2015 MUMC Devo Booklet - Marlton United Methodist Church

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People Get Ready!
“Prepare the way of the Lord …”
Isaiah 40:3
Marlton United Methodist Church
Daily Advent Reflections
November 29-December 25
2015
I have deeply fond memories of
gathering around the Advent wreath at
my childhood dinner table, offering
special prayers and discussing beloved
scripture passages with my parents and
brothers.
Whether you read these together as a
family, or in hushed stillness alone
with God, I pray that the Light of
Christ comes to you this Advent
season, bringing warmth, brightness,
and love.
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May the thrill of anticipation get the
best of you this season,
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Pastor Anna Gillette
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"Advent, like its cousin Lent, is a season
for prayer and reformation of our hearts.
Since it comes at winter time, fire is a
fitting sign to help us celebrate Advent…If
Christ is to come more fully into our lives
this Christmas, if God is to become really
incarnate for us, then fire will have to be
present in our prayer. Our worship and
devotion will have to stoke the kind of fire
in our souls that can truly change our
hearts. Ours is a great responsibility not to
waste this Advent time.”
Edward Hays
A Pilgrim’s Almanac, p. 187
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Sunday, November 29!
Isaiah 2:3-5(NIV)!
Many people shall come and say, !
“ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, !
To the house of the God of Jacob; !
He will teach us His ways, !
And we shall walk in His paths.” !
For out of Zion shall go forth the law, !
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. !
He shall judge between the nations, !
And rebuke many people; !
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, !
And their spears into pruning hooks; !
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, !
Neither shall they learn war anymore.!
O house of Jacob, come and let us walk !
In the light of the LORD. !
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico boasts
one of the largest systems of caverns in North America.
As you travel with the tour guide down to the deepest part
of the caves, lights illuminate the beautiful formations and
different chambers. Once at the bottom of the cave, the
tour guide speaks of the explorers who first entered the
cave. They did not know how deep or wide the caverns
were, they traveled with candles, a single flame to light
the way. !
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The tour guide then calls on his or her radio and asks that
all lights in the cavern be extinguished. The darkness that
follows is profound. You cannot see your fingers in front of
your face. The darkness is stifling.!
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The tour guide then takes out a single match, strikes it,
and holds it high. That tiny flame is enough to illuminate
the entire chamber. Suddenly you are able to see the
people and details surrounding you. It is striking to realize
that such a small flame can be enough to end the
smothering darkness. !
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“Come, let us walk in the light of the world,” what an
invitation! God, creator of the universe, became human,
came to earth, and like a single flame in a dark cave
illuminated the earth. During Advent we light the candles
of the wreath in anticipation of Christ’s light. It’s coming
again, and it’s going to be wonderful. Swords will become
plowshares, people will no longer train for war. We will
walk together, following in the footprints of Christ, the light
of the world.!
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Pray: Light of the world come down. You are our hope. Bring
peace. Give us joy. Show us how to love. Amen.!
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Monday, November 30!
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (NRSV)!
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“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that
we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray
most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore
whatever is lacking in your faith.!
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct
our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound
in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for
you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you
may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our
Lord Jesus with all his saints. !
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Christmas cards were first sent in 1843 by Richard
Armour, the founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum of
London. He had too many hand written notes to send,
and thus had printed a card with the image of a family
embracing. His notes were meant to remind his friends
and family to help clothe the poor and destitute during the
winter months.!
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I find Paul’s words in today’s scripture similar to a
Christmas greeting card. He writes, “May the Lord make
you increase and abound in love for one another and for
all.” Paul’s direction to the church in Thessalonica was to
love. Just as Richard Armour sought to implore his loved
ones to care for those in need.!
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Christ is the light of the world. So long ago, he came to
bring a way for salvation. Until he returns, we are to be
bearers of his light. Christ said, “You are the light of the
world...let your light shine before men, that they may see
your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 6:14-16) How will you bear Christ’s light during
Advent? How will you bring warmth, light, and joy to
others?!
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Pray: We want to shine. Show us how to be brilliant like you. Amen.!
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Tuesday, December 1!
Psalm 67 (NRSV)!
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you. !
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you. !
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us. May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.!
