Christmas!

23 December 2018
05:32

Christmas is about unexpected gifts that always don't seem like it,
A turning upside down of your world that you don't quite understand,
Sometimes a taking away of shame, sometimes the possibility of ridicule and rejection from those who do not understand God's actions,
Sometimes you become mute, sometimes you burst into praise,
Babies in the womb leap for joy at encountering the messiah...even when he's less than a month old incarnate!
Christmas is about dreams with seemingly strange instructions that demand obedience,
Christmas is about how even world events work together to fulfil to the letter God's promises about the birth of the messiah,
Christmas is about faith and about believing that what God said will come to pass because He said so!
Christmas is about riff raff like shepherds encountering the baby Jesus because of an angelic visitation.
Christmas is about angels leaving heaven to come and proclaim the birth of the Messiah.
Christmas is about Wise men leaving everything to encounter the new born king.
Christmas is about enemies trying to kill the new born king but finding themselves fulfilling scripture.
Christmas is about the scribes and Pharisees who knew all the scriptures but failed to recognise the visitation of God.
Christmas is about you and I embracing all that Christ brings and living life joyfully because we know God is with us (Emmanuel!)
Will you be a Mary this Christmas and believe God's word?
Will you be a Joseph this Christmas and obey God's instructions?
Will you be the shepherds and visit the baby Jesus?
Will you be the wise men and leave everything to encounter the new born king?
Will you, unlike the Pharisees and scribes, see the Messiah in the scriptures you are so familiar with?
Will you, like the angels, sing a song of joy at the incarnation?
Will you have faith that all of God's promises to you will be fulfilled?
Will you trust?
Will you have a Mary Christmas...regardless of whatever may be happening around?

Cheers!
Angela Azumah Alu
23/12/18

Image from: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Christmas-Nativity-Scene-Jesus-Birthday-Edible-Cake-Topper-1-4-FROSTING-sheet-/252371282086

It will all end in praise!

Shall we accept the joys but not the sorrow from what He brings?
He is the one who dispenses both sometimes in seemingly equal measure.
Do we think we deserve only good because we belong to Him?
Who fed us that lie?
Do we not know how our salvation was won?
What witness have we if there are no valleys or mountains?
How does He prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies if there are no enemies?
How do we make a sacrifice of praise if there is no sorrow we praise Him through?
What witness have we if there is no reason for which our praise demands attention?
Tis the summons of the LORD of all flesh!
Will you answer in a way that shows your faith or not?
He is the LORD, the God of all the flesh! Is there anything too hard for Him?
He is the God of the impossible who makes the dry land bloom and rejoice.
Cheers!

Angela Azumah Alu

14/12/18

Image courtesy of: https://www.google.com/search?q=it+will+all+end+in+praise&oq=it&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i65l2j69i60l2j69i57.2050j0j7&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=9t35gaoWSZft3M:

Falling Leaves

When it's autumn and the leaves fall...

When I think it's all over and there's nothing left.

Then God does it again.

He reminds me of His goodness!

When the trees change colour and their leaves fall, giving nature a new lease

And making everything look very colourful 

It puts a smile on my face and reminds me of the changing scenes of life.

Different seasons give life its colour

Different seasons make life worth living.

No two seasons are the same; each is different.

And in God's economy, everything is made beautiful in its own time.

Tis your perfect season wherever you are.

The LORD watches over His word to perform it and when the time is right, He will make it happen.

You do not need to fear but only stay still and know that He is God!

Sometimes when it seems like it's at an end, because leaves are falling off, remember it's a season and instead of weeping, rejoice at the new lease the tree is getting.

Just wait and see when the new and beautiful leaves form.

And remember, the time of falling leaves is a time of harvest...so it's a time to reap...whatever the fruits may be at the time, review and make plans anew...so really, it's a time of a second chance...if that may be the case.

Cheers!

02/10/18, Legon

 

 

image from: http://www.speechbuilders.org/autumn-leaves/

 image of a fallen leaf in Volta Hall, University of Ghana, Legon

Meditations on the readings for Sunday 9th September 2018

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Reading 1, Isaiah 35:4-7, Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading 2, James 2:1-5, Gospel, Mark 7:31-37

Oh God, you say I should not be frightened or fearful and that you are strong to save.

But how do I continue in courage when everything seems against me and I do not know which way to turn?

