Jesus in the Neighbourhood
"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish."
John 1.13,14 [The Message]
Eugene Peterson has a way with words! Just ponder how he interprets the thoughts of St John to describe the 'incarnation', Jesus the Messiah entering his creation as a human being. We can appreciate the analogy and with our imagination see its relevance to our call to Overslade over two decades ago.
For Dorothy and David, Martin and Abi, and later Alan and Chris this meant a literal move to homes opposite the Community Centre. They saw God's call to them and made life changing decisions in the knowledge that God would be faithful. They moved into the neighbourhood. 'Generous' and 'true' are Peterson's words to describe Jesus. They are not out of place in the description of our friends.
Sometimes we are called to make changes that, with hindsight, we can see were important for the long term. In personal, family and church life we are often presented by such challenges from God. He wants us to respond generously and truly. For m2o we have become aware of a 'call to the people of the parish'. We still need to focus on what this means practically, with all the joys and sorrows that are part of the journey.
Pray for the people of the parish, for the neighbourhoods where we live out our lives as followers of Christ and be encouraged. Jesus has moved into the neighbourhood!
Richard Farnell
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