I love to look through my parents’ photo albums. One of
my favorite pictures is of my father holding me when I
was about four months old. He is looking down at me
adoringly, and I am smiling a glorious, toothless grin back
at him. The photo is a perfect capturing of a precious
moment in time. I cannot help but to smile when I see it.!
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I imagine that the psalmist envisioned a similar scene
when writing the above psalm. When God’s “face shines”
on us, it must be just as if a parent is smiling down at his
infant adoringly. There is hope in Psalm 67. Reading the
words instill hope that God will smile upon us. Indeed,
hasn’t God already smiled on us? Christ came, lived,
taught, healed, died, and rose again. Christ will come
again, and it is in that truth we place our hope. As
followers of Christ we live with great hope.!
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May we feel God’s smile upon us as we wait for Christ’s return. !
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Pray: Delight in us. Smile down on us. Giggle with joy. Help us to
live in a manner that warrants you being a doting parent. Amen.!
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Wednesday, December 2!
Psalm 13 (The Message)!
Long enough, God— you've ignored me long enough. !
I've looked at the back of your head !
long enough. Long enough !
I've carried this ton of trouble, !
lived with a stomach full of pain. !
Long enough my arrogant enemies !
have looked down their noses at me. !
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Take a good look at me, God, my God; !
I want to look life in the eye, !
So no enemy can get the best of me !
or laugh when I fall on my face. !
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I've thrown myself headlong into your arms— !
I'm celebrating your rescue. !
I'm singing at the top of my lungs, !
I'm so full of answered prayers.!
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At first glance, the language of this psalm is shocking.
Who dares to say “You’ve ignored me long enough,
God?” Haven’t we all felt it, though? Haven’t each of us
been angry with God, or felt as if God had forgotten or
ignored us? The Psalmist puts voice to those feelings,
and somehow in reading these words, we find comfort in
knowing that God can take it. God can hear our anger or
disappointment, endure our ranting, and still continue to
love us.!
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The psalmist knows this as well. He moves from despair
to celebration, “I’m celebrating your rescue.” The Psalmist
experienced the hope we observe during Advent. Times
are hard, but God is with us. Life is lonely, but God has
not left us. Others seem to be railing against us, but God
is on our side. All have sinned and fall short of God’s
glory, but Christ came so that all may live eternally.!
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Go ahead, tell God how you feel, then listen. Listen and
be assured that God’s love for you is as strong as ever.!
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Pray: Give me courage to express my pain to you. Give me cause
to celebrate your rescue. Amen.!
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Thursday, December 3!
Jeremiah 33: 14-16 (New Century Version)!
The Lord says, "The time is coming when I will do the good thing I
promised to the people of Israel and Judah.!
In those days and at that time, !
I will make a good branch sprout from David's family. !
He will do what is fair and right in the land.!
At that time Judah will be saved, !
and the people of Jerusalem will live in safety. !
The branch will be named: !
“The Lord Does What Is Right."!
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Isn’t it interesting how the implications of “I promise” have
changed? In the time of Abraham, a promise or covenant
was made with the understanding that breaking the
covenant would mean certain death. A promise made in
the form of a covenant was not to be taken lightly. !
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When Mary and Joseph were promised to marry, Joseph,
like all betrothed men in their culture, went to live in the
home with Mary’s family. This betrothal or engagement
was a promise that was just as weighty as the marriage
promise. Men and women did not find themselves
engaged multiple times to multiple people, the
engagement was the beginning of a marriage.!
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As children, we might have made a “pinky promise.” This
kind of promise, for many children, is the be-all-end-all of
promises. You wouldn’t dare break a pinky promise.!
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Many of you may remember when your word was all that
was needed to give a promise. If a person gave his word,
you could count on his promise being fulfilled. !
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Today, the words, “I promise” are nothing more than an
expression. An individual may utter these words with no
intent of really following through. It is almost a
meaningless interjection the way “seriously” and
“honestly” have become mere interjections to fill empty
space in a sentence.!
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For this reason, reading about God keeping God’s
promise may not seem like such a big deal. It was a big
deal, though. God promised a new start for God’s
people. That new start came in Jesus. God’s promise is
real. It was real two thousand years ago, it is real today,
and it is real for the future. We serve a God who is true to
His word!!
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Pray: Thank you for promising to give us a new start. Thank you for
keeping your promise. As we look ahead to your coming, help us to
live as “promise people,” people who live with hope and the
assurance of a new start. Amen.!
