ARRIVAL!
ANTICIPATION (D365.org - Andy Acton)
Softly now. Softly. Walk with care; handle the stuff of life with gentle hands.
Settle slowly into your chair and seek the stillness. The child is coming and your heart will not be fully warmed until you see him.
Softly now. Softly he comes. Handle the stuff of eternity with the gentlest of hands.
SUNDAY, December 29
Psalm 148:1-4, 13 MSG
Hallelujah!
Praise God from heaven,
praise him from the mountaintops;
Praise him, all you his angels,
praise him, all you his warriors,
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, you morning stars;
Praise him, high heaven,
praise him, heavenly rain clouds;
Praise, oh let them praise the name of God—.....
Let them praise the name of God—
it’s the only Name worth praising.
His radiance exceeds anything in earth and sky;
he’s built a monument—his very own people.
God has arrived. In human form as one of us. God has come to show us love, to free us to love one another, to redeem us. God dwells among us and within us. God calls us to proclaim and share that love; to announce his dwelling. Surely praise can and must flow from our hearts in response to such news! Surely we should gather together to affirm and grow in such worship and praise. God is here! Hallelujah!
BENEDICTION (d365.org - Andy Acton)
Eternity has whispered your name
And so you have waited,
Waited with great anticipation
While preparing yourself for the coming of God's great gift.
Now the gift is near.
Waiting is almost over.
The anticipated arrival is close at hand
And your preparation is soon accomplished.
SATURDAY, December 28 Savior!
Isaiah 63:7-9 MSG
I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,
all the things God has done that need praising,
All the generous bounties of God,
his great goodness to the family of Israel—
Compassion lavished,
love extravagant.
He said, “Without question these are my people,
children who would never betray me.”
So he became their Savior.
In all their troubles,
he was troubled, too.
He didn’t send someone else to help them.
He did it himself, in person.
Out of his own love and pity
he redeemed them.
He rescued them and carried them along
for a long, long time.
As parents, we learn unconditional love. Once that little bundle of energy and lungs arrives, we know no limits to our love for that child. It is an irrational, extravagant love. We will go to extreme lengths to protect, nurture, and help our offspring. We forgive, again and again. We love in spite of faults and wrongdoing. We love that child on the days when they proclaim, 'I hate you!'
As parents, then, we should understand God's love for us, children of God. In spite of our faults, our trials, our wrongdoings. Even when we deny God and proclaim God doesn't even exist. God rescues us and redeems us, over and over. God forgives us and nurtures us, over and over. God became, and IS, our Savior! Merry Christmas!
FRIDAY, December 27 Let Loose!
Luke 2:15-18,20 MSG
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. .......... The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
Have I shared the Christmas story?
Have I been a shepherd for my world?
Have I RUN to witness Christ?
Has seeing meant belief?
Have I told EVERYONE?
Have I 'let loose' with praise and glory?
God has come!
This is Good News!
Too good to hold within!
This is a Message to be shared!
It is time to don my Shepherd's cloak,
Time to pick up my staff and RUN!
Hurry to proclaim,
Make haste to praise,
GOD HAS COME!
THURSDAY, December 26
Luke 2:8-14 CEB
Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night.9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.”13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”
Shepherds.
Commoners.
TEENAGERS most likely!
The angels announced God's arrival to....
Hormonal youth?
Really?
Who gives such kids any credit?
GOD does.
Why didn't angels speak to the Pharisees?
Why didn't they announce to the wealthy or
Or SOMEONE of merit?
Children? Really??
What do they know?
How do they rate?
God KNOWS:
Youth are loved,
They are optimistic,
They see the world with open eyes and hearts,
They are ready to accept change.
They are ready to receive and announce.
Perhaps, just perhaps,
We should heed the word of modern shepherds....
What arrival, what sign of God,
Do our youth have to share with us today?
WEDNESDAY, CHRISTMAS DAY Arrival!
Luke 2:6-7 MSG
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
A humble birth.
A vulnerable child.
God has arrived.
In an unexpected manger,
Midst a crowd of chaos,
God has quietly slipped into the world.
