Seventh Day of Christmas

Reflecting on 2012

Read Psalm 8

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223950006

 

^"O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens."

 

On this eve of a new year, I think of the world as seen in those photographs from outer space--a blue and green sphere resting in a sea of blackness. This image helps me gain perspective--I am not at the center. Even our earth is not at the center. The center is beyond me, beyond us. Only God can hold the center around which all creation revolves.

 

As you come to the close of a year, take some time--thirty minutes to an hour--to reflect on the past year. What things made you happy? What accomplishments were you proud of and want to remember by recording in a journal or on a list? What situation or relationships make you uncomfortable to remember? Write down your responses and note any action you need to take. Close with silence or a short time of prayer, offering the past year to God.

 

God of all, guide me as I journey into a new year. Celebrate with me the progress I have made in becoming a person of love. Give me strength to right any wrongs, to keep growing into the person you would have me to be. Guide me into this new year, filled with hope, optimism, compassion and love. Amen.

 

--Beth Richardson, An Uncluttered Heart

 

Tonight after the clocks strikes twelve, take just a few moments to remember those who have experienced difficulties in 2012. Ask God's blessing upon them as the new year begins. Give to God any "leftovers" from the year that might weigh you down as we move into 2013. Tomorrow's devotion will again ask you to set aside a few minutes for prayer--this time to reflect on your hopes and dreams for the coming year.

 

Rich

Sixth Day of Christmas

Suffering...

Read Hebrews 2:10-13

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223811397

"It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

As I listen to the news or read the newspaper today, I am reminded again that many people are suffering. Their suffering reminds me that soon after this Christmas and Epiphany observance, Christians will enter the season of Lent and Holy Week and follow Jesus' road to crucifixion and death. Even as we celebrate Jesus' birth, we know the challenges that are coming. 

Because we are human, we experience happiness and sorrow, joy and suffering, times of welcoming new life and times of mourning life's passing. God's child, Jesus experienced human life just as we do. And we have, as he did, the gift of God's presence with us in everything we face. Whatever we encounter, God is with us.

Ever-present God, thank you for your gift of standing-with-us. In happiness, in grief, in loving, or in pain, your are our constant companion. You are with us. We are not alone. Amen. 

--Beth Richardson, An Uncluttered Heart 

Throughout this season, my heart has ached for the families and community of Newtown, Conn. I can't imagine the difficulty of celebrating Christmas in the midst of the horrendous pain and loss they have suffered. Please keep the folks in Newtown in your prayers today. And remember also those who suffer anywhere in our world today. Christ came as both Prince of Peace and Suffering Servant that we might know the goodness of God's love.

Rich

Fifth Day of Christmas

God Speaks Through Creation

Psalm 148:7-14

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223790183

"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven."

God speaks to me through creation. Throughout the year I watch God's creation from my breakfast table. During the winter months, the birds visit my bird feeder and birdbath. The birds "neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns" (Matthew 6:26), yet they trust and not worry. In the spring, I watch each day as pear trees, then redbuds, then dogwoods, open their beautiful blossoms. The neighborhood becomes transformed into a fairyland with the vivid colors of new life. In late summer, mushrooms begin to grow in my yard. A thumb-sized nub grows quickly over a couple of days. A little tube unfurls its roof and soon it's a full-sized mushroom that then disappears back into the earth. In the early fall, I watch the spiders weave their intricate webs, delicate but strong enough to capture their food. Their patience to build, to wait, and to rebuild leaves me in awe.

Take some time today to notice the beauty of God's earth and to join in its living mystery.

Creating God, you created the birds, the mushrooms, the sea monsters of the deep---and you created me. Open my eyes, my ears, and my senses today that I may become one with your living mystery. Amen.

--Beth Richardson, The Uncluttered Heart



I'm a bit late getting this posted this morning. It's dreary outside and a misty cold rain is falling. We've enjoyed sitting around the table, warm and cozy with our coffee and munchies for breakfast. My stepmother Revonda, asked me to open the curtains so that we could see out and let the light in. Even in the cold morning the birds were already hard at work at our feeders and in the yard. I've had a great time talking and watching them this morning.

I wonder how many times we miss God because we get too comfortable and don't get up to open the curtains in our lives. God's light is always waiting to shine on us!

Rich

The Fourth Day of Christmas

God's Love Pierces the Fog...

Read Matthew 2:13-15

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223643799

"Now after they (the Magi) had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,..."