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Friday, December 4!
Psalm 139:11-12 (NIV)!
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"!
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.!
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When we feel as though darkness will consume our days
and nights, the psalmist declares that even the darkness
will not be darkness to God. At this time of year, I love to
read and re-read best loved stories and poems. One of
my favorites as a little girl was Hans Christian Andersen’s
“The Little Match Girl.” Excerpts from the story read as
follows:!
!
Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite
dark, and evening-- the last evening of the year. In this
cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little
girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left
home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the
good of that? They were very large slippers, which her
mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the
poor little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the
street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully
fast.!
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So the little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet,
that were quite red and blue from cold. She carried a
quantity of matches in an old apron, and she held a
bundle of them in her hand. Nobody had bought anything
from her the whole livelong day; no one had given her a
single farthing.!
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She crept along trembling with cold and hunger--a very
picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!!
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Her little hands were almost numbed with cold. Oh! a
match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only
dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it against
the wall, and warm her fingers by it. She drew one out.
"Rischt!" how it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright
flame, like a candle, as she held her hands over it: it was
a wonderful light. It seemed really to the little maiden as
though she were sitting before a large iron stove, with
burnished brass feet and a brass ornament at top. The
fire burned with such blessed influence; it warmed so
delightfully. The little girl had already stretched out her
feet to warm them too; but--the small flame went out, the
stove vanished: she had only the remains of the burnt-out
match in her hand.!
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There is much more to Andersen’s parable addressing
charity and God’s love, but I want to pause here. How
beautifully the author paints pictures with his words as he
describes the warmth and light provided by the single
match. The reader is drawn into the girl’s dismay when
the light is extinguished. !
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Isn’t this the way earthly light behaves? We experience
light and warmth for intervals, unless that light is coming
from God. As the psalmist writes, there is no darkness
that can overtake God. Christ is that light from God.
Christ lights the way and warms our hearts. His light will
not fade. His warmth will not end. This year, as we
prepare for the warmth of God’s love through Jesus, let’s
ready our lives for light that can never be overtaken!!
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Pray: Lord of Light and Warmth, you outshine the darkness that
plagues our days. Help us to remember that your light shines
brighter than any darkness. Help us to be so taken by your light,
that we share it with others who sit in the darkness and cold. Amen.!
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Saturday, December 5 !
Revelation 22: 5a (NIV)!
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There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp
or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.!
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It’s never easy. Navigating through the long succession of
holidays beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with
New Year’s day is never easy when you are grieving a
loss or simply spending these days alone. Every channel
on television portrays sweater-clad families warming by
the fire, happy, in love, and together. It’s even in the
commercials, on the billboards, in the magazines and
newspapers. By the looks off things, we might feel alone
in the fact that grief and pain fills our days. While the
world seems aglow in light and merriment, we feel that we
have been left in darkness.!
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Today’s scripture verse speaks of Christ’s coming. “There
will be no more night,” it says, there will be no more
darkness. No wonder Christians from the very beginning
have looked toward Christ’s coming with great
anticipation. When Christ comes, our lives will no longer
be consumed with the darkness created by loneliness
and grief.!
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Bebo Norman wrote a song entitled “Great light of the
World.” The lyrics offer a great plea for Christ to come
and light the darkness experienced in daily living.!
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GREAT LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Sometimes at night I am afraid
I cover my eyes, I cover my shame
So here in the dark, broken apart
Come with Your light, fill up my heart!
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O Great Light of the world, fill up my soul
I'll never mend here, so come make me whole
O Great Light of the world, come to impart
The light of Your grace, to fill up my heart!
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The wind of this world can push us around
Folding us up, backing us down
But here in the dark, I'm not alone
So come with Your strength and carry me home!
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O Great Light of the world, fill up my soul
I'll never mend here, so come make me whole
O Great Light of the world, come to impart
The light of Your grace, to fill up my heart!
Pray: Great light of the world, as you came to earth so many years
ago to bring comfort and peace, come now into our hearts to do the
same. Light us from within, so that we may be your light to the
world until you return. Amen.
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Sunday, December 6 !
Isaiah 11:1-4a!
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; !
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.!
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -!
and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;!
but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. !
