In these days of Covid and the royal commission investigating abuse in care, can churches really be a touching place any more? Jesus challenges us as he reaches out to touch a man with leprosy.

Jesus touches the man with leprosy and heals him. How do we think about touch in a touch-deprived and touch-averse world? Can the church be a touching place?

Jesus called the fishermen right where they were at their jobs and used their skills and experience for his purposes. Are we ‘stuck’ where we are? Can we offer ourselves afresh to Jesus for his service?

God called a boy, Samuel, to serve him as prophet. God seems to delight to call the under-qualified, young and insignificant. God is calling you – first of all to be in relationship with him and then to serve him with our lives. Will you heed his call?

Our Baptism is a pointer to the many baptisms we experience in life

God in Christ entered deeply into human life in order to redeem our humanity deeply. In spite of the mess we all experience in life, God is with us to work out his good purposes – God specialises in messes!

It was night when the shepherds were told of the birth of Christ the new born king and they hurried to Bethlehem. Christ also comes into our dark world and gives us hope in the midst of the pandemic – will you also hurry to meet him?

Mary teaches us that’s it’s OK to wrestle with and question God’s call on our lives but ultimately to consent to God’s will – in spite of the risks and personal cost.

God always chooses to use people of little power in their world for great purposes.

Sometimes the prophets among us comfort the afflicted, other times they afflict the comfortable. John the Baptist did a bit of both as he encouraged people to prepare their hearts for the Messiah.