Receiving

‘To all who received him... he gave the right to become children of God’ (John 1: 12)

Yesterday I was saying that Christmas is a time of giving. If that is the case then (self-evidently) it is also a time of receiving.

And yet, some folks do not find it easy to receive. There are the lonely and isolated folks who may have few if any who will be giving to them. How can you receive that which is not given?

There are the stressed and overworked who are struggling to get enough together to give their family what they consider to be a ‘proper’ Christmas and then are too anxious, exhausted or debt-ridden to receive even the joy and satisfaction of their family's pleasure.

There are those who shop and prepare and cook and serve on Christmas Day for family (including some of the distant members whom they may not much like), who receive little thanks (if any), who are too washed out by it all to receive the satisfaction of a job well done or too pressured to receive the rest and relaxation that many others take for granted.

And so on.

Thankfully, I receive a great deal at Christmas, and I appreciate the fun, festivity, family time and food that this season affords. After the Christmas Morning service, I am even able to manage some rest and relaxation after the preceding weeks of extreme busyness!

However, I have also discovered that Ministers can sometimes find it difficult to receive much from worship services. Personally, I can find it very difficult to receive while I am giving in these situations, and even if others are leading a prayer or the choir are singing a piece, the fact that the Minister has overall responsibility for the worship makes it difficult for me to simply ‘receive’, to allow God to speak, to challenge, to offer his peace and presence, to bless (although I have found it much easier to receive in Team Ministry settings).

This year, with all the services before and around Christmas, we made the decision to go to Glasgow Cathedral yesterday evening for the Festival of Lessons and Carols.

It was wonderful!

With both Jane and I being Ministers and being so busy at this hectic time, it was a delight to simply take time away from the relentless round of services, to be ‘incognito’ and just two in the crowd, to have no responsibility for the service whatsoever, to allow the wonderful music (and it was superb!), the familiar scripture readings and the prayers in this ancient and inspiring setting to remind us of the grace and generosity of the God who gave his Son, born the Babe of Bethlehem.

I so appreciated simply receiving, allowing the worship to inspire me and the sense of God’s presence and peace to wash over me.

It was a gift which I gratefully received.

It was made even better by meeting up with the Cathedral’s Musical Director, Andrew Forbes, and his parents, Duncan and Gil, whom we knew from Perth days where they belonged to the North Church of which I was Minister for 11 years. Small world!

It is more blessed to give than to receive, but we all still need to learn how to receive. We cannot offer much if we are empty; we cannot bless if we have not allowed ourselves to be blessed; we cannot spread peace if we ourselves have not made the space to receive God’s peace; we cannot give if we have not first received.

And this Christmas time, may we be willing to receive into our lives the Word who became flesh, Jesus, Child in the Manger, Babe of Bethlehem.

In the words (in Scots) of one of the carols sung by the Cathedral Choir yesterday evening;

O my deare hert, young Jesu Sweit,

Prepare thy creddil in my spreit.

And I sall rock thee to my hert...