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My father learned how to count as a toddler sitting on his
grandfather’s knee. His grandfather came to America
from Germany when he was 19, German was his first
language. Because of this, my father learned to count in
German before he learned English. !
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In addition to the German, my father learned to count by
turning the pages in the family’s German hymnal. They
would stop here and there to sing a verse or two of the
hymns they came across. Among some of the hymns my
father holds dear, is “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,” or “Lo
How a Rose E’er Blooming.” !
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This hymn was written in Germany during the 16th
century. It was initially referring to Mary as the rose
springing from the lineage of Jesse, but with the
protestant reformation, the hymn was adapted to shift
focus from Mary to Jesus, citing Isaiah 11:1 and
interpreting the prophet’s words as Messianic prophecy.!
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The hymn has been a favorite for many generations, and
for good reason. The etherial melody and beautiful
imagery draw us into a holy moment.!
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Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.!
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Isaiah ’twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright, she bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.!
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This Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.!
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O Savior, Child of Mary, who felt our human woe,
O Savior, King of glory, who dost our weakness know;
Bring us at length we pray, to the bright courts of Heaven,
And to the endless day!!
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Pray: Jesus, true man, yet very God, from sin and death you have
saved us and lighten every load. Thanks be to God! Amen.!
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Monday, December 7!
Luke 1: 68-79 (The Message)!
Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free. He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives, and in the very house of David his servant, Just as he promised long ago through the preaching of his holy prophets: Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand; !
Mercy to our fathers, as he remembers to do what he said he'd do, What he swore to our father Abraham— a clean rescue from the enemy camp, So we can worship him without a care in the world, made holy before him as long as we live. And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest," will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways, Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins. Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.!
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This passage or hymn is offered up by Zechariah after the
birth of his son, John the Baptist. John was the one sent
to make way for the Messiah. Much like the angel
appeared to Mary, an angel appeared to Zechariah,
telling him that John would be born. Zechariah and his
wife were old, past child bearing years, and Zechariah did
not believe the angel of the Lord. Because of this, he was
not able to utter a single word until John was born.!
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When John was eight days old, Zachariah was finally able
to speak. He first words declared the babe’s name: John.
His next utterance was this hymn, speaking of God’s kept
promises, of the work God would do through the Messiah,
and of his own son’s role in preparing God’s people for
Jesus’ ministry. !
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When have we been so filled with awe and gratitude that
our lips overflow with praise? Why not give it a try? There
are plenty of songs to sing this time of year, why not
recognize God’s work in our lives, and burst forth with
song?!
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Pray: God of miracles, let every heart prepare Him room, and
heaven and nature sing the glories of our newborn king! Amen.!
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Tuesday, December 8!
Isaiah 40: 3-5 (NRSV)!
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley
shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the
uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall
see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” !
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Luke 3: 3-6 (NRSV)!
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He (John the Baptist) went into all the region around the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as
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. Every valley shall be filled, and every
mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be
made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall
see the salvation of God.’”!
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The word in Isaiah foretells the story of John the Baptist
and his proclamations. Prepare the way! Get ready!
Jesus is coming! !
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This reminds me of the olympics (a stretch, I know).
Every two years a new city hosts the olympics, but the
host cities spend longer than two years preparing for the
event. Infrastructure is strengthened, arenas are built,
housing is established for the athletes, roads are
widened, the face of the city changes drastically in
preparation for the event. The city undergoes an overhaul
as it prepares the way for athletes, visitors and the
international press.!
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Maybe we too need an overhaul. Isn’t Jesus’ arrival
bigger than a bi-annual event, even an event as grand as
the olympics? Jesus came 2,000 years ago. Jesus will
come again. In the mean time, Jesus comes into our
hearts, into our lives. How can we make room for Jesus’
entry into our lives?!
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Pray: Lord, help us to make way, to clear up the cluttered path so
there is space for you. Amen.!
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Wednesday, December 9!
Psalm 50: 1-3 (The Message)!
1-3 From the dazzle of Zion, !
God blazes into view. !
Our God makes his entrance, !
he's not shy in his coming. !
Starbursts of fireworks precede him.!
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My friend prayed for a family overcome with grief. She
prayed, “Lord, let your sun shine through these clouds.” I
loved that imagery. It reminded me of something my son
Peter used to say when he was little. Have you seen the
sun bursting forth through dark clouds, the times you see
the rays piercing through like they do in a painting or a
picture in your Bible? When Peter saw this, he would
exclaim, “Mom, heaven’s peeking out!”!
