have first place of all.
Turn from your sin, and welcome the Christ.
Be ready to answer His call.
When heavens arches ring and her choirs shall sing
At His coming in victory,
May His voice call us home saying ‘Yes, there is room,
There is room at my side for thee’.
And my heart shall rejoice Lord Jesus
When you come and you call for me.
Come now to my heart Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
The morning sermon is here on wordsurfers.com. Just go to sermons and look under 'Other Sermons' for 'A Child is born Isaiah 9'. The short evening Thought is reproduced below.
A friend from a former parish recently reminded me of this Christmas reflection which I wrote and first shared back in 2006. With homelessness on the increase, the words seem more pertinent than ever. How comforting to think that Jesus Christ, in Whom so many people worldwide trust, is no stranger to hardship and suffering! Yet the ‘home’ He most desires is the grateful welcome of each human heart.
The first verse is from an old hymn by Hilda M Day, the last from one by Emily Elliot.
No Room
No room for the baby in Bethlehem’s Inn,
Only a cattle shed!
No room on this earth for the dear Son of God
Nowhere to lay His head.
Only a cross did they give to our Lord,
Only a borrowed tomb.
Yet today He is seeking a place in your heart -
Will you say to Him, ‘No room’?
No room for the Saviour today it seems,
So busy we just don't have time.
Only contempt do we hear on TV
For the Lord of all glory sublime.
Selfishness, pride and idolatry reign
And are dragging us down to our doom!
God's grace isn't wanted, salvation despised
By a world that hasn't got room.
Oh we’ve room for gambling, violence, sex,
Drunkenness, lying and more,
Spiralling deeper in darkness and pain
Unable to find the door.
Jesus would save you, bind up your wounds
And assure you of Heaven to come.
In stubborn defiance will you remain?
Will you still say to Him, ‘No room’?
The King will return here for judgement soon.
Creation will bow to His name.
Among His people that day will you be
Or crying out in terror and shame?
Let Him find room in your heart and your life,
Let Him have first place of all.
Turn from your sin, and welcome the Christ.
Be ready to answer His call.
When heavens arches ring and her choirs shall sing
At His coming in victory,
May His voice call us home saying ‘Yes, there is room,
There is room at my side for thee’.
And my heart shall rejoice Lord Jesus
When you come and you call for me.
Come now to my heart Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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