In an ordinary non-perfect family,
With no great wealth or fanfare,
God has arrived as a tiny baby.
This Christmas Day we celebrate the birth,
We rejoice with fanfare,
We treasure the gift,
But do we recognize God's arrival?
Where? How? When?
God has and continues to arrive!
TUESDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE Surprise!
Luke 2:1-5 (MSG)
About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
Surprise Bethlehem!
Surprise Caesar!
Surprise world!
Giant census!
Crowds of people,
Disgruntled from the trip,
Unhappy with Roman rule.
Ready for change.
Surprise!
Look behind the inn!
Look at this humble family,
Worn and tired from travel.
Look in the manger!
Surprise! It's a boy!
Surprise! He's the Savior!
God is coming to us!
Change is in the air!
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23 Christmas Package
Isaiah 52:9-10 (GNT)
Break into shouts of joy,
you ruins of Jerusalem!
The Lord will rescue his city
and comfort his people.
10 The Lord will use his holy power;
he will save his people,
and all the world will see it.
God is coming. God is near.
The best gift possible will soon arrive.
It is wrapped not in red and green,
But with layers of grace and forgiveness.
Tied not with shiney ribbons and bows,
But bound with endless love.
It is too big to package;
Too far-reaching to fit under the tree.
The name on the tag is not one or even two,
But everyone, everywhere.
A child-gift is coming.
God is coming.
Handle the package with care.
Receive the gift with love.
JOYFUL PREPARATION
ANTICIPATION (d365.org - Sarah Shelton)
Between getting ready in the morning for the day and getting ready at night for sleep, we live our lives. Much of that time is spent preparing for the hours to come.
But even as we wait for what is going to happen, it is important to stop. To stop and simply be still.
Sometimes being still is the best preparation of all.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 GET GOING!
Isaiah 62:10-12 (MSG)
Walk out of the gates. Get going!
Get the road ready for the people.
Build the highway. Get at it!
Clear the debris,
hoist high a flag, a signal to all peoples!
Yes! God has broadcast to all the world:
“Tell daughter Zion, ‘Look! Your Savior comes,
Ready to do what he said he’d do,
prepared to complete what he promised.’”
Zion will be called new names: Holy People, God-Redeemed,
Sought-Out, City-Not-Forsaken.
"Walk out of the gates!", writes Eugene Peterson. The Good News says to get out of the city. Go out! Seek! Go beyond the confined boundaries of comfort to seek and find the Christ child. God is coming! We shall be blessed beyond measure. But we must seek God, we must be actively looking and open to receive this holy gift. How are my preparations coming?
BENEDICTION (d365.org - Sarah Shelton)
Go now into the midst of busyness and hurry.
But carry with you these moments of still and quiet.
You are better prepared now than you were even moments ago
For the day that lies ahead.
And God has prepared good gifts in the midst of the hours
For you to know and cherish.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 SIGNS
Isaiah 7:13-16 (GNT)
To that Isaiah replied, “Listen, now, descendants of King David. It's bad enough for you to wear out the patience of people—do you have to wear out God's patience too? 14 Well then, the Lord himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him ‘Immanuel. 15 By the time he is old enough to make his own decisions, people will be drinking milk and eating honey. 16Even before that time comes, the lands of those two kings who terrify you will be deserted.
Christmas is coming!
The signs are everywhere!
Tinsel and sparkling lights,
Holly and garlands of green.
Brightly wrapped packages,
Candy canes and jolly elves.
Christmas is coming -
The signs are everywhere!
God gave us a sign,
God foretold it centuries before:
A birth, a holy birth.
Immanuel, God with us.
Do we seek this sign of Christmas?
Do we seek the tiny baby?
Where do we find the Christ child?
Where do we see the sign of God?
In a gift, a smile, or a welcome?
In a helping hand, shelter or warmth?
Christmas Eve, a reminder of our sign
Will quietly slip into the mangers.
Immanuel is with us.
God is with us.
