I find images such as this one helpful not only for teaching about our relationship with God, but also as a way to remind me and direct my own relationship with God and the world.

Last week, I wrote about the downward facing arrows – that they remind us that God has made the first move – has taken the first step toward us. This is who God is as a “missionary” God – a God who loves and pursues and wants to be in relationship with us. This is who God is as one who is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” At this time of year as we are preparing for Christmas, we see most clearly the choice God has made in “[emptying] himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7 ). God’s movement toward us is an act of love (i.e. “grace” or agape). But this kind of love is like ending a sentence with a contraction – it leaves you expecting something else. God’s grace leaves open the possibility of response. The upward facing arrows indicate our response. One way in which we response is through worship.

The word “worship” is about declaring what is worthy. We judge worth all of the time as we make decisions about how to use our time and money. As we consider the upward arrows, how do we respond to God’s grace? How do we show our belief that God is worthy of our thanks and praise?

Resources

Sermon 12/15/2013 @ 8:00am Advent 3 B

Sermon 12/15/2013 @ 11:00am Advent 3 B