December 16 - Celebrating

We’ve just got back in from a Saturday night out in Newcastle. We were at a Christmas choral concert. In the city the streets were overrun with people rather the worst for wear spilling onto the roads totally unaware they were stepping out in front of me - we just wanted to get home! Is the middle of Newcastle like this every Saturday? I know the Toon won 3 - 0 this afternoon and it’s nearly Christmas. 

It’s good to have times when we can be free from our worries and find some peace and fun though I reckon those in Newcastle downing spirits and worse will not be celebrating tomorrow. Rather more sedately tonight others found escapism in the Strictly final. It was the youngest final ever and won by Ellie from Stalybridge, the former Coronation Street actress. There are programmes and causes which bring people together and are fun to react to together. 

Does the Christmas story give us escapism to celebrate? It certainly brings people together. I’ve three services tomorrow, two are carol services and one is a Christingle. People love singing carols. They love a party. They love a Christmas dinner. There is this alls well with my world feeling that Christmas is a cure for everything like drink and drugs or even thinking about who will lift the glitterball trophy instead of thinking about my problems. But the real reason for celebration is that God is in those problems so we don’t have to escape. That’s far more healthy than nursing tomorrows hangover or consequences of what happened in a night club tonight or feeling miserable tomorrow that Strictly is over. 

I hope in the midst of our lives we can celebrate. We need to look up as tonight’s concert enabled us to do to see God. Then we have real reason to celebrate. 

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father:

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.