As my house is filled with manger scenes and nativities - on every shelf, wall, or bookcase - all sans the baby Jesus if possible, I resonated with d365.org writer Sarah Shelton today, as she wrote of her Christmas abroad in Italy:
Instead of Santa Claus in every window, we found that every eatery, store, church, hotel, and tourist destination had a manger scene on display. Each one was different. They had the usual Biblical characters, but there were peasants of every kind: tanners, blacksmiths, farmers, bakers, priests, even barmaids! No one, however, had a baby Jesus...that is, until Christmas day. And on Christmas day, the baby Jesus was slipped quietly onto his manger of hay. It was the most important sign of all that Christmas had come.
Soon, very soon, the infant Jesus will appear in our household mangers. The ultimate sign of Christmas coming, of God coming to us.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Testing God?
Isaiah 7:10-12 (MSG)
God spoke again to Ahaz. This time he said, “Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!” But Ahaz said, “I’d never do that. I’d never make demands like that on God!”
Are we testing God by asking for Christmas to come EVERY year? Do we need this 'proof' over and over? Emanuel is here - God WITH us, God IN us! This can carry us through all trials and testing, through the difficulties and temptations of life.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19 Commands
Matthew 1:22-25 (MSG)
She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term:
Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).
Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.
Do this, Joseph.
I command you.
Listen to me, the angel of God.
God says.....
Do this, Ginger.
God commands you.
Do we obey as well as Joseph?
His bride was already pregnant!
The shame and humiliation!
Yet, God says 'Go ahead with your plans!'
And Joseph followed his dream.
He listened. He obeyed.
God asks us for hard actions at times.
We don't understand.
We are afraid.
We don't like what is asked.
Can we be as Joseph and obey?
We never know what God has in mind!
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18 Be Not Afraid!
Matthew 1:20 (GNT)
While he was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. For it is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived.
How many times in the Bible do we hear the words, Fear Not! Don't Be Scared! For me, the confirmation that it is a messenger of God Almighty delivering the words would cause fear enough! We live in a dangerous world at times. Situations can seem impossible, the future unfaceable. Fear can often be a daily companion. But God assures us that God is working through every situation. Don't be afraid! God is at work!
The Matthew Christmas story is Joseph's story: Joseph's impossible situation with a pregnant fiance, the challenge of what to do to make the situation 'right'. The Luke Christmas story, filled with Mary's Magnificat, 'ponderings', etc. is Mary's story. We discussed some of this at lectionary last night and it occurred to me this morning that this makes so much sense. Matthew was written for the Jews. Joseph's story affirms the lineage, the prophecy, the 'legal rightness' action.. Luke was writing for the Gentiles, the poor, the sinners, the outcast. A pregnant, unwed teenager fits that description. We wonder sometimes why we don't get a 'complete' Christmas story in one of the Gospels. We can be thankful that when we blend them all together, God speaks to everyone, everywhere, and in all time!
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
Matthew 1:18-19 (CEB)
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn’t want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly.
I can not imagine Mary's predicament. By today's standards, this pregnancy would elicit little disgrace. But in Biblical times, to be pregnant outside marriage was unthinkable. And Mary can't REALLY explain what happened. All she has is the assurance from God that this is within God's plan. What kind of assurance does Joseph have? Eventually both of them must trust that God is in control. They must prepare based on a promise from God. What promise gives us the assurance that God will be reborn within us this season? May our advent preparations include time to slow down, remember, and realize this reassurance.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16 Silent Sounds
Psalm 98:4-6
Sing for joy to the Lord, all the earth;
praise him with songs and shouts of joy!
5 Sing praises to the Lord!
Play music on the harps!
6 Blow trumpets and horns,
and shout for joy to the Lord, our king.
Sing for joy, sound the horns,
It is Christmas!
The music of preparations:
The wrinkle of wrapping paper,
Silver bells jingling
Choirs singing,
Radios blasting Christmas tunes 24/7.
Stable cattle lowing,
Babies crying,
Chestnuts and popcorn popping,
Timers on baking ovens dinging....again!
Fireplaces crackling,
Pipers piping, drummers drumming,
Cocktail glasses clinking at holiday parties.
