This is the second week of Self Denial, our annual examination of our lives and lifestyles in light of the global world around us.
Last Sunday all households and family groupings were invited to take home a clay pair of hands. (If you missed out, there are still clay hands in the foyer).
As I looked at the clay hands during the week, I pictured the hands as God’s hands, and myself held in God’s hands; for God so loved the world. Equally I pictured all people in our globe held in God’s hands; for God so loved the world. I then wondered what it means for me to share and extend to others the love of God’s hands.
The Self Denial challenge is not to swap the giving of money to Opawa by instead giving money to Self Denial. Rather the challenge is to spiritual renewal by considering God’s love for all people in our world, us and others.
Last week we were invited to consider denying ourselves, perhaps by going without coffee or a special treat. In the act of denying ourselves, we are invited to prayerfully consider God’s hands of love, open to the world. We are asked to consider how the claim - that we are Christ’s one’s - shows practically in our lives and our lifestyles.