Rise & Shine!

Are you a morning person, leaping out of bed, ready for the new day? We used to own a large poster featuring Charlie Brown's dog, Snoopy, looking very gloomy, and commenting 'I think I'm allergic to morning!' His alarm was probably not 'Rise & Shine!' 

The writer of the Proverbs was aware that not everybody is a morning person. His comment might find en echo in many these days. ' A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!' (Proverbs 27.14)

On Sunday evening, I went to a Confirmation Service , where Katherine Crofts Gibbons was confirmed. The Bishop spoke of the call of Jesus to each of us to 'Rise & Go', following the example of the evangelist deacon, Philip. He was called to leave Samaria to go to the desert to speak to the Ethiopian Chancellor of the Exchequer. The full story is in Acts 8.26-40.

The Bishop made the point that the word for 'rise', which comes often in the Gospels, when Jesus healed or helped someone, is the same word used to describe his own resurrection. So followers of Jesus are called to share the new life of Jesus, every day, inspired and enabled by His Spirit.

So, St. Paul reminds his friends in Colossae, 'Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.' (Colossians 3.1-4)

If we lived like that, then we would truly Rise & Shine!

That would make a difference for all those we meet today. 

Best wishes,

Richard