I have noticed in a number of different contexts people referring to 2012 as a “year of the Lord’s favour” and accompanying this a call to prayer. This certainly fits in with my own view that this should be a year of mission and outreach. I have especially in mind the Scripture from Isaiah which Jesus quoted at the outset of his ministry:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” Luke 4:18/19
This gives rise to a number of questions. Who are the poor / oppressed / prisoners / blind in Hanwell? There are many for example who are imprisoned in their own homes or enslaved by addiction. Those who are in fianacial poverty often live more fulfilled lives than the materially rich.
Having started to answer that question then we need to ask what is the good news which we proclaim – what do we mean by a year of the Lord’s favour? Ultimately that good news is found in Jesus Christ. He came so that we might enjoy fullness of life – it is this that we want to share with the people of Hanwell in 2012 and beyond.
