Queens drive, Summer evening

The clinical christmas rush is starting this morning. People are trying to get well enough to go home before the holidays — and at the same time some families are wanting people admitted, or some people want to be on a psychiatric ward because being alone at christmas is harder than they can cope with.

And I have to find the paraphenalia I need from the university this morning because they will close on the 24th for the Christmas break (which is until the 9th). Unlike the Northern Hemisphere, Christmas is also the start of the summer break. The schools have closed, parents are trying to juggle childcare with the busiest time for retail..

At least the sun is out.

GALATIANS 3:1-14
1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! 2The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4Did you experience so much for nothing? — if it really was for nothing. 5Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
6Just as Abraham” believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” 7so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. 8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” 9For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.
10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.” 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” 12But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.” 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” — 14in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

At this time of the year we are busy. We are getting ready to visit our families, or preparing to have our families visit. We are giving to those in need. (And the charities like the fundraising they can do now).

All well and good. But we need to remember what Paul is saying. Jesus arrived to take our sins. To suffer for us. We cannot balance this, and we cannot keep the law of God (let alone the laws of men, which contradict themselves). Our salvation is not by works.

The works we do are instead worship. Because God was generous to us, we should be generous to others. Because God cared for us, we should care for others.

In the end this time is not about business. It is about Jesus. And the world wants to shut that out.