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My friend’s prayer, like the psalmist’s, creates such
imagery. What if her prayer used “son” instead of
“sun” (maybe that is how she meant it)? Lord, let your
Son shine through these clouds. The psalmist says it too,
“God blazes into view.” This is advent! This is the light we
celebrate. It is the light of Christ bursting through the
clouds, it is heaven peeking out.!
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Pray: Make your entrance, burst through the dark clouds. Show us
your glory. Amen.
Thursday, December 10!
Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)!
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Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.!
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.!
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.!
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For me, this passage always calls to mind oxen working
in the fields. I picture them dragging a heavy load,
working against the weight that tries to hold them back. I
suppose this picture is accurate in some aspects, but
there is more to this image.!
!In Jesus’ day, a Rabbi was known for his “yoke.” This
referred to his course of study for his students. The
Rabbi’s task was to teach the law and the prophets.
Some Rabbis were known to be particularly difficult,
having a “heavy yoke.” Jesus says that his yoke is easy,
he asks us to take his yoke and to learn from him.!
!When asked about the law, Jesus said, “Love God and
love your neighbor.” He said that if we do those things, all
of the law and all the prophets warned against will be
covered.!
!In addition to that, Jesus says to come to him, come to
him and he will give rest. In Advent we say we await his
coming. I think Jesus awaits our advent as well. Come to
Jesus, rest. Peace and love await.!
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Pray: Dona nobis pacem. Give us peace. Amen.
Jingle bells, Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun to sing and praise
Our Savior born today-ay!
Jingle bells, Jingle bells,
Listen while we say,
Jesus came into my heart
And washed my sins away!!
1. To shepherds in the field,
An angel came to say,
That Jesus Christ is born,
In Bethlehem today!
The shepherds ran to town,
They hurried down the street,
And when they found the Son of God
They worshipped at his feet!
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Friday, December 11!
2 Corinthians 6:18(NIV)!
I will be a Father to you, !
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.!
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Does your family look like the ones in the Christmas
made-for-TV movies? Will your holiday be like the ones
portrayed in a Norman Rockwell painting or on a Currier
and Ives tin? Chances are it will not. For some of us,
family gatherings are filled with joy, albeit a little less
picturesque than television portrayals. For many of us,
however, there are no family gatherings. For many,
loneliness is the reality. Both the Old and New
Testaments continually offer the promise God gives: !
“You are mine.” Whether you find this to be true with
others, rest assured that with God, you belong.!
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Chris Rice wrote a beautiful song about belonging. May
his words stir you to the knowledge of the fact that you
belong.!
Fading memories ignored
I crawl across the forest floor
Pool reflects an orphan child
Dirty, lost, alone and wild
Fatherless and nameless still
Fallen heart and broken, will
there ever be a place where I belong!
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I cower ‘neath the monster trees
And try to stand on tired feet
But gravity knocks me to the ground
Where I give up, and tears roll down
I claw the dust and beg the end
Curse the day that I began
to hope there’d be a place where I belong!
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I hear a sound I recognize
You lift my chin and seek my eyes
Song of love You sing to me
I ache to sing it back to Thee
"Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong!"!
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How did I miss this wondrous song?
The forest sang it all along
"River rinses all your shame
Father offers you His name!
Father Love prepares a home
Brother Jesus leads you on
Follow to the place where you belong!"!
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!
!
Pray: You lift my chin, seek my eyes and sing a love song to me. I
am not alone. Thank you. Amen.!
!
!
Saturday, December 12 !
Psalm 36:5-9 (NRSV)!
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.!
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; !
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.!
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take
refuge in the shadow of your wings.!
They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them
drink from the river of your delights.!
For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.!
Our family loves to drive around looking at Christmas
lights. We bundle up, grab a cup of cocoa, and listen to
Christmas carols as we meander through neighborhoods
admiring the festive decorations. I have many warm
memories of those family outings.!
!
What is it about the Christmas lights that ushers in such
merriment? I wonder if it has to do with our scripture for
today. “In your light we see light.”!
!
When life is hassled, sidewalks need shoveling, bills
outnumber our income or when we have no pay check at
all, when loved-ones are ill or have recently passed, we
find it hard to see light. When we see Christmas lights, we
are reminded of Christ. When we see Christ, we see light.!
