(Extra)Ordinary – You Matter: A DIFFERENT DRUM(MER) – John Northfield Methodist Daily Devotions

Devotions prepared by Michelle Saville, Heather Duffy, Wendy Thornton, Vuvu Kwakwa, Local Preachers Desbe Odendaal, Tlhoriso Sepenyane , Rev Mike Brown and the Ministers of Northfield Methodist Church.

Day One READ MARK 1: 1 – 8 ‘And so John came baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ Imagine for a moment that you are having a sleep on your chair... Somebody shakes you by the shoulder and says, ‘wake up! wake up! We are going to the shops!’ - Quite likely you would get a little bit of a fright! At the beginning of his Gospel Mark ‘wakes us up’ with the news of Jesus coming. Every year the Jewish celebrate the story of the Exodus from Egypt. One of the great promises that the Jews held onto was that, when YHWH finally came, the Exodus story would happen all over again, setting his people free once and for all. But they were living a life of sin, a rebellion against the living God. They were looking and going in the wrong direction, they would have to turn around and go in the right direction (which is what repentance is all about!) Can it be that people in our churches and indeed the wider churches need a wake-up call? Are we on the right road? Are we ready to accept the good news of Jesus the Messiah? (From NT Wright: ‘Mark for Everyone’) Pray for a new and fresh understanding of God’s will in your life.

Day Two READ Mark 1: 9 – 13 ‘As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: you are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ We see it in the news again and again. Family arguments, harsh words spoken, the slamming of doors often ending in violence. Many children grow up without loving words being spoken to them. The reality is that rejection and violence within families, often leads children and adults to slide eventually into a life of evil. Many fathers and mothers are just not able or willing to tell their children how delighted they are with them. In his Gospel Mark tells us a different story. When we give ourselves in faith to Jesus, it is like an invisible curtain opening up in front of us. We sense somebody very different. We hear our loving father speaking to us. The Christian life is about faith in a loving God. A father who does not threaten or reject us. Life is never a bed of roses but with the knowledge of a diifferent drum in our hearts and minds we will be able to weather the storms without resorting to negative behaviours. Spend some time today repeating the following words to yourself: (insert your own name) you are my dear child, I’m delighted with you. From NT Wright: ‘Mark for Everyone’ Thank God for his loving care for all people.

Day Three READ Psalm 1 ‘Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers’ Psalm 1 is a ‘Wisdom’ psalm, teaching the congregation about itself and God. The psalms take sin seriously. The writer of this psalm has two groups of people in mind: The first group are ‘the friends of God (forgiven sinners), those who study and obey God’s word. God’s people have a consciousness of God which shows in all parts of their lives. God’s ways are a source of guidance, encouragement and moral strength. God’s people are happy within themselves no matter the circumstances in which they find themselves. The second group is those who do not seek divine forgiveness and are estranged from God. Unfortunately this group is in the majority. Evil should not attract us because evil actions will have consequences. If we make decisions that are contrary to the normal good order of society we will suffer the consequences. Unfortunately good people suffer so much from the actions of evil people. We must never forget that God walks alongside us on our journey. His Spirit always guides and encourages us to hold fast to our faith in the everlasting God.

Pray for those impacted by crime in our society.

(Extra)Ordinary – You Matter: A DIFFERENT DRUM(MER) – John Northfield Methodist Daily Devotions

Devotions prepared by Michelle Saville, Heather Duffy, Wendy Thornton, Vuvu Kwakwa, Local Preachers Desbe Odendaal, Tlhoriso Sepenyane , Rev Mike Brown and the Ministers of Northfield Methodist Church.

Day Four Read Isaiah 40:1 – 11 ‘A voice of one calling; in the desert prepare the way for the Lord make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God’. Powerful, evocative words written originally as a comfort to the Jewish exiles in Babylon.

Christians see it as a messianic prophecy pointing to God’s preparation for Jesus. The New Testament identifies John the Baptizer as the messenger, John is the forerunner of Jesus, the one who calls on people to prepare the way of the Lord's coming.

‘The passage announces God's intention to visit God's people. God gives directions for the way to be prepared. By who? By the people God wants to visit? No, by God's own servants. God does not say, "Tell the people to get ready and when they have done so, I will come to them.” God says, "Prepare the way! I am coming to my people (whether they are ready or not)."

“I will come to my people, and nothing will keep me from them. Mountains will be torn down, valleys will be filled in, rough places made smooth -- whatever it takes!" So, Mark's Gospel announces that this plan is about to be fulfilled. John the Baptist is one of God's agents preparing the way for the Lord to come. He offers a baptism of repentance as a means of "getting ready."

Is your heart ready for Jesus this Christmas?

Day Five Read 1 Peter 1: 13-22 and 2:1 Therefore prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace given you when Jesus Christ is revealed’ Certainly John the Baptizer was different. His mode of dress, his lifestyle would have set him apart! So what does it mean for Christians to be different? We think differently In Proverbs 23: 7 we read; for as he thinks within himself, so he is"... the old computer adage says this well; ‘Garbage in – garbage out’ i.e. what we put in to our minds is what will come out, good or bad! We live differently As Christians we march to a different drum and we need to have the courage to do so. As Christians we cannot be afraid to be out of step with the world. We love differently We love sincerely. Just like God loves us we are to love, genuinely and authentically. We love with all of our strength We love with a pure heart. We talk differently When we talk to others we use words that build each up, we don’t use words to break others down! Spend time meditating on John 13:35

Day Five Romans 12:1- 3 ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will’. (In military terms soldiers would respond to orders given by differing drum beats.) Every year around Christmas time the beautiful song ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ makes a welcome return to churches, shopping centers and TV screens! Based on a Czech song ‘The Carol of the Drum’. The song tells the fictional story of the young boy who approached the manger with nothing but his drum. As the boy began to play his unique gift it brought a smile to the baby in the manger! As Christian believers we march to a different drum. While everyone around us is frantically rushing to buy gifts, maybe we should, like the little drummer boy offer something from our own pool of talent. We don’t take our cue from the world but rather the example of Jesus Christ. ‘Our faith calls us to be cheerful in giving, gracious in receiving, and intentional in living’. ‘During this reflective and festive season of the year, you and I are invited to invest our best gifts, tangible and intangible, in ways that express our love and loyalty to the One born in Bethlehem’. (Acknowledgements to Barry Howard) This Christmas time what can you do for somebody that will not cost a lot of money?