This morning my Bible reading was 1Peter. I read: ‘When the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive a crown of glory…’
We were brought up to treat Sunday as a special day. We put on our best clothes, went to church… more cakes for tea… There were certain things that we could and couldn’t do.
Special Sunday games included ‘Bible happy families’. It was like the standard card game; instead of collecting the families of Mr Bun the baker and Mr Bones the butcher we had to collect families of Bible 4s… 4 gospels, 4 places that the seed fell, and 4 crowns…
- The Crown of Life… Christmas is about celebrating life… the birth of a baby, enjoying being with those closest to us, family traditions… people, parties, presents, positivity…
With all that’s happened with covid over the past year, hospital visits, delayed operations… we’re grateful for life…
- The Crown of Righteousness… It’s not about what we have, but about the sort of people we are… living rightly… compassion, generosity, loyalty, honesty, integrity…
We hear of the behaviour of government ministers… ‘Do as I say, not as I do…’
- The Crown of Thorns… speaks of suffering, often of unjust suffering. I think of friends in physical, emotional, mental pain. I watch the news – refugees, famine, war, floods…
A few of us met and shared a Christmas communion last night, We thought of the baby who knew suffering… born to die…
- The Crown of Glory… Return to my starting point. I hear the George Michael song ‘Last Christmas’ again. I think of very sick friends. This may be their last Christmas.
I think of Christian hope… ‘…you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.’ It gives a fresh perspective on life, love and suffering…
I’m back playing ‘Sunday Happy Families’ with my parents… I ask Mum: ‘Have you got ‘The Crown of Glory, please?’ The answer is ‘Yes’.
Musing… She certainly has…
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