Hineni  -Here I Am, Send Me

Processing Luke 1 and Mary’s story…  It’s incredibly easy to hear God’s words spoken over us on Sunday mornings and walk right out the door, leaving it all behind as we walk into our week.  So what keeps us from living into who God has made us to be?  When an angel shows up and brings a greeting straight from the throne room of the King, why do we say no?  Is it our apathy?  Our fear of standing out?  The unknown?  Selfishness?  Wanting the King to conform to our story instead of joining into His?  Have each person confess their sin and write (or draw) on a home made ornament.  Next decorate the Christmas tree with sin, a tree that will become a cross with a Savior.  It works great to celebrate Eucharist in the midst of this – pronouncing absolution and then send each person home with a new ornament to remind them that their sin is gone, disappeared.  That God uses us as He finds us to speak light into darkness, freedom into slavery, and joy into sorrow.  God with us, Emmanuel- Here I am, send me!