The following Bible passage, reflection, prayer and action are taken from Surefish's Daily Readings, which can be found here

Arise! Shine!

My ways are higher than yours

Something to read

My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:8-11 (NRSV)

Something to think about

The first part of Isaiah’s poem has been about God drawing near to humankind. How on earth is this possible? Come to that, how in heaven is this possible? God is surely unreachably distant from human beings - vast beyond our understanding, holy beyond our attainment, powerful beyond our imagination.

Isaiah used a metaphor from nature to help his original readers understand. The sky was, for the Jews six centuries before Jesus, so high above them that stretching up to it seemed beyond all possibility. And yet the rain tumbled from those unimaginable heights all the way to the ground at their feet.

When it arrived it did them great good, for it gave the context in which crops could grow and mouths could be fed. In the same way, even though humans could not possibly reach up to God, he was willing to stretch down from an impossible height to confer blessing on the earth. And that too would bring a great good.

Well, years have passed and aeroplanes can take us above the clouds, so the power of the metaphor has relaxed. But the grace of God still comes to undeserving people who could do nothing by themselves to attain it. Silent as snow, slow as growth, nourishing as bread, the impossible is still being accomplished - God and human beings are being reconciled.

Something to do

Look out of the window at the rain. (This is north-west Europe in December - it must be raining!) Dwell on what the rain, which we have found no way to control, can do. Bring to mind the hot countries that are desperate for a rainfall such as the one we are blessed with.

Something to pray

Until the rain is gentle to the dried-up land,
Until the people plant their farms and earn their living with dignity,
Until the hungry feed with no fear of the future,
Until in your Kingdom you accomplish everything which you purpose:
My heart cries out to you, Lord God,
for the people of the hot countries.
Amen.

Today in history

St Ambrose became Bishop of Milan today in 373. Though he became one of the most influential church leaders of the west, the appointment was such a surprise he had not even got round to being baptised before he was elected.

Today in 415, Emperor Theodosius banned pagans from serving in the Roman army or civil service.

In 1875, in the early hours of this morning, a shipwreck killed (among others) five Franciscan nuns expelled from Germany by Bismarck. The event inspired Gerard Manley Hopkins’s Wreck of the Deutschland, a poem wrestling with the problem of suffering.

Image of the day

In Mail, health centres are powered by solar panels supplied and installed by Christian Aid partners. Photo: Christian Aid/Abbie Trayler-Sm

Advent Calendar: December 7

Write a letter to Father Christmas today – he will reply to as many as he can but send it early because he has got to load a lot of presents onto his sleigh. .

Advent tip of the day:
Don't buy, bake instead!

Don’t buy gifts, bake them! Check out these Christmas recipes for Gingerbread, biscuits, fudge, truffles, and jams. Spending time baking for a loved one is a great way to show you care and a great way to save the £s too.

Why not check out your local charity shop for a container to present your gift in and then wrap it in Christmas ribbon for some festive fun. Click here for more ideas about making your own gifts.

Presentaid gift of the day – a herd of goats for £60

Present Aid – gifts that count. Provide a herd of goats and help create a ‘goat bank’ in Burundi – farmers take a goat from the bank, feed it and give it shelter, and when it has kids, gives one back to the bank.

Goats provide families with meat, milk and fertiliser. If you want to hand over a gift on Christmas Day, add in a Christian Aid Calendar (or get one free if you spend over £40). Use the link to go to the Present Aid site and then search for the gift you want to give.

Amazon gift idea – Grow Your Own Olives kit

You will never be without an olive again (well, maybe we exaggerate) with the Grow It Grow Your Own Olives kit. Use the link to buy the gift and raise money for Christian Aid as well.

Eco gift idea – Energy Efficient Cordless Jug Kettle

Know someone who always fancies a cup of tea? Get them an Energy Efficient Cordless Jug Kettle (and some tea and a mug too). Use the link to buy the gift and raise money for Christian Aid as well.