Street Mission
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 Rev. Ng'ang'a on the Streets with the Taco Guys |
 Rev. Ng'ang'a at Tuesday Morning on the Streets |
Location:
Kinsolving Parish Hall of All Saints Episcopal Church
209 West 27th Street, Austin TX 78705 - (Click here for map)
Today is a wonderful day at the steps of Kinsolving Hall with a sizeable group expecting help of one form or another. Guests start coming as early as 5.30am so their names can be first in the list of beneficiaries for the day. First timers are not guaranteed help because of the carry over from last week. About 20 names are from last week so only very few new persons today can receive help. Over 20 new persons today will need to come back next week.
We are two days since Christmas so many are still recovering but today I want us to reflect more on this baby Jesus who has been unto us. The Prophet Isaiah gives us some structure for us to use in this effort:
(6) For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(7) Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
It is incredible that this baby Jesus whose birth we just celebrated is the same one being described by the Prophet Isaiah. We have been thinking about this small, weak, vulnerable, innocent and sweet baby. We all understand the beautiful language we use to describe babies. We know babies are born and they need nurture and protection and much care in order for them to grow up well into strong and healthy individuals and to ultimately become responsible members of the community. When they are small and even much later when they cease being referred to as babies but as children, we expect them to behave like children and we treat them as such.
It is different after these same children grow up and we have to cease referring to them as children but more as sons and daughters. It is true that babies are still our children and our sons and daughters are still our children but some terms that refer to them become more appropriate that others as time goes by. It is not a matter of semantics only but these change signify a real metamorphosis taking place in the lives of these little ones. Children are children but sons and daughters are no longer 'children'. Sons and daughters are those children who start looking after themselves or not. The difference between sons and daughters and children is that we expect sons and daughters to know how to look after themselves or others. When children grow in the house and become sons and daughters, they are able to go into the refrigerator and grab food. Parents no longer have to worry if the son or daughter has eaten. The parents' worry if any, becomes if something remains after the refrigerator has been raided. You plead with young children to eat.
There is a rejoinder here though, because of the complications brought about by the human condition which makes the situation not as clear cut. An ideal situation is one where these children are able to be actively engaged in matters of life; beginning in their eating habits etc.
The son described by the prophet is given. Sons and daughters are a gift from God more than anything else. Babies are a gift as well but the emphasis changes with time as they grow. When we speak of sons and daughters, our focus turns on the virtues or otherwise. Emphasis is the character and on the narrative make up of the son or the daughter. We speak of a talented son or daughter or that they are gifted in one way or another or they have courage or not; they may be intelligent or wise and knowledgeable or otherwise and many more. Sons and daughters fight for their inheritance and we send them to war to fight for our country against the enemy.
You are a son or a daughter of God with rights and privileges of sons and daughters of God. We must learn to live like sons and daughters and not as mere children of God. We need to make exploits for the kingdom of God and to bring good reports pleasing to God. In Galatians 4:4 :
(4) But when the fullness of the time had come,
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,
born under the law, (5) to redeem those who were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption
as sons. (6) And because you are sons, God has sent
forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying out, "Abba, Father!" (7) Therefore you are
no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an
heir of God through Christ.
May the Lord help us to live like sons and daughters and do exploits for the Kingdom of God. Have a wonderful week."
Peter