On this day the church traditionally observed "The Feast of the Holy Innocents" when it remembers the children Herod slaughtered in his attempt to kill the Christ child sought by the Magi. Even the powerful story of Jesus' birth does not escape the sorrow of death and destruction. Joseph's attentiveness to God's voice alerted him to the danger and allowed Joseph to guide Mary and Jesus to safety in Egypt.

In these days of intense distraction, I find it difficult to give my attention to any one thing. Multitasking, doing several things at once, without paying attention to any one thing, seems to be the norm. However, when I am unable to unwilling to stop and give my attention to a single task, all the tasks suffer. A phone conversation with a friend is diminished when I am also checking my email. A work task is done halfway when I attempt several chores at the same time. And my connection with God suffers if I'm meditating as I rush out the door on my way to work. What I value deserves my full attention.

God's love nourishes  our attentiveness. When we are surrounded by distractions, fear, or grief, God's love pierces our fogs and brings us closer to peace.

Loving God, I offer you today every thought, feeling, or situation that keeps me separated from you. Send your love to disperse my fog and bring me closer to you. Amen.

--Beth Richardson, The  Uncluttered Heart

 

Pay special attention today to those around you--the looks on their faces, their body language, the tone in their voices. Is there someone who needs your attention or prayers? You never know how big a difference just a few moments of your time might make in some one's life. Mother Teresa reminded us, when we reach out to others, we see Jesus. 

Rich  

The Third Day of Christmas

O Come, Let Us Adore Him

Read Isaiah 61:10-11

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223563460

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God"

This time of year we sing, "O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord." I like Evelyn Underhill's description of the meaning of adoration--"Awestruck delight in the splendor and beauty of God, ...not a difficult religious exercise, but an attitude of the soul."

These twelve days of Christmas make up the liturgical season of Christmastide. Unlike retailers, we Christians are still in the midst of Christmas celebration. There are no markdowns on Christmas love, no sweeping off the shelves of Christmas joy. Our hearts fill with adoration, and our eyes search for evidence of the splendor and beauty of God.

As we stand next to the manger, let us look on Christ with adoration and gratitude, praising God with our whole beings.

God of splendor, let me be awestruck today by the beauty of your works. May I come before you with adoration and humble gratitude. Amen.

---Beth Richardson, The Uncluttered Heart

We are so busy throughout this season, it's easy to get to Christmas and be ready to take down the decorations and move on, ...BUT, Christmas has just begun! What if we celebrated the twelve days of Christmas a bit more like we think Christmas ought to be celebrated and way less like we often do celebrate Christmas with our focus on gift giving and busyness?

We are often reminded that Christmas is not just a day (or a season), it is a state of mind, a way of being. The hymn, Love Came Down at Christmas, reminds us: "Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love divine. Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign."

How might your mind, heart and soul be changed by Christmas this year? How might we live Christmas 365 days a year?

Rich

2nd Day of Christmas!

Christ is Born!

John 1:1-4

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223538329

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Christ's presence has entered the joyous and wounded world...and has entered our lives too! What does it mean for Christ to be born in us today? Christ-born-in-us brings promises of new life in the spirit: healing of wounds, love despite suspicion or hatred, compassion instead of impatience, joy where there is sadness.

Christ born in the world brings promises of faith that turn into action: gentleness and truth born in our leaders, compassion and justice for the poor and the oppressed.

What needs to be born anew in you (and us!) today?

Creating God, all things came into being through you. Bring new life into being inside of me, that I may better reflect your hope, your love, and your grace to those around me. Let Christ be born in me today. Amen.

---Beth Richardson, The Uncluttered Heart

Several countries around the world celebrate today as "Boxing Day." Owners and supervisors at businesses bring boxes of gifts to employess who had to work on Christmas Day. Who in your life deserves a special thank you for the way they made Christmas special for you this year?

Make sure you offer a special gift or thank you to those you meet today who are still working to make the holidays (Holy-days!) good for you. Don't forget those wonderful folks who have to work at customer service counters this week--helping you exchange or refund your gifts!

May the world see Christ's love in and through us EVERYDAY!

Rich

Christmas Day 2012

Celebrate!

Read Psalm 98:4-9

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223351187

 

and Luke 2: 1-20

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223351138

 

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth…”

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

                                                            Let earth receive her King;

let every heart prepare him room,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven and nature sing,

and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.

