Time for Renewal

Time for Renewal

Within all of us is a holy place. A place where God resides. During the period before Christmas – Advent – when Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ, I took the opportunity to spend 8 days on retreat.

A retreat is an opportunity to take oneself away from the general busyness of life, to reflect and to become reacquainted with the God within us. To help with this objective my retreat involved silence in addition to turning off mobile phones and not accessing internet, or even the television or radio for the duration of the retreat.

For the past year my blog has stalled because I found it difficult to put forward a positive message. I hope that this year I will be able to access the Good (God) in me to bring out the good in others.

The passing of Nelson Mandela highlighted some aspects which demonstrated the difference that is made when the God centre is harnessed. It is not humanly natural to treat your aggressors with respect and without bitterness. Mandela managed to do this and I am sure that the outcome is much better than would have resulted from the the more normal revengeful response. His was a tremendous role model – the world will be a much better place if others follow his example.

In recent years I have put fairy lights on an Acer tree outside my front door – increasing the lights as we approach Christmas. It is a small act which reminds me and others of this special time and it has become significant for me. One morning when on retreat I went into a meadow within the grounds and was amazed by what looked like thousands of small fairy lights attached to the plants throughout the large field. On close inspection small balls of rain or dew had formed and frozen on the plants. These where then lit by and sparkled with the early morning sunlight. It reminded me just how weak we are compared with God's power. It also reminded me just how wonderful is our world and how important that we take good care of it.

So why the real spirit of Christmas?

Who was Scrooge? Was he a miserable miser who was only interested in money, who wouldn't help the vulnerable and poorest, who put status above relationships and was generally disliked - or was he a wonderful benefactor who looked after his employees and their families who donated generously to charitable causes, cared about the plight of those in need and was loved by all?

Which Scrooge I you recognise in myself? Which would I like to be? Which one brings me life?

I am hoping to consult my God centre a bit more from now on and hopefully will smile rather more – like the reformed Scrooge. I believe that if you join me we can make this world a better place.

With blessings for the New Year,

Chris