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

Arise! Shine!

New heavens and earth

Something to read

I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.
Isaiah 65:17-19 (NRSV)

Something to think about

We all have things we wish we could forget. One of the joys of the heaven that God has destined for his people is that from it we will not have to remember the ‘weeping’ or ‘distress’ that marked parts of the journey we took to get there.

In the theological college of Sri Lanka I met young students who are preparing to lead churches in a country recovering from two decades of civil war and struggling to maintain peace. Tamils and Sinhalese had been fighting for the whole of their lives. Gnanarajah Manozuban said to me, ‘All of us are human beings. We are separated by language and divisions. But every one of us is human, so I want to see God’s image in your face. Can you see God’s image in me?’

He told me his story: ‘When I was thirteen I was hit by a shell. May I show you?’ He lifted his shirt. There was a hole three centimetres deep in his hip. ‘My mother was weeping. All our neighbours said, “Where is your God now?” The Red Cross took me to hospital in Batticaloa. The doctor said I would not be able to walk for a year. But I was determined. I walked again after twenty-two days. Then I knew where my God was. That is what leads me to be training for ordination. It is not enough for me to say thank you to God with my prayers and thoughts; I need to say thank you with my whole life.’

‘I want to say to the man who did this to me, “You must never do this again. I want to be a Christian who forgives and forgets. I know that I have forgiven you. If you never do it again I will forget too, but I find forgetting much harder.”’

Something to do

Christian Aid works with twenty partner organisations in Sri Lanka supporting rehabilitation work and building peace in the north and east, which were most painfully affected by the war, and strengthening the rights of poorly-paid workers on the tea plantations in the central mountains.

Something to pray

It is possible that today’s Bible reading has stirred in your mind old disappointments, hurts or embarrassments that you would rather not have recalled. Dwelling on them today will not do you any good! Instead, positively thank God that they have a strict ‘use-by’ date, and that in heaven their hold over you will be gone for good.

Image of the day

Agricultural workers in Kabanana village, Zambia, cultivating a crop of rape. Christian Aid / David Rose

Advent Calendar: December 19

Don’t forget the pets (or should I say companion animals) this Christmas. There are lots of things you can buy but you could make your own cat, dog and rodent (and even bake your own dog biscuits).

Advent tip of the day:
Make your own gift tags

Don’t splash out on gifts tags this year, make your own instead. Simply cut out the scenes on last year’s Christmas cards, use a hole-puncher to create a small hole in the tag and thread some string or ribbon to attach to gift. You can also make gift tags from wrapping paper, printed card like cereal boxes, or your children’s drawings.

Amazon gift idea – The Lost Art

For the science fiction/fantasy fans in your life – a copy of The Lost Art, exploring a post-scientific world, should keep them quiet for a few hours. Tomorrow is the last day for UK first class delivery with Amazon. Use the link to buy the gift and raise money for Christian Aid as well.

Eco New Year’s resolution idea – eco cleaning products

It’s getting a bit late now to buy Christmas presents online, but what about getting the New Year’s resolutions in early? Why not make 2010 the year that you… spring clean with eco cleaning products – that way both your house and your conscience will be sparkly! Use the link to buy the products and raise money for Christian Aid as well.

Today in history

Today in 1516, the Fifth Lateran Council banned all preachers from predicting the future.

Henry II became King of England today in 1154. He led the first English invasion of Ireland, on the pretext (horribly ironic considering later history) of making them better Roman Catholics.

Today is the Eastern Orthodox feast of King David, the Old Testament hero.