!
!
Pray: Christ be our light, shine in our hearts, show us the way.
Amen.
Sunday, December 13!
Isaiah 35:4-6 (The Message) !
!
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!!
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.!
!
!
I once had a pastor who loved to reassure his
parishioners that Christmas would come no matter what.
If we did not make the 100th batch of cookies, Christmas
would come. If we did not find the perfect gift for Johnny,
Christmas would come. If a blizzard changed our travel
plans, Christmas would come. Dr. Seuss’s Grinch
discovered the same truth:!
!
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came
without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and
puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought
of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”!
!
Christmas happens because Christmas happened.!
!
Christ came, he loved and showed us how to love. The
light of the world came to earth and will come again. He’s
on his way! He’ll save you! All the wrongs will be made
right. If this isn’t cause for celebration, I don’t know what
is!!
!
So, give yourself a break. Don’t get caught up in the
frenzy. Christmas has already happened, Christ came,
and whether you finish it all or not, December 25 will
arrive and we will all have cause to celebrate because our
Savior was born for us.!
!
Pray: Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. Help us to stop the running
and instead be your gracious hosts. Amen.!
!
!
!
!
Monday, December 14!
Luke 1:47-55 (NIV)!
And Mary said: !
"My soul glorifies the Lord !
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, !
for he has been mindful !
of the humble state of his servant. !
From now on all generations will call me blessed, !
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—!
holy is his name. !
His mercy extends to those who fear him, !
from generation to generation. !
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; !
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. !
He has brought down rulers from their thrones !
but has lifted up the humble. !
He has filled the hungry with good things !
but has sent the rich away empty. !
He has helped his servant Israel, !
remembering to be merciful !
to Abraham and his descendants forever, !
even as he said to our fathers."!
!
!
This hymn is called the “Magnificat.” The words are
beautiful, aren’t they? Mary, a young girl who has every
reason to fear, sings praise to God; faithful that God will
bring good out of her unsettled life.!
!
Consider her situation. Mary was young and betrothed.
Her pregnancy brought shame to her family and to
Joseph. Her hard life of Roman oppression was made
even more difficult. Madeleine L’Engle wrote a poem that
seems to capture the bleak situation of Mary’s life, and of
the miserable state of humanity:!
!
The Risk of Birth!
!
This is no time for a child to be born !
With the earth betrayed by war and hate !
And a comet slashing the sky to warn !
That time runs out and the sun burns late. !
!
That is no time for a child to be born !
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome; !
Honor and truth were trampled by scorn – !
Yet here did the Savior make his home. !
!
!
When is the time for love to be born? !
The inn is full on the planet earth, !
And by a comet the sky is torn— !
Yet love still takes the risk of birth.!
Pray: Lord, you risked everything because you thought we were
something. You came to love us. Help us to risk passing on your
love to others. Amen.!
!
Tuesday, December 15 !
Philippians 4:4-7 (NRSV)!
!
!
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your
gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry
about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.!
!
!
“Peace on earth, good will to all.” The angels brought
those tidings to the shepherds. We see it on Christmas
cards and holiday decor, carols set it to melody. I think the
image we conjure up with this phrase is world peace.
What if the peace the angels sang of was the peace we
read about in Philippians?!
!
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.”!
!
Peace that passes understanding...peace that makes no
sense. With Christ comes peace that defies reason. Isn’t
that good news? !
!
!
Pray: Prince of Peace, hold me close and calm my spirit. Amen.
Wednesday, December 16!
Isaiah 12:2-6 (NRSV)!
!
!
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the
Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my
salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.!
And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his
name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his
name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done
gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout aloud and sing
for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the !
Holy One of Israel.!
!
No doubt you’ve heard many times already this holiday
season, the joyful strains of the old favorite, “O Come Let
us Adore Him.” You have probably heard it in the car, as
you shop, on the television and during a concert. You’ve
heard it sung by men, women, children, choirs and
soloists. You’ve heard it played by oboes, brass, strings,
organs, hand bells, and maybe even guitar. Such overkill
may cause us to skip right over the actual message of the
hymn. The scripture for today implores us to “Sing praises
to the Lord, for He has done gloriously.” Let’s reexamine
the familiar carol once more:!
