Skip to main content

Oaks, Christmas and Isaiah 61

At the small meeting we attend in an Anglican Church on Wednesday mornings where we are the 'young folk' of an older group of 80 and 90 year olds, the senior pastor spoke on the connection among Oaks and Isaiah 61.

In Isaiah 61 the Messiah (the Anointed One) says:
 
1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified (KJV). 

The KJV speaks of 'trees of righteousness' which the NIV renders as 'oaks of righteousness'. The pastor referred at the older folk in this small group and said that in them that the mission of the Messiah was to prepare us all to be 'oaks of righteousness'; he believed that the older ones had a particular vocation to play as the elderly in the congregation.

I warmed to his suggestion. Often I think that the elderly are regarded as past it and of little worth; if we would listen to their stories we would hear narratives of faith that would challenge our often weak desire for God.

After this sermon I talked with a lady who told me that she would be 98 next month! She confessed that she didn't know why God still had her here alive but she believed He knew what he was doing!! I have a good mate, Bill, at this service--he's 88--and he sings a solo at each service. He has a great voice and we are all blessed listening to his singing of his old favourites. He used to be a primary school teacher and I know he was a blessing to all those pupils he taught because of his quick witted humour.  What a privilege it must have been to have him as one's teacher!

There are other gracious older ones I could mention too and they all have the oak-like character of trees of righteousness which one instantly feels being with them.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel

Reigning With Christ by F J Huegel (1963) is a book of only 88 pages yet it is filled with crucial truths of the Christian faith organised around the theme of the enthroned believer . It's fair to say that the theme he concisely addresses in this small book is much neglected today. For the press of technological life with its bustle and speed is such that we can forget that present life, so ' real' to us, is temporary (2 Cor 4.18) and as in the first century, 'the form [Greek, "schema"] of the world is passing away' (1Cor 7.31). It's easy to read this work and though it has 20 chapters, they are short and pithy. However, reading it requires a meditative attitude so as to allow the Spirit to work on our hearts.
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus Anointed For His Death!

In John's gospel account, chapter 12 and verses 1-8 we read, 12  Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8  For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

[3] The Prayers of the People

This third section of Holy Communion is introduced with the words said by the lay reader/minister: Let us pray for the world and for the Church. In most Anglican churches I've been in the prayers are prayed by a congregational member because these prayers are 'the prayers of the people '. Sometimes the pray-er will even stand at the back of the church or in the aisle a little towards the front to emphasise the fact that these prayers come from the congregation. The prayers are supplicatory in nature. Various formats can be used and numbers of formats are given in the Prayer Book and other appropriate sources can also be used. Usually after each area of prayer is finished, the pray-er will say some like,  Father, hear our prayer [with the congregation responding with something like] through Jesus Christ our Lord. Prayer may then begin with   Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ has promised that you will hear us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers we offer. Four typical...
Post a Comment
Read more