Advent Day 23: Neighborhood

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Genesis 3:8-9;
Exodus 29:45-46;
Revelation 21:1-3






“The incarnation is "a kind of vast joke whereby the Creator of the ends of the earth comes among us in diapers... Until we too have taken the idea of the God-man seriously enough to be scandalized by it, we have not taken it as seriously as it demands to be taken.”
― Frederick Buechner




From the very beginning, God has expressed a desire to dwell with humanity (see the above Scriptures). And Advent celebrates that, indeed, Christ is coming.
Here. To dwell in this place—your place.  (Emmanuel: God dwelling with us) 
“The very least we can say about Jesus is that he was present. Incarnational mission is exactly that: moving into the lives of those to whom we have been sent to serve…

Nigel Barham is a young missionary in Toronto, Canada whose plan is deceptively simple: Simply move in (into a neighborhood) and pray. That’s it. That’s the whole strategy.  Let God make use of your presence, your proximity and your prayer. It’s what Jesus did.” 
 —Michael Frost, The Road to Missional  (p123-124)
So today we pray for our close-to-home places, our neighborhoods:

  • We pray for our next-door neighbors (Do you know them? Know their names and their specific prayer needs? If not, pray to get there.) 
  • We pray for those in our community that we encounter on a day-to-day basis (retail workers, law enforcement officers, postal workers, gas station attendants, etc..). 
  •  We pray for nonprofits/volunteers here in Ocala who are working to make a difference (to bring light) to dark places in our own community—those who are ‘moving in’ and making a difference in the name of Christ. Here are just a few:
Open Arm Village (The parishioners at St. Marks United Methodist Church gave up their classroom and agreed to open their doors to offer hospitality and shelter to homeless individuals here in Marion County—on 8th Street)
Christian 12 Step (Based here in Ocala, these volunteers work with prisons and communities to organize recovery groups—focused on Jesus—to help folks in the darkness of addiction)
Interfaith Emergency Services (provides basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter to enhance the quality of life for families and individuals in our community)
Salvation Army (hear those bells at this time of year? The Salvation Army shelters and works alongside many homeless residents in our city)
Tuesday Morning Outreach (here at our own church, we serve a hot meal and assist our homeless brothers and sisters who need birth certificates, IDs, tents and sleeping bags. (and tomorrow, we’re hosting a huge celebration from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m so drop by the Family Life Center if you want to help or even just come together to celebrate the birth of Christ!)

 


Tomorrow’s word: Welcome →

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