Bible Society of South Africa
Hennie Symington

A journey of the soul – Day 22

In the light of Advent

Um(Imi)bhalo weBhayibheli

KwabaseKolose 1

18yona iyinhloko yomzimba, ngisho ibandla, engukuqala, izibulo kwabafileyo, ukuze yona ibe ngowokuqala ezintweni zonke, 19ngokuba kwaba kuhle kuye ukuba ukugcwala konke kuhlale kuyo 20nokuba ngayo abuyisane nakho konke esenzile ukuthula ngegazi lesiphambano sayo, yebo ngayo, nokuba kuyizinto ezisemhlabeni nokuba ngezisezulwini.

KwabaseKolose 1:18-20ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

1 kuThimothewu 1

17Kuyo iNkosi yaphakade engabhubhiyo, engenakubonwa, uNkulunkulu yedwa, makube ludumo nenkazimulo kuze kube phakade naphakade. Amen.

1 kuThimothewu 1:17ZUL59NOVula kumfundi weBhayibheli

Four weeks before Christmas marks the start of Advent. We can then start counting the days to Christmas. The star of Advent undoubtedly is Christ. During the year, we are so intent on ourselves, our own families and dealing with our own difficulties, that this month offers us a chance to focus on the run up to the Christmas story.

Amid the many saviours and messiahs who have come and gone throughout history, Jesus stands, not as a footnote to any philosophy or as an inaccessible bit of ethics that only a small group of people understands. Nor does he appear as some or other shaman or holy man who promises to bring you closer to God, or take you on your a journey of self-discovery.

Who is he? He is the Divine and has been in existence from before time and space. Unlike man, he is not created in the image of God; he is God himself.

He is God the Creator because, “by him all things were created, visible as well as invisible”.

He is the “head” of his church on earth because he was the first to conquer death. More importantly, God has chosen to reside in him with all power and might, and to make him visible to us.

We are not dealing with a mere image of God or a mere helpless child in a manger. Christ stands as Pantocrator – ruler of the universe. However, the most profound truth about Christ is that he made himself vulnerable to be born in our hearts.

Bible Society of South Africav.4.26.9
SITHOLE KU