Sounds of Christmas!
What about the 'silent sounds'?
The drift of snowflakes falling,
The aura of stillness sitting in the dark
with the sparkling lights of a Christmas tree.
Take time for the silent stillness.
Stop to hear the quiet sounds
Of God preparing to arrive.
"Be still and know God's presence,
Within and all around."
EAGER EXPECTANCY
ANTICIPATION (d365.org - Phillip Fackler)
God has given each of us seasons of waiting and days of anticipation.
Despite the incessant rush of our lives and the world around us, there are still moments when things come to a halt, when all that we can do is done and we must wait. God invites us to wait faithfully, anticipating joyfully what is to come.
Take a moment now to wait faithfully with God.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
James 5:7-8 (MSG)
Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master’s Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time.
I like James' metaphor of a farmer and his crops to describe the miracle of patient waiting. It makes me think of springtime when I see the first tip of green sprout through the still ice-crusty earth. Each day I look for signs that the green is growing, the earth pushed aside, leaf emerging. It takes time for some plants to grow!
It takes time for the seeds of our hearts to grow and receive our coming Lord. But each day, if we look for signs, we will see changes take place in our world. Each sign helps us prepare. Each moment helps us grow. Look! Wait!
BENEDICTION (d365.org - Psalm 146:5-6 GNT)
Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them
and who depend on the Lord their God,
The Creator of heaven and earth and sea
and all that is in them.
God keeps His promises
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 SNEAK ATTACK!
Matthew 11:7-11 (GNT)
While John's disciples were leaving, Jesus spoke about him to the crowds: “When you went out to John in the desert, what did you expect to see? A blade of grass bending in the wind?8 What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in fancy clothes? People who dress like that live in palaces! 9 Tell me, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes indeed, but you saw much more than a prophet. 10 For John is the one of whom the scripture says: ‘God said, I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you.’ 11 I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John.
I went, expecting a great performance,
Laser lights and encore applause.
And it was all there, meeting my expectations.
But what do I remember?
The sneak attack of grace
Caught on a side stage unawares.
I went, Lord, expecting a whirlwind,
Something miraculous and grand.
My anticipation was high for healing,
Perhaps an exorcism or two.
What did I find?
A sneak attack of grace,
A hidden moment of forgiveness.
I come to Christmas expecting much.
Festivity and family,
Gifts and an outpouring of love.
Laughter, jingle bells, and Ho Ho Ho's!
But where do I find Christmas?
In a sneak attack of love,
A handshake, a warm hug, a cup of cocoa.
A single voice of Silent Night filling the quiet,
Forgiveness offered to heal wounds.
Where can I offer Christmas?
Where can I offer a glimpse of the Kingdom
And welcome the crack to heaven
Offered in a humble stable manger
On a scratchy bed of straw?
God is on sneak attack!.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 EXPECTATIONS
Matthew 11:2-6 (MSG)
John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”
Jesus told them, “Go back and tell John what’s going on:
The blind see,
The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.
“Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!”
Even people of faith have doubts at times. John was a man of faith, he had been born to his role in this drama. But locked up in prison, you can begin to wonder. It is ok to doubt. But we can all, even today, be restored with Jesus's response: Look around! What do you see happening? That's God at work! Believe!
This was the text of Pastor Katy's sermon last week. She went on to identify 'ordinary miracles' as some of what Jesus was talking about. Are we expecting a Red Sea to part every day? That would cause many to doubt! But God is working small, ordinary miracles moment by moment; in unexpected places and times. Healing is taking place, renewal is happening! Are we looking? What are our expectations?
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 HOLY HIGHWAY
Isaiah 35:8-10 (MSG)
There will be a highway
called the Holy Road.
No one rude or rebellious
is permitted on this road.
It’s for God’s people exclusively—
impossible to get lost on this road.
Not even fools can get lost on it.
No lions on this road,
no dangerous wild animals—
Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.
The people God has ransomed
will come back on this road.
They’ll sing as they make their way home to Zion,
unfading halos of joy encircling their heads,
Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness
as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.