!
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;!
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.!
True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal,
Lo, He shuns not the Virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;!
!
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;!
!
See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;
We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;!
!
Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,
We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;
Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?!
!
Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.!
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.!
!
Pray: You have done gloriously! Remind me to adore you, even in
the midst of over-sung carols and over-taxed schedules. Amen.!
!
!
Come, thou Long
expected Jesus, born
to set your people
free …
Thursday, December 17 !
Psalm 126 (The Message)!
!
It seemed like a dream, too good to be true, when God returned Zion's exiles.!
We laughed, we sang, !
we couldn't believe our good fortune. !
We were the talk of the nations— !
"God was wonderful to them!" !
God was wonderful to us; !
we are one happy people. !
!
And now, God, do it again— !
bring rains to our drought-stricken lives !
So those who planted their crops in despair !
will shout hurrahs at the harvest, !
So those who went off with heavy hearts !
will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.!
!
!
!
“Do it again, daddy,” the boys would shout as Trey would
whirl them overhead. I must confess, I had to look away,
every spin and giggle took my breath away. It didn’t stop
their fun and their begging for more.!
!
“Do it again, daddy,” our son would say as his favorite toy
had once again come apart. Daddy knew how to fix it.!
!
The boys had such faith in their dad, they had no doubt
that Trey could “Do it again.”!
!
Today’s scripture displays a similar faith in God. Do it
again, God. Make things better. Do it again, God. Give
me some peace. Do it again, God. Bring us joy.!
!
We can have that kind of faith, you know. The Bible is
filled with God’s kept promises. As Dr. Dennis Olson tells
his seminary students, “God will have God’s way in the
end.” God makes promises and God keeps them. Go
ahead, be bold. Ask God to “Do it again.”!
!
!
!
Pray: You have brightened my life before. Do it again. Amen!
!
!
!
!
!
Friday, December 18 !
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)!
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."!
God rejoices over you with singing. God rejoices over
you. The imagery here is very parental, isn’t it? God will
quiet you with his love and rejoice over you with singing.
It evokes images of a parent soothing an infant in the wee
hours of the night. !
!
Just as Mary and Joseph must have kept vigil through the
nights of Jesus’ infancy, God does so for us throughout
our lives.!
!
It’s good to know that we don’t always have to be the
grown up, the caretaker, the protector. While many of us
care for our loved ones, God is doing the same for us. It’s
as if God is singing the age old lullaby over us:!
!
!
Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee !
All through the night !
Guardian angels I will send thee !
All through the night !
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping !
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping !
I my loving vigil keeping !
All through the night !
Pray: Thank you. Keep holding me close. Amen.
!
!
Saturday, December 19 !
Psalm 103: 1-5 (NIV)!
Praise the LORD, O my soul; !
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.!
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-!
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,!
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,!
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.!
!
The anonymous quote reads as follows:!
!
"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no
noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those
things and still be calm in your heart." !
!
Busy days and holiday preparations often leave us
drained. Add to it strained relationships, stress at work,
the stress of having no work, illness of loved ones, and all
that life entails, we may find trouble donning the expected
“Christmas cheer.”!
!
Psalm 103 gives us great hope. God heals. God forgives.
God satisfies. God renews our strength. God grants
peace that allows us to be in the midst of noise, trouble
and hard work while still experiencing calm in our hearts. !
Pray: Renew my strength, Lord. Replace worry with peace, doubt
with assurance, and sorrow with joy. Do these things which only
you can do. Amen.
!
!
Sunday, December 20 !
Isaiah 7:14 (NRSV)!
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. !
We read this passage during Advent, and it really has no
revelatory meaning for us. Of course this is speaking of
Jesus, of course Immanuel, “God with us,” is Jesus
Christ.!
!For the earliest Christians, this verse was indeed very
special. Most of the earliest Christians had been Jewish.
This prophetic text was read for centuries in anticipation
of the unknown Messiah. The story of Jesus’ birth aligned
him with the prophesy. !
!For Messianic Jewish people, this passage holds much of
the same awe and wonder as it did for the earliest
believers. You see, this group of faithful Jewish people
believe that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Messiah.