Today we celebrate! We celebrate God’s light as it pierces the darkness of our world! We celebrate God’s hope, peace and love and they invite us to life abundant, filled with joy! We celebrate God’s love, deep and wide, born in the Christ Child.  

Take a few moments this morning to read again Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, Chapter 2:1-20. Let us ponder and treasure with Mary and Joseph. Let us glorify and praise with the shepherds. Let us sing and celebrate with the angels.

Hear the good news! “For unto us is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Glory to God in the highest!

 

Rich Greenway

 

Gentle, loving God,

You come to us this day

in the form of a tiny, vulnerable baby.

We look on You with wonder and gratitude.

Glory to you in the highest heaven,

For it is in the name of your child, Jesus,

that we pray. Amen.

                                                                Beth Richardson, Child of Light

Christmas Eve!

Finally, Bethlehem!

Read Luke 2: 8-14

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223350881

“Glory to God in the highest heaven…”

 
Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem. The completion of their nine month season of waiting and anticipation was finally at hand. After traveling for at least the better part of a week, I bet even a stable was a welcomed sight. Soon the angels would be singing. Soon the shepherds would come to greet them and see for themselves this gift of God’s love. But, at this point in the journey, Mary and Joseph were probably happy just to have a moment to stop and take a deep breath.

Our Advent journey, too, has almost reached its destination. We are putting the final touches on our days of working and waiting. Christmas Eve has arrived. This holy day always invites us to stop and take a deep breath, to stop and prepare our hearts to once again receive God’s greatest gift of love.

On this final day of preparation, I invite you to find a few quiet moments for prayer and reflection. Ask God to take away any barriers or obstacles that are keeping you from receiving the fullness of God’s presence in your life. Ask for help in forgiving those who may have harmed or disappointed you in any way. Sweep away any of that old stuff which might be keeping you from being fully present to God. Quiet your mind and your spirit. Prepare to receive the gift that God is waiting to share.

 
As you share these quiet moments, pay attention to your breathing. Breath in all those people and places where you have encountered God’s presence over the past several weeks. Breathe out and give to God anything that might hinder you from accepting God’s delight in you. Breathe in God, breathe out all that other stuff!
 
May God’s love in the Christ Child be born anew in you, this Christmas Eve.

 

Rich Greenway

O God, the author of joy, the source of all rejoicing, let us discover the joy you have intended for us. May the joyful promise of your presence make us rejoice in our hope of salvation. Amen.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Mary Sings!

Read Luke 1:46-55

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223189120

 and Micah 5:2-5a

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223189064 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit

 rejoices in God my Savior,…”

To a little, hardly-on-the map town; to a young and poor, who-would-ever-notice-this-girl young lady, God bestows blessing beyond belief. Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Shepherd King, the Prince of Peace. Mary would be the mother of this long awaited child to be called the Son of the Most High, the Savior of the world, the Messiah. I love Mary’s response to the amazing news the angel Gabriel reveals and her relative Elizabeth affirms. Mary sings!

In worship today, our chancel choir will share Mary’s song. Pepper Choplin’s anthem, “Mary and Elizabeth,” has been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it performed. It begins with the conversation between Mary and Elizabeth, moves to Mary’s joy filled response and ends with an invitation to, “magnify the Lord.”

And so I invite you to magnify the Lord today! Sing aloud your favorite Christmas carols, share the day with family and friends, take a few moments to give thanks for the many blessings God’s has bestowed—with your love and presence be a living sign of God’s love in this time and place.

Thanks be to God, our Redeemer!

Rich Greenway

O God, the author of joy, the source of all rejoicing, let us discover the joy you have intended for us. May the joyful promise of your presence make us rejoice in our hope of salvation. Amen.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

God With Us

Read Matthew 1:22-23

²²All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³ ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
   and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’

As we are looking forward to lighting the fourth Advent candle tomorrow morning, we are reminded that we have lit candles symbolizing hope, peace, and love.  This Sunday we light the candle for joy.  I can imagine no greater joy than Emmanuel, God with us.  As we talked about on Wednesday with Isaiah and the name Immanuel, God being with us means that we are not alone, that we can find hope, peace, joy, and love in the presence of God.  

My favorite affirmation of faith at the moment is the affirmation of faith for the United Church of Canada.  I encourage you to read it aloud, to listen to the peace that our faith provides us.  The peace that the presence of God in Jesus Christ gives us.

 “We are not alone, we live in God’s world.  We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.  We trust in God.  We are called to be the Church: to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.  In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.  We are not alone.  Thanks be to God!”