We started out our travels this fall without a good map for the eastern part of the country. Crossing on back roads from Wisconsin to Illinois, we got off the highway and had to feel our way back to...believe it or not...the town of Zion!! We could have used a good Isaiah-map to Zion!
God has given us the map; God has provided a clear route through God Incarnate: Jesus. We may wander off the path at times, but we can't get lost. What assurance! What peace comes from that God-providence!
Am I on the Holy Road? Do I follow with conviction and joy?
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10
Isaiah 35:5-7 (MSG)
Blind eyes will be opened,
deaf ears unstopped,
Lame men and women will leap like deer,
the voiceless break into song.
Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,
streams flow in the desert.
Hot sands will become a cool oasis,
thirsty ground a splashing fountain.
Even lowly jackals will have water to drink,
and barren grasslands flourish richly.
A couple weeks ago, Pastor Katy asked the children to describe Paradise or Heaven. The responses were magical! A chocolate fountain, unicorns and horses, mountains and Monster trucks! Ah, heaven from the imagination of preschoolers! The prophet Isaiah seems to give us a glimpse of his vision in this passage: a place of healing and health, joy and celebration, renewal. GOOD things! Positive things!
Phillip Fackler, today's d365 writer, challenges us to become a maker of this Kingdom, rather than a complainer. Complainers focus on the negative and wallow in it. Those seeking God's renewal are more apt to find those 'good things' and discover they are a part of creating positive change.
Are there eyes I can help open? Hearts that wish to burst forth into song? Where is my focus? While I wait for the coming Christ, am I seeking heaven on earth as well?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 Take Heart!
Isaiah 35:1-4 (MSG)
Wilderness and desert will sing joyously,
the badlands will celebrate and flower—
Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom,
a symphony of song and color.
Mountain glories of Lebanon—a gift.
Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon—gifts.
God’s resplendent glory, fully on display.
God awesome, God majestic.
Energize the limp hands,
strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
“Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”
When springtime rains come to the desert, it erupts in a kaleidoscope of color, a festival of joy. When springtime comes to my front yard, I daily begin my watch....my eager anticipation of the moment when the crocus will blossom, the flowers unfold from their winter's sleep. I know it will happen, but when?
In Advent, we are filled with the same excitement and anticipation. God is coming! How? When? God is here, right here! Where? Am I watching carefully for the unfolding of God in my world? Some feel as deserts, shriveled and dead, gasping for water. Am I rain for another to water their world? May we wait with patience and eager anticipation of the moment when God will save us. Take heart!
WAITING WITH HOPE
ANTICIPATION (d365.org - Erika Funk)
Babies are born impatient. They want to be fed, comforted, and cared for immediately. And that is just as it should be.
We learn over time how to stand by, how to set our immediate needs aside - at least for a time - and wait for what we hope will come.
Learn now the patience that is necessary for your eventual good. God knows your needs, because God knows you.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 For What Are We Waiting?
Psalm 72:18-19 (MSG)
Blessed God, Israel’s God,
the one and only wonder-working God!
Blessed always his blazing glory!
All earth brims with his glory.
Yes and Yes and Yes.
Advent is a time of waiting. But what are we waiting for? The end to the Christmas chaos? For some, December 25 marks relief! An end to shopping, entertaining, household decorations, the glitz and blitz of Christmas. Am I waiting for gifts and Santa Claus? The arrival of family? (OK... that does enter into it!)
Who IS this baby for whom we wait? For what kind of God are we preparing? A God of justice or retribution and punishment? Mercy? Righteousness? I like the end of the Message version: Yes and Yes and Yes! We are waiting for the YES God! The God who forgives and erases the No's of our lives; the God who moves us forward to the Yes-Positive life.
d365.org writer Erika Funk puts it so well in her devotional and prayer:
Knowing what you’re waiting for not only affects the way you wait, but your response when it arrives. Who are you waiting for? ....... Lord, teach me active waiting and hopeful anticipation.
Active waiting, hopeful anticipation. And what will be my response? What IS my response today?
BENEDICTION.... (d365.org - Erika Funk)
We're waiting for a revolution;
Waiting for the impossible.
