Once – back in the days when our children were growing up – a farmer friend invited us over with our young children to witness the birth of a calf. For us as adults that was a good experience. Farmers may take the birth of yet another calf for granted. For us city folks it is a reminder of the miracle of life.
For the children it was also a memorable event and a convenient introduction to the “the birds and the bees”. I like to think that in some small way it helped them to come to terms with the miracle of human reproduction. After all there are similarities between the animal world and our human world when it comes to conception and birth.
Of course there are differences too. In fact, one of those differences particularly struck me on that occasion. Very soon after being born that calf tried to get onto its feet. At first very shakily, but after a couple of false starts it actually stood on all fours. Within a few hours it was highly mobile even running and jumping.

In a few days time, the world will be celebrating the birth of our glorious Saviour. Many Christian churches will have a church service where people will listen to God’s word and have opportunity to praise Him with voices singing some wonderful hymns about the birth of the Saviour. And thankfully, some people who never darken the inside of a church building will come with their family to the Christmas Day service.
So let’s pray that the universal Christian church has something worthwhile to say as they gather together for worship. The Christmas day service is not just a ‘carol’ service or a time for some lovely choirs to sing. Nor is the service a group counselling session from the pulpit about international, national or family relationships.

Purpose is the one thing in life that everyone wants. Without an understanding of the purpose to individual tasks, we can find motivation for the job difficult to muster. Without a sense of purpose to our life as a whole, we will generally flounder – or at least not achieve our full potential.

It has come to my attention that a number of the congregation have received a printed form letter from an anonymous source which can only be described as a ‘chain letter’. Every so often these things make their ugly appearance, and most of us will probably be inclined to simply trash them, treating them as they deserve. However, just in case there is anyone who may be tempted to think there might be something in them, let me make several points.
The ‘letter’ currently doing the rounds is of the old fashioned variety. It is a paper version, and is distributed by regular ‘snail’ mail. These days most chain letters are distributed by e-mail. I would expect that the person who distributed the current one is either targeting people they think have an e-mail account, or is more probably an older person.

One of the things that is often encouraged in Christian circles is individual and family devotions. Thankfully, most of us do these devotions and it is a wonderful blessing. Now the purpose of this meditation is not for you to think that you shouldn’t use devotional material. Nor is it to give you a list of what makes for a good devotional booklet. Our choices will depend on personal preferences and family situations. I don’t think we would read a children’s Bible Story book when only adults are listening. Nor do I think it is wise to read Calvin’s Institutes as family devotional material.
However, the concern I have is that much of the devotional aids we use along side our Bibles are not ‘distinctively’ Christian. Just because it contains a lot of ‘God’ talk doesn’t necessarily mean it is Christian or beneficial. It seems from the various booklets that often are used in our circles that they have lots of ‘God’ talk and what we should be doing but little or no consideration is given to redemptive history and particularly, the work of Christ.