January 2022 Parish Magazine Item

 

From The Rectory

 

I confess the parish magazine deadline often creeps up on me. This year I’ve been quite absorbed in Christmas preparation and worrying about Covid (all four of our children tested positive around 9^th December), so Simon’s friendly email has jolted me to turning my mind to January. As I write, it seems unlikely that Boris will want to cancel Christmas, and doubtful that he could get his own MPs to vote for anything much, but it would be a brave man who would bet the farm on a normal December and New Year. So this January, what, if anything, can we say with confidence about 2022?

 

Of course the future is always uncertain, but the turmoil of recent years has brought home the sense that anything could happen and it probably will. The Christian faith can give us a fixed point, a sure hope and a certain confidence even in the face of uncertainty and upheaval.

 

We would do well to find some time after Christmas in the new year to take stock. Whatever 2021 has brought, there will be things for which to give thanks. And there will be prayers for the year ahead, for ourselves and our loved ones.

 

In the midst of change and uncertainty, it is a comfort and a joy to know that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). Change is a constant of life. Much changes – sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse and sometimes it’s hard to say! There’s so much we can’t know or predict. But we can know Jesus who doesn’t change. And he can’t be improved upon. His love and power are undiminished. The crucified and risen one is enthroned at the right hand of God in glory and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. In 2022, let’s pray that we might live with confidence in the light of the great truths of Advent, Christmas and Easter.

 

Some of us recently read Tim Chester’s book Fixated: Advent Meditations from the Book of Hebrews (10 publishing, 2020). Like the letter to the Hebrews, it encouraged us to be fixated on Jesus. “Holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest…. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 3 and 12) There are worse obsessions. There are all sorts of things which, rightly or wrongly, occupy us. There are many worthy things to which we have to give our time, and some things to which we can be devoted. But the letter to the Hebrews stresses to us the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. Jesus is better than all the alternatives. He’s the best. He has no rivals. No one can rightly challenge the place Jesus deserves in our hearts, minds and lives. So we ought to stick with Jesus. To be fixated on Him would be a great New Year’s resolution for us as individuals and families and churches. May we be known as those who are always seeking to know, love and follow Jesus more and more. Nothing really matters more for 2022 or in any other year.

 

As Hebrews also urges us, we are to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’” (3v13). Who could you encourage today to look with you to Jesus?

 

A Happy and Jesus Fixated New Year to you!

The Revd Marc Lloyd

Fixated is available here: 10ofthose.com/uk/products/26683/fixated

 

I blogged some thoughts arising from it here during December: marclloyd.blogspot.com