We're waiting for change,
For the coming of the One.
We're waiting to be told, "Yes,"
To be included.
Go with hope that,
Whatever you are waiting for,
God will answer
The prayer of your heart.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 Hope for All!
Romans 15:12-13 (MSG)
And Isaiah’s word:
There’s the root of our ancestor Jesse,
breaking through the earth and growing tree tall,
Tall enough for everyone everywhere to see and take hope!
Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!
The previous verses in this scripture cite additional Old Testament words of inclusion for the Gentiles, the 'outsiders' as Peterson's Message writes. The coming Savior is not exclusive for the Hebrew people, for the sinless or saints, the rich or the poor. The Hope and reality of the coming Christ is for EVERYONE! You, me, everyone!
How inclusive are we in our welcome? Do we include the homeless, the LBGT community, prison paroles, political adversaries? Everyone? Is our hope so effusive that it is contagious? (Or...do we hold it in as a private, personal matter not to be discussed or shared?) I love Peterson's phrase 'life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit'. This is the energy of HOPE! It is the source of our ability to WAIT, with eager,expectant, and effusive anticipation!
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 Hope in the Word
Romans 15:4-6 (GNT)
Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. 5 And may God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus, 6 so that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Scripture gives us hope. Christ gives us hope. Do we give hope to others? Do we share our gift? Do we encourage others to hope also?
Our advent candle lighting song begins, "Advent is a time of hope". In this season we receive the hope-filled message of John the Baptist, the hope of Scripture, the hope of anticipation. Hope is such a forward -looking noun, an active verb of excitement and anticipation. How active is our hope?
May we fill our hearts and the hearts of others with the hope in that which has come, is coming, and will continue to come!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Recognizing the Messiah
Matthew 3:11-12 (CEB)
I baptize with water those of you who have changed your hearts and lives. The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am. I’m not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.”
John is making a clear distinction to those who come to the river: I am NOT the Messiah, I am a prophet preparing the way! He identifies himself, and then lays the groundwork for Christ: stronger, more worthy, Spirit baptizer, with shovel in hand! Hardly the picture we have of the Messiah this time of year as we gaze upon our meek and helpless baby Jesus cooing in the manger!
So....how do we recognize the coming Messiah? Will our Savior wear an ID badge saying 'Messiah' on it? We wait but do we even KNOW who or what we are waiting for? LOOK around....where do you see the Christ child? If we sharpen our observation powers, we just might find more examples of God at work right NOW than we imagined.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 Privilege
Matthew 3:7-10 (MSG)
When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.
We are all born to different circumstances. That is life. (Even Jesus said the poor will always be with us.) Some have more advantages in life than others. Some are more privileged than others. But ALL come to the river equally to be cleansed. We are all sinners in need of a good scrubbing. We can rejoice together in the grace of God forgiveness!
This doesn't necessary condemn those of us who are blessed with privilege, however. It simply guarantees more opportunity and responsibility to use that privilege for the good of all. Yet all those blessings of material wealth can sometimes blind us to what is really important.
Am I hiding within my snakeskin? Do I take advantage of others unnecessarily? How am I using my gifts for the glory of God?
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 What If?
Matthew 3:1-6 (MSG)
While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy:
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.
What if? What if John the Baptist, crazy as he appeared, was telling the truth? What if there are Baptizers out among us now with the same message, baptizers we discount because of their wild hair, body piercings or unconventional ways? What if the impossible CAN happen? What if God were really among us and we TRULY BELIEVED it? What if we acted with the confidence that we couldn't fail?
We are waiting....patiently or not. Perhaps while we are waiting we should more clearly look around. Is there a prophet among us? Is there a prophet in me? What preparations need to be made to be ready for the WHAT IF to actually happen?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 Prayer Patience
Psalm 72:1-7 (GNT)
Teach the king to judge with your righteousness, O God;
share with him your own justice,
so that he will rule over your people with justice
and govern the oppressed with righteousness.
May the land enjoy prosperity;
may it experience righteousness.