I cannot seem to hear or speak and I cannot move.

I am closed off and can do nothing.

I trust in your word and I believe all your promises are true.

Yet your blessings seem to have come on everyone but me and my heart is full of grief .

Your word says that you make the blind see and the deaf hear. You make the lame leap for joy and the mute speak. You cause rivers to flow in the desert. 

Come down in the desert of my life and save me.

I seem as one who is dead and can do nothing right.

Save me from this prison and bring me back to life.

Rescue me from the shackles of the enemy.

Open my ears to hear and my mouth to speak.

Open my eyes to see the wonders you have made and loose my limbs to jump for joy at your goodness.

Angela Azumah Alu, 09/09/2018

Image from: https://sacredheartmessenger.com/tag/jesus-the-healer/

Reflections on the readings (17th Sunday in ordinary time Year B)

2 Kgs 4:42-44; Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18; Eph 4:1-6; Jn 6:1-15

Sometimes Lord it feels like who I am and what I have to offer are too small for your work.
I wonder how the little I have to give can serve your people.
And I'm almost tempted not to give at all because it feels too small.
But your word reminds me that you take the little I offer and make it enough.
Whether it's to feed a hundred or 5000+
And it's not even just enough, there's a surplus after it all.
So here I am, reaffirming my faith in you and offering all I have and am.
Take me and use me as you will...just as you did with Paul and the other apostles.

Angela Azumah Alu (29/07/18)

I loved a boy

I loved a boy; a boy who seemed to represent all I thought I wanted

He was handsome, bearded and nerdy.

He played the guitar; he was a church mouse.

To top it all off, we came from the same region; that was good news.

I loved a boy; we chatted on facebook, on skype and whatsapp.

Those were his preferred mediums; nerdy as he was.

I tried to get him to call or even meet face to face.

Those are my preferred mediums.

I loved a boy; I told my mum about him.

We discussed why he didn’t ask me out.

I told her I thought there was something wrong.

She thought I only liked talking on the phone and should cut him some slack.

I loved a boy; he didn’t agree with my faith.

He was all for Luther’s “solas”

And thought I was in error.

He didn’t want to find out about my faith.

I loved a boy; I was in a faith crisis.

And well, at the time didn’t have many answers.

It seemed my God had forsaken me.

I wondered where this love would go.

I loved a boy; after a year of talking and chatting,

Just when I was rejoicing that he was calling,

He asked me what I thought of us dating.

I was so excited I asked what took him so long.

I loved a boy; he broke my heart when he said he could see no future.

I watched my dreams go down the drain.

My dad said not to worry; God would make a way.

He reminded me of my new job.

I loved a boy; even about three years later, the pain still seemed new.

And I just didn’t seem to have closure.

But now, I knew my God hadn’t forsaken me.

He had been with me through it all.

I loved a boy; he seemed to represent all I thought I wanted.

I may never know what may have happened, but I gave it my all.

Too bad he didn’t see it or didn’t feel the same.

I thank my God whose love never fails; I wait for him to bring me a man who’ll love as He does.

Angela Azumah Alu, 01/07/2018

Image from: http://www.radiantchurchcharlotte.org/gods-love-never-fails/

Reflections on Peter's betrayal: a prayer for Pentecost

Mark 14:26-31, 66-72; John 20: 15-19; Acts 2:14-41& the rest of the book of Acts

Okay, so this meditation is based on what is seen of the Apostle Peter in the gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles. The difference is really quite great. He's the same loud mouthed leader as in the gospels, but in Acts, he's a fearless, miracle working one. That's pretty awesome! May the Holy Spirit make the difference in our lives! Amen!


On Peter's betrayal

Dear Lord, sometimes like Peter, I'm full of myself and think so much of my relationship with you and how much I love you that I am certain that though others betray you I never will.

Yet I forget my own weaknesses and I'm not able to stand for you when it matters the most. My fear gets the better part of me and I sin against you. O Lord, have mercy on me.

As you gave Peter another chance to affirm His love for you, I too seek another chance from you. I've sinned and betrayed you. Bring me back to you and renew me. Once more, reaffirm your purpose for my life.

And as you did with Peter, send forth your Spirit! So that just as Peter, who denied you before a slave girl,  proclaimed you before crowds and before the Sanhedrin with the power of the Holy Spirit, I too may proclaim your word to the nations.

In Jesus name, Amen!!!!