Brandi Tevebaugh

Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Friday, December 21, 2012

God Became Man

 

Read Matthew 1:18-21

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223094319

 

^"She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

 

So far this week, we have only read and talked about Mary; Joseph has been left out of the limelight and was getting the short end of the stick.  The Matthew account of the foretelling of the birth of Jesus has much more focus on Joseph than on Mary.  Matthew opens with a genealogy that connects Jesus to David through Joseph, and so it is Joseph who must wrestle with what to do about this child in Matthew.  Mary’s obedient response of “Here I am, Lord” found in Luke is left out.  We are given a man with a pregnant fiancé, who is probably somewhat angry and confused at the situation.
 
Joseph’s dream convinces him to stay with Mary, but the end of that dream had to be shocking.  He is told to name the son Jesus, “for he will save his people from their sins.”  I wonder if Joseph though he misheard the angel.  Maybe Jesus was to be a war hero, wielding a sword and defending the damsels, or maybe he was to a rich man, spending his dollars to influence public policy.  Maybe that’s how this baby was to be important, but saving people from their sins?  How is a baby supposed to do that?
 
This is the scandal of the whole season.  We have been thinking about this all week – God became man.  God became man specifically because he loved humanity and planned to save them from their sin.  This declaration by the angel to Joseph is incredible.  First, man can be saved from sin, and second, God chose to begin this work not with a monarch, not with a wealthy man, but with a baby.  Jesus would heal and be able to confidently say, “Take heart, your sin has been forgiven” (Matthew 9:2).  Incredible!

Brandi Tevebaugh

Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.
 

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Glory Forever

 

Read Romans 16:25-27

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=223007640

 

"...according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages

but is now disclosed..."

 

Praise be to God for the promises that have fulfilled in the coming of Christ!  This week we have looked at Luke 1, 2 Samuel 7, and Isaiah 7.  The two Old Testament Scriptures were fulfilled in the New Testament, and so now that we have seen this fulfillment take place we can join Paul in rejoicing.  Paul praises God that the mystery of Christ has been revealed.
 

Probably the best known Bible verse, John 3:16 articulates the mystery in this way, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”  The mystery of Christ is the love of God and the salvation of all.  This is truly Good News!  John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and lived among us.”  The mystery of Christ becoming man, of love coming to earth and to humanity, is made known, and the only natural result is to praise.
 
As we saw throughout the week that God made a commitment to David and to Israel, Paul notes that the Gentiles have been invited into this mystery as well.  We have been included in the knowledge and the power that God so loved the world that he sent his Son to save, and so, inevitably we praise.  This passage in Romans can be called a doxology because it is filled with praise.  May this Advent season as we are studying the love of God through Christ and waiting for the coming king fill you with praise.
 
Brandi Tevebaugh

Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Looking for a Sign

 

Read Isaiah 7:10-16

 

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=222887846

 

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

 

Signs of the season are all around us.  I’m sure you feel the little bit of nip in the air, see the stores changing their displays to reflect the holiday rush, and hear the Christmas music coming on the radio.  Ahaz was told to ask a sign of God, a sign that would reflect the Lord’s faithfulness to the line of David.  As we talked about on Monday, God promised to secure the house of David a throne forever, and so when it is threatened, God says, “Trust me, and more than that, ask me for a sign.”  When Ahaz refuses, verse 14 tells us of a sign to put all other signs to shame.
 
The signs of the season that we see are indeed reminders that we are excited about Christmas, but are they really signs of what Christmas is all about?  The sign foretold in verse 14 is this: “Look the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”  Immanuel means “God is with us.”  The true sign of Christmastide, the sign that we are looking for, is that we are not alone.  God sends salvation and hope through his Son.  And so we once again, today, we wait, we pray as we sing for a sign, “O come, O come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel.  That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.”
 
We may be exiled from God, separated from his holiness until the Son of God appears, but the good news is that God is with us, that we are not alone. 
 
Brandi Tevebaugh

Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

With God

 

Read Luke 1:34-38
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=222834127

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

 

The angel tells Mary exactly how this birth that seems impossible will take place, and not only that, but Gabriel reassures her that his word is true with the example of Elizabeth.  When Gabriel announces the birth of John earlier in Luke 1, the sign given to Zechariah is that he is unable to speak.  The sign given to Mary though is that Elizabeth is already pregnant.  God has made a barren woman to bear fruit!  God can indeed make a virgin to give birth.