May the king judge the poor fairly;
may he help the needy
and defeat their oppressors.
May your people worship you as long as the sun shines,
as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come.
May the king be like rain on the fields,
like showers falling on the land.
May righteousness flourish in his lifetime,
and may prosperity last as long as the moon gives light.
Patience. God has been incredibly patient with humanity, his child. We are patient with our own children as they grow and learn. We often have less patience with ourselves, church leadership, elected officials in government, or others in 'control'.
Who wrote this psalm? The leader of the Hebrew people! David is praying to God to guide his kingship, to help him rule. Perhaps we might consider applying the same practice of prayer more to our lives today. Rather than complain about the current officials, do we pray FOR them? Do we pray for God's guidance? Do we ask God how we can be agents of his justice? Do we then wait with trust that God IS at work?
Perhaps....as we wait for the coming change of this advent month, we might practice a little PRAYER PATIENCE. We might be surprised to discover something new about that for which we wait!
LISTEN FOR A WHISPER!
ANTICIPATION (d365.org - Nick Foster)
The Spirit of God oftentimes comes to us so quietly that we have to lean in to hear the soft voice that beckons us.
Lean in. Cup a hand around your ear and focus. Give up the need to understand and care only to hear.
Still your mind. Breathe deep. Be ready for whatever may come to inspire you.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 COME!
Psalm 122: 1, 6-9 (GNT)
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the Lord's house.”
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May those who love you prosper.
7 May there be peace inside your walls
and safety in your palaces.”
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends
I say to Jerusalem, “Peace be with you!”
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God
I pray for your prosperity.
Today is Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent. We will light the first candle of Hope as we gather as a community of faith to sense God's presence among us. The first tingles of anticipation will begin to stir through the congregation. The advent wreath, the purple banners and stoles, all are early reminders of what is to come. Things might not have gone as we planned or there are challenges that lie ahead. But in the comfort and strength of community, we can feel the hope, the peace, the sureness of God's presence in our lives. Come! Let us go to the house of the Lord! Come! Let us journey with excited anticipation into the new year of our Lord.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Matthew 24:42-44 (MSG) GOD-ALERT!
So stay awake, alert. You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up.
Do we need a 'God-Alert' monitor? Heaven knows we have our homes wired for everything else! Do we need a babysitter to watch over us and let us know just WHEN we have to be ready for the coming Lord?
Wait! God DID provide our monitor! He sent Jesus! Jesus who showed us how to TRUST God, how to live in that trust and patiently wait for the coming Kingdom. He sent an example to help us notice the Kingdom at work right around us.
God is coming. God has come! Do we have our monitor set to notice? Have we finely tuned our lives to the God-Channel or do we let the media blast through and overcome the quiet ways in which God announces His presence? Are we awake with anticipation or overwhelmed with the season?
God is coming. God has come! Again and again. Every day.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Matthew 24:36 (MSG) GOD IS COMING!
“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.
God is coming.
Not as the Hebrews thought
With fanfare and trumpet
Fighting armies and power.
God is coming.
Not on schedule or with a date
Secured in prophecy.
God is coming.
In a mortal, humble way.
God is coming in quiet moments,
Selfless acts of kindness and service.
God is coming.
Prepare.
Be ready.
Anticipate.
Listen.
God is coming here.
HERE!
To earth, to us.
Will we be too busy to notice?
BENEDICTION (d365.org - Nick Foster)
Listen.
Listen with your heart.
Your ears may deceive you,
But your heart is the kinder guide.
There is a softness in the air;
The word travels lightly in the wind.
Still then your feet for only a moment,
And feel the message all around.
The words to a popular praise song echo in my heart whenever I read this passage from Psalms, a song which puts the psalm to music. And then....when I read through one of Jed's books on the universe or ponder the vastness of the night sky, when we visit an observatory and are given a scale model of the SIZE of God's realm, we can feel very small and insignificant. And that is the marvelous majesty of it all: The God of infinity cares and dwells about ME, personally. The thought can blow you away. David has the same reaction as he writes his psalm. Why do you bother with us, God? Why do you care?