Attend their Saturday Shabbat service, and you will
discover a beautiful blend of Hebrew liturgy and Christian
hymns or praise songs. For them, the words of Isaiah
bring proof that the long awaited Messiah has indeed
come. The words we glance over each year serve as a
profound statement of faith for the Messianic Jewish
people. Maybe we too should read the text with awe and
gratitude.!
!
Pray: Help us to rediscover the wonder of your coming. Amen.
Let every heart
prepare Him room …
!
Monday, December 21 !
Micah 5:2-5a (NRSV)!
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans
of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in
Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he
shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has
brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people
of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the
Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall
live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and
he shall be the one of peace.!
!
The name Bethlehem is very interesting. “Beth” means
“house” in Hebrew. “Lehem” means bread. Bethlehem
means “House of Bread.”!
!Consider Jesus’ words, “I am the bread of life,” or “This is
my body, take and eat.” !
!Even the place of Jesus birth is significant. Jesus’ coming
was foretold for many, many years. His arrival was
deliberately timed and placed. Imagine the anticipation all
of the waiting must have created, and the pure joy
experienced when the anticipation ended in Christ’s
arrival.!
!Will our anticipation for Christmas end in relief for the end
of a busy time, disappointment at failed attempts to
capture a Norman Rockwell family holiday, or joy at the
coming of a long awaited savior?!
!
Pray: Long-awaited Messiah, help us to greet you with joy and wonder. Amen.
!
Tuesday, December 22 !
Luke 1: 26-38 (NIV)!
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town
in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named
Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. !
The angel went to her and said, "
Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."!
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of
greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid,
Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and
give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will
be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God
will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over
the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."!
How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"!
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be
born will be called[a] the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative
is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be
barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."!
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you
have said." Then the angel left her.!
!
It is such a tale of strength and obedience. Mary said
softly, “May it be to me as you have said.” Did she know
this would uproot her family? Did she know of the fear
and difficulties ahead? Did she know why Jesus was
coming? Had she any idea of his brutal death? Mark
Lowry’s song, “Mary Did You Know” eloquently captures
the depth of these questions:!
!
!
!
!
!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?!
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?!
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.!
!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?!
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?!
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.!
!
The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.!
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.!
!
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?!
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?!
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?!
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.!
!
!
!
Pray: God, Mary might not have know the full story, but we do. Help
us to live our lives as people of gratitude. Amen!
!
!
!
Wednesday, December 23 !
Luke 1:39-45 (NIV)!
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country
of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted
Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped
in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud
voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed
is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother
of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your
greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her
will be accomplished!"!
!
!
What a relief this moment must have been for Mary!
Elizabeth knew right away, Mary did not need to explain
all that the angel said, Mary did not have try to convince
Elizabeth that she wasn’t making this up. Instead
Elizabeth broke forth with a greeting that assured Mary
God was indeed with her. All that had transpired was real,
Mary had not imagined this.!
!
Isn’t it nice to have somebody who knows what you are
feeling without all of the explanation? Whether we have a
person that fits this description or not, we all have God.
God knows. God affirms. God assures. God was there for
Mary, and God provided Elizabeth to remind Mary that
she is not alone.!
!
Pray: Lord. I am not alone. Thank you. Use me to assure others
that you are with them. Amen.
!
Thursday, December 24!
John 3:16-17 (KJV)!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.!
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be saved.!
!
Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting!
Welcome Holy Child!
!
Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
!
Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence!
Welcome to our world
!
Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
!
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy!
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world !
-Chris Rice!
!
Pray: Light of the world, you came to us to give us life. Make us worthy. Amen.!
!
Friday, December 25 !
Luke 2:1- 20 (KJV)!
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.!
(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)!
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.!
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David:)!
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.!
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered.!
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no
room for them in the inn.!
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.!
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.!
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.!
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.!
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.!
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,!
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.!
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even
unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which
the Lord hath made known unto us.!
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger.!
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.!
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told
them by the shepherds.!
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.!
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.!
!
Our Savior was born so many years ago, yet today, may
we feel that new birth afresh in our hearts. Whether we
are working or resting, whether we are with many or
alone, whether we are young and spry or older and
seasoned, let us all experience anew the joy of Christ
today.!
!
Pray: Lord, help us to take awe in you, our newborn king.
Amen.!
!
O Christmas Sun! What holy task is thine!
To fold a world in the embrace of God!
~Guy Wetmore Carryl