Verse 37 says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”  Notice the future tense of the “will be.”  Even now, nothing is impossible with God – nothing will ever be impossible with God.  God is stronger and more merciful and more powerful than anything else because God is power and strength and love.  If God can send his Son to the world, if God can make love into flesh and bone, what could possibly be impossible for God?  This week we light the candle for love, and we are reminded that even in our broken world there is room for love, and the light of the world breaks into our darkness to teach us how to love.
 
The virgin will bear a Son, the barren will bear fruit, the lame will walk, the blind will see, the hurt will be healed, the broken will be whole, and all will be offered redemption.  You see, God is in the business of doing what we think is impossible for nothing is impossible with God.

 

Brandi Tevebaugh

Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Monday, December 17, 2012

God is Faithful

 

Read 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=222755742

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me;
your throne shall be established forever.

 

In the passage of Scripture, we read yesterday (Luke 1:26-33), Luke mentions in verse 27 that Joseph, Mary’s betrothed husband was from the house of David.  This is an all-important side note.  Turning to our Scripture for today, one thousand years before Christ was born King David was promised that his throne would never be empty.  In the Scripture reading for today, he asks to build a house for the Lord, but instead the Lord promises to build David a house.  Joseph is part of that house and that line, and therefore, Jesus is also legally connected to the lineage of David. 
 
The Gospel of Matthew more thoroughly outlines the connection between Jesus and David, but the connection between 2 Samuel 7 and Luke 1 is clear.  Luke 1:33b says, “and of his kingdom there will be no end,” which echoes 2 Samuel 7:16.  David’s reign was only temporary, and he probably upon hearing this envisioned a long line of temporary kings.  God did a new thing though and did not appoint king after king from the line of David.  Instead, Jesus was set to rule eternally.  Jesus’ reign is not the earthly political kind that David envisioned.  God was gracious to the people of Israel and saved them not temporarily but permanently.

The conclusion is that God is faithful.  Promises made long before Jesus was born were honored and fulfilled in the coming of Christ.  The throne of David is eternally filled with the Almighty God, and therefore, we are saved not through earthly reign and political power but through spiritual reign and power.  Praise be to God!

 

Brandi Tevebaugh



Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Reconsider Advent

Read Luke 1:26-33

³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

Today marks the halfway point for the season of Advent – two weeks down, two to go.  So, do you feel like you are awaiting the arrival of the incarnate God or do you feel more like you are running out of fuel running from Christmas parties to the mall to the next holiday festivity?  Advent often is overshadowed by the general hectic nature of the season, and so today (and everyday throughout Advent), we invite you to pause, to read Scripture, to pray, and to wait for the coming of Christ.

This passage of Scripture, called the annunciation, is normally the beginning of the Christmas story.  The angel appears to the virgin and delivers some shocking news.  We, however, have already been waiting to hear this good news – to hear that the virgin would indeed bear a son, a son unlike any other son.  For some reason, maybe it’s my own personal bias, but I always imagine Mary completely frightened and somewhat reluctant to bear the Son of God, but the angel says “Greetings, favored one!”  Gabriel goes on to proclaim that Mary has found favor with God.  Such a strange blessing!

This blessing did not come with wealth and health and prosperity.  The blessing promised to Mary (who was favored by God) was an unexpected pregnancy, birth pains, child-rearing, and eventually, seeing the death of the son she carried.  It was a strange blessing indeed, that the angel proclaimed to Mary, but perhaps, as Mary is obedient and is favored, we ought to reconsider our blessings and our favor with God.  We ought to reconsider Advent even though we are halfway through.  Yes, we are awaiting the blessing of a baby and all that brings, but even more, we are awaiting the coming of the Son of the Most High.  We are awaiting salvation to enter the world – a strange blessing indeed that comes with obedience, suffering, death, and resurrection. 

Brandi Tevebaugh



Eternal and loving God, pour out in our hearts this day the light of your love, warming us to one another, enlightening our understanding of others, and revealing the path of charity upon which you have called us to walk. Amen.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Pointing to Jesus

 Read John 1:6-15.

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

                 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.”

–John 1:6-7

 

John’s mission was to point to Jesus.  In religious art and iconography, John the Baptist is often identified and distinguished by a hand that is pointing upwards or towards Jesus.  He was sent by God to testify about Jesus, so that all might believe through his testimony.  When people asked him if he was the Messiah, he denied it and said that he wasn’t even worthy to touch the Messiah’s feet.  Talk about humility! 