Angela Azumah Alu, 9th May 2018, Legon

Image from: https://epicpew.com/12-titles-of-the-holy-spirit-explained/

The stone was rolled away; an Easter meditation

The women woke up early on the Sunday morning to go and anoint the body of Jesus. Their hope was dead but that did not stop them from doing what they needed to do. 

And they wondered who would roll away the stone....but they went anyway...in faith. 

And they were blessed to be the first ones to see the empty tomb and to hear from the angel that Jesus had risen. 

Arise my dear sister! 

Arise my dear brother!

It is your time. 

Not to worry when all hope is gone but to keep pressing on. 

Not to worry who will roll the stone away but to move forward in faith trusting that God will make a way. 

And trusting God to do as He has said. 

He will roll away the stone of sickness and reproach.

He will roll away the stone of fear and disgrace. 

He will roll away the stone that you have had sleepless nights about even before you get there. 

He will prepare an angel to give you the best news you could ever imagine

Resurrection instead of dead hopes.

He will make you live again

Mark 16:3-7

 

Angela Azumah Alu, 09/04/2017 

image: http://www.lightofchristwi.org/sermons/the-stone-is-rolled-away-matthew-281-10/

Jesus, your love is better than wine

Jesus,

your love is better than the sweetest of wines,

your love is better than that of married couples,

your love is better than that of parents,

your love is better than that of family,

your love is better than that of friends,

your love is the best of all.

Wine would never die for me.

Spouses rarely die for one another.

Even parents don't usually do.

Family may betray me,

Friends may forget me,

Your love is the best of all.

Your love is the best of all.

When I think of the pain you endured,

the betrayal and all the suffering.

When I think of your agony and humiliation.

When I remember all that you went through for my sake.

I cannot help but exclaim; your love is the best of all.

Your love is the best of all.

Teach me to love like you do; day by day.

Teach me to trust you more.

Teach me to love your word.

Teach me to proclaim and to do the things you did.

But most importantly, let me rest in the best love of all.

Angela Azumah Alu, 26/3/18

Wishing you a fruitful and Spirit filled Holy Week. Tis the Week of all Weeks!

Footprints

Footprints are almost automatic aren't they?

You walk in a place where it's possible to make them and voila...you have them.
But it's almost impossible to make footprints when you walk on a paved walkway.
So there's a trade off, I guess.
Walk on sandy or other ground where you can make footprints and probably get a quite dirty

or walk on a paved walkway and have no dirt on you and of course no footprints.

You choose.

Now, let's liken it to making a difference in the lives of others.

It takes a lot of work and you may lose a lot.

You may have to make countless sacrifices which others may never even know about.

And the work you do may even not last....like the waves wash away footprints at the shore.

But guess what, for that brief moment, you would have made a difference.

So on this day, I celebrate all at Footprints Development International and everyone who strives to make a difference in the lives of others.

May your efforts outlive you...even though footprints at the shore don't last.

Cheers!

image from: http://www.yourdictionary.com/footprint

Footprints Development International is an NGO committed to raising young Africans with a global mindset. Visit their website today and find out more about them: http://fdinternational.org/about.html

Reflections on the healing of the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20)

Save Lord!

There are times when I get into situations that seem to have no solution.

I feel trapped; and there seems to be no way out.

I feel chained and my loved ones seem unable to help no matter how much they try.

Day and night, I cry out and it almost seems as if there will be no end to this suffering.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when I seem to have prayed about a situation for a loved one.

And yet there seems to be no resolution.

Day and night, I weep over my loved one and almost wonder if God has heard or will ever answer.

Tears are my bed and disgrace seems almost certain.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when an issue seems to persist in my family.

There seems to be a pattern; and though we have prayed, there seems to be no solution.

Day and night, we cry out to the Lord as a family and yet He seems not to hear.

We wonder if we would ever be delivered as a family.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when a circumstance seems endemic in our community.

And we are almost certain that the Lord has forgotten us.

Because He seems not to care though we call out day and night.

He seems deaf to our plea and our community is just in trouble.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

Then the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the boat.

He came to meet us in our circumstance, situation; whatever you will call it.

He met the needs and desires of our hearts; He spoke the words and the healing was done.

Then his message was: Go home to your friends,  and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.

He sent us out to be evangelists for Him.

Angela Azumah Alu,

29/1/18

Image from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOL0vOEF4Rg