As Christians we are called to imitate John the Baptist.  Like John, our mission is to point to Jesus.  John knew his purpose in life and he took his mission seriously. Sharing the good news of Christ was more important than his own desires or agendas.  He didn’t let his ego, or his pride, or his ambition distract him from his mission.  Paving the way for people to receive and follow Christ was too important.
 
In what ways are you pointing to Christ through your life?  In what ways are you testifying to the light of Jesus?  The news of salvation in Christ is too important to let our ego, pride, or ambition prevent us from sharing it.  May we hear God’s call to testify to the light, and may we find creative and powerful ways to point to Jesus.
 
Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Shout It Out

Read Isaiah 40:1-11

“Go up on a high mountain, messenger Zion!
Raise your voice and shout, messenger Jerusalem!
Raise it; don’t be afraid; say to the cities of Judah,
    Here is your God!” –Isaiah 40:9

Good news is almost impossible to keep quiet.  The prophet Isaiah could not keep quiet about the good news that God had for God’s people.  “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah speaks words of comfort to the people suffering in exile.  Their hometown of Jerusalem was sacked, their Temple was destroyed, and they were forced to scatter to the ends of the earth.  God sends Isaiah to these people with good news.  Isaiah has a message of hope and restoration, a promise that God will come to “feed his flock like a shepherd” and “gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.”  This is good news, and Isaiah cannot keep quiet.

During the Advent and Christmas seasons, we Christians celebrate that Isaiah’s good news became a reality in the birth of Jesus.  God became human on Christmas day to bring us out of spiritual exile, to call the lost sheep home, and lead us into eternal life.  This is good news, how can we keep quiet?  Isaiah longed for the good news to be shouted from a high mountain.  Isaiah longed for everyone in exile to hear that God is good, that God is mighty to save.

May we be inspired by Isaiah’s passion and zeal.  May we rejoice in the good news of Christ’s birth so much that we cannot keep silent.  May we sing from the rooftops, shout it out from the mountains.  May we share the news to all who are searching and aching and dissatisfied and longing for more: Here is your God!

Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

God is Faithful

Read Jeremiah 33:14-21.

“I will raise up a righteous branch from David’s line,

who will do what is just and right in the land.” –Jeremiah 33:15

Hail to the Lord’s Anointed, great David’s greater Son!

Hail in the time appointed his reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free;

to take away transgression, and rule in equity.

Jeremiah was a prophet to God’s people during their time of exile.  They were struggling in foreign lands, wrestling with their faith and their future.  God sent Jeremiah to offer them words of comfort and hope.  God will never give up on God’s people, Jeremiah promised.  God will remember the covenant made with David.  God will remember the promise of the Messiah, the one who will rule over Israel with justice and righteousness.  Jeremiah assures God’s people that nothing can make God forget the covenant, nothing.  God’s faithfulness is as sure as the rising and setting of the sun.

The Christmas story is a story of God’s unwavering faithfulness.  Not only does God keep His promises, God graciously gives more than we can ever ask or imagine.  God promised a Messiah, and God gave the world the gift of Christ, God-incarnate.  As the incarnate God, we believe that Jesus was born the Almighty King, and we look forward to the day when Jesus will return to earth and reign forever.  God established a new covenant with us through Jesus’ death and resurrection, promising that all who follow Jesus as Lord will be saved for Christ’s eternal Kingdom.

Often we can identify with the exiled Israelites.  We feel like we are struggling in a foreign wasteland.  We feel like God has abandoned us.  We are wrestling with our faith, and we are unsure of our future.  May Jeremiah’s words bring us comfort as we search for hope in our exile.  May we be encouraged by the promise that God is faithful, ever present, and abounding in love.

To him shall prayer unceasing, and daily vows ascend;

his kingdom still increasing, a kingdom without end.

The tide of time shall never his covenant remove;

his name shall stand forever; that name to us is love.

Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.



Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Christmas Victory

Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 50-58.

 

“Death has been swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” –1 Corinthians 15:54, 47

Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;

Now ye need not fear the grave:

News, news! Jesus Christ was born to save!

Calls you one and calls you all to gain the everlasting hall.

Christ was born to save, Christ was born to save!

 

Did Mary know, as she held baby Jesus in her arms, that her son would wage a war with the powers of sin and death?  When we think of the nativity scene we often picture “Hallmark” cards: a mild and rosy-cheeked Mary cuddles with a sweet baby boy, as Joseph lovingly gazes over Mary’s shoulder upon the glowing halo-framed face of Jesus.  While the Holy Family likely had tender moments on that miraculous day, I wonder if they knew that they had just entered a war zone.  Jesus was born to fight and destroy the evil powers that separate us from God.  Jesus was born to win a victory over death itself.  The same baby who was laid in a cattle trough for a cradle would spend his final hours of life nailed to a cross, breathing words of peace and forgiveness so the world might be freed from the death grip of sin.  Christ was born to save.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul spells out the victory we have in Christ.  After Christ died, he defeated the power of death when he was resurrected from the grave.  Christ was born to save, so we place our hope in Christ’s resurrection.  Paul tells us that through Christ’s resurrection power we too will be resurrected for eternal life.  “I will tell you a mystery,” Paul says, “we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”  This is the hope of Christ’s second Advent, when he will come again to establish God’s Kingdom on earth.  The resurrection power of God will raise us to new life so we may enjoy the wonders of God’s eternal Kingdom.

 
As we imagine the tiny baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, let us remember that this same baby holds the power to destroy death.  This is the reason Christ came: to topple the powers of evil in this world and defeat the greatest enemy of all, death.  Thanks be to God, Christ was born to save!                                                                     
                                                                                                                                       Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

We Wait

Read 2 Peter 3:8-13.

“But, in accordance with his promise,

we wait for new heavens and a new earth,

where righteousness is at home.” –2 Peter 3:13

We are in a season of waiting.  Children wait eagerly and impatiently for Christmas morning.  Families wait to reunite with loved ones.  We wait in line, we wait in traffic, we wait for vacation.

Advent is a holy season of waiting, for in Advent we wait for Christ to return.  We profess in our Holy Communion worship: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”  This is our hope.  Generations of Christians have been waiting for Christ to come again because we hold fast to the promise that when the day of Lord comes, Christ will reign as King and will inaugurate his Kingdom of righteousness on this earth as it is in heaven.  There will be no more suffering or pain, and God will wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21).

In the passage from 2 Peter, Peter encourages us who wait, reminding us that God will be faithful to the promise of Christ’s return.  God is patiently waiting, desiring that all would come to repentance and salvation.  But the day of the Lord will come, as Eugene Peterson describes in The Message: “the galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day – but we’ll hardly notice.  We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness.” 

The holidays are a season of joy for many, but they are also a season of sorrow and loneliness for many more.  Many of us and many of our neighbors can be encouraged by the promise of hope, that our present struggles and sorrows will be turned into joy and dancing when Christ comes in final victory.  Let us wait patiently during this Advent season, reveling in the hope that we have as a Christians: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Monday, December 10, 2012

The Wondrous Gift of New Life

Read Luke 3:7-18.

“Bear fruits worthy of repentance.” –Luke 3:8

We know little about John the Baptist, but we know that he was eccentric.  His clothing was made of camel’s hair, and his meals consisted of locusts with wild honey (Mark 1:6).  He lived in the wilderness, and as we read in Luke 3 today, he preached a difficult message.  And yet, crowds flocked to the river Jordan to hear him preach and be baptized.  Why was he so popular?

John preached that a new way of life is possible.  “Bear fruit worthy of repentance,” he preached.  You used to live a certain way, burdened by your sins – that way of life is over.  Bear fruit that reflects your new life, live into the new heart that God is shaping within you, John told them.  If you have extra clothing – give it away.  If you are a tax collector, be honest and do not take more than you should.  If you are a soldier, don’t extort money or take advantage of your power.  In other words, John taught that we don’t have to fall into the same old sinful patterns that wreaked havoc in our lives.  It is possible to have a new life through the grace of God, a fruitful and grace-filled life.

John told the crowds to bear fruit worthy of repentance.  Jesus later taught, “I am the vine, you are the branches.  Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). John preached that a new way of living is possible.  The child born on Christmas made this life possible.  Jesus modeled for us the new way of Kingdom living.  And more, through his death and resurrection, Jesus overcame the spiritual forces that keep us bound to sin.  The power of Christ in us frees us from the power of sin over us, and enables us to live into the Kingdom life of freedom and grace.  In the words of “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, what a wondrous gift we’ve been given!

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given; so God imparts in human hearts the blessings of his heaven.  No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

Praise God for the wondrous gift given on Christmas, the gift of our Savior who frees us from the power of sin so we may bear much fruit and rejoice in a new life of freedom and grace.                

                                                                        Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Season of Preparation

Read Luke 3:1-6
http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=222053440

“Prepare the way for the Lord.” –Luke 3:4

‘Tis the season for preparation.  We are preparing for Christmas morning, looking for the right sales to buy the right gifts for our loved ones.  We are preparing our houses for the season, hanging ornaments and stringing lights.

‘Tis the season for preparation in the Christian year as well.  “Advent” means the arrival or coming of an awaited person.  Accordingly, during the Christian season of Advent we remember the first coming of Christ at Jesus’ birth, and we look forward to the second arrival of Christ as a future hope.  Also during Advent we recognize and celebrate the daily arrivals of Christ – the daily presence of Christ filling us with hope, freeing us from sin, healing our hearts and lives.  As we celebrate all the arrivals of Christ during Advent, we hear the call of John the Baptist to “Prepare the way for the Lord.”

John the Baptist is the Prophet of Preparation.  In fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 40 John called people to get ready for the coming of their Savior.  His message was simple: clean your hearts and lives, and declare your desire to follow God.  Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.  Then you will be ready to receive your Savior.

John’s call pierces through time and place and speaks volumes to us today.  As we celebrate and anticipate Christ’s coming, we are called to prepare our hearts for Christ through genuine repentance.  We sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” – but our hearts are cluttered with thoughts and desires that do not welcome Christ’s presence, and our lives are burdened by behaviors that do not acknowledge the love and peace of Christ.  We haven’t given Christ the throne in our hearts so he can reign as our Lord.  Christ is coming and is here in our midst, and through repentance we can prepare our hearts to receive him as Lord.  Repentance is more than saying “I’m sorry, God.”  It is grieving and confessing the wrong we’ve done, and it is taking concrete steps towards change, to be the people God calls us to be.  In repentance we reject the thoughts and behaviors that keep us from God, and we turn back to the Lord saying, “Make my heart your home.  Shape me into the person you created me to be.” 

 ‘Tis the season for preparation, the season to prepare our hearts and lives for Christ.  May we repent and make our hearts ready to welcome our Lord.

Laura Johnson

God of Advent, walk ahead of me, helping me keep sight of your vision of peace. May I hold peace in my heart and pray for peace in our broken world. Amen.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

John the Baptizer

Read Luke 3:1-18

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=221982106

"He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Here we find a summary statement of John’s ministry. Verses one through six begin describing John’s ministry for us. We know that John was the prophet going ahead of Jesus, preparing the people for him. Beginning with verse seven, we find John’s messages to his listeners. He challenges the people who come to be baptized. He prepares them for the arrival of Jesus’ ministry, telling them to share their clothes, food, money, etc. People cannot extort money and lie about one another. But this alone is not enough.

John tells them that someone greater than he is coming after him who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. The world will not be set right by their actions alone. It will take the full power of the Holy Spirit. In order to be ready for the Holy Spirit, these people were baptized by John before Jesus’ arrival. So, how might we be prepared to participate in setting the world right? How might we be made ready for the arrival of Christ and the Holy Spirit? 

Weston Pendergrass

God of Advent, kindle within us the flame of hope. Help us be your beacons of hope for people and places weighed down by hopelessness. As we enter with you into this Advent journey, help us to be your mind, heart, and hands in the world. For we pray in your name. Amen.



Friday, December 7, 2012

Waiting...

Read Jeremiah 33:14-16

http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=221883168

"The days are surely coming, says the Lord,

when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah."

Again, another promise from God that righteousness will return to us again! What promises have you seen from God during your devotional times this week? The promise of a child to barren parents. The promise of a peaceful kingdom to a world that lives in anything but peace. The promise of help in finding the right way to a lost people. What else have you seen? Where have you seen righteousness and justice? Where have you seen the Spirit at work?

We live in a time of waiting for the return of Christ. We have been promised he will return. Let us search for the Spirit’s work in the world around us; let us search for signs of righteousness and justice! Let us search for signs of peace! Let us search for signs of joyous surprise! If we cannot find these things, then we will wait. We will wait. But God keeps promises. Though we have waited, with the company of saints, for over two thousand years, we have faith that God keeps promises.

                                                                                                                                 Weston Pendergrass

God of Advent, kindle within us the flame of hope. Help us be your beacons of hope for people and places weighed down by hopelessness. As we enter with you into this Advent journey, help us to be your mind, heart, and hands in the world. For we pray in your name. Amen.