Post Advent Day 5: Changing Seasons

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” 

It is interesting that in Ecclesiastes, the poet refers to stages and periods of life as seasons. It makes us step back and redefine the common definition of the season. A season in the biblical sense is no longer made up of four periods marked by weather and temperature, but rather is marked by our days, circumstances, joys, sorrows and choices. And for every season in life there is an action.

Often as we look toward a new year, we want to focus on what is ahead. We hold to verses like Philippians 3:13, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” But here in Ecclesiastes we are reminded that there is a time for everything. We are molded and changed by every season of our lives. The good and the bad make us who we are. Mistakes lead us down the pathways of change. Accomplishments bring new possibilities and responsibilities. If we are wise, we do not forget the past, but we also don’t dwell on it, we move forward remembering what God has brought us through and what we are being led to.

Paul is not saying to literally forget all that you have been through, rather he is saying that he is  stalled neither by his failures nor his accomplishments, but moves forward to new opportunities for ministry. Are you moving forward into 2013 or have you stalled out in a particular season that you cannot seem to move past? I think that the poet in Ecclesiastes chose to use the theme of seasons because no matter which season you are in, it will change and we will be changed by it.

As we near the end of 2012, take a look back at the seasons in your life. How have they changed or helped to define you? What are the moments that brought you joy or sadness and how have they made you who you are today?

Prayer: Beautiful Savior, we give you thanks for every season in our lives. We thank you for the joys and the sorrows because they have shaped us for ministry and become a part of who we are. Help us not move forward without considering where we have been and what you have brought us through. Thank you Jesus for being with us every step of our journey. Amen

We Bow Down

Luke 2:9-12
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.


They bowed down to worship Jesus.  Could there have been anything more appropriate for the Magi to do in the presence of the King of Kings?  They knew this moment was not about how far they had traveled, how wise they were or even then gifts that they brought.  This was a time to humble themselves and worship at the feet of Jesus.

On the last Sunday of 2012, is worship about you or the King? Is it about what you can get or, as the wise men, or what you bring.  Do we bring hearts full of awareness of being in the very midst of the Prince of Peace, or a selfish presence to worship?  Worship that doesn't arise from a grateful, humble heart isn't worship at all.

Each new day may "we fall down and lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus",* knowing that worship is more than what happens on Sunday, it is a lifestyle of submission and expectancy in the presence of Christ.

Prayer:  Holy God, forgive us for forgetting that true worship is all about you.  May we humble ourselves each day and give you the glory you deserve as our King.

*Twila Paris

Post Advent Day 3: Serenity in the Journey

2 Corinthians 1:3-9

6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Now we are nearing the end of the Christmas season, we have seen the hope peace, love, joy, and the gift of Jesus.  Paul reminds us that with the peace, love, hope and salvation comes the responsibility to experience distress, suffering and discomfort, and stay faithful as we as we take part in our journey of God's salvation.   As God guided and comforted Mary and Joseph that first Christmas with their fears, doubts, and questions we need to hear the words of the angel, "Fear not" for we have a savior Jesus Christ.  God never promises a white Christmas or the perfect family time. But we must remind ourselves that Jesus told his disciples that he would not leave but would always be with us to the very end of the age.  We are joint heirs  in Christ.

Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference,Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time;  Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;  Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;  Trusting that He will make all things right  if I surrender to his will;  That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.  Amen                

 Reinhold  Niebuhr

Yielded and Still

"Let it be to me according to thy word" (Luke 1:28). 

"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:18-19)



In the midst of the excitement and visitors; the angels and the wonder, Mary pondered all that was happening.  You see this was the fruition of all that she had been promised from the beginning of her journey when the angel told her that her son "...will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32) The world was awakening from its' spiritual slumber and beholding the miracle of her child.  

The moment had arrived and Mary stepped back and took it all in.  She slowed down and let the miracle of that moment soak in.

How often are we so caught up in the details of a special event that we forget to savor it?  I can think of times like this in my life.  For instance, I had planned  for months for my daughter's first birthday. From personalized invitations, to theme, to favors, I wanted the party to be perfect, but when it arrived I was so stressed out that I couldn't take it in. I was busy with the details and missed the moment.  Only through the pictures was I able to relish the beauty and joy of that day.  

In the coming year, let us judge wisely when to be busy and when to be yielded and still as Mary was.  May we all find that 2013 holds many moments that we take the time to truly ponder with hearts full of wonder and gratefulness.                    

Prayer: Eternal God, we thank you that Mary was yielded to your will and fully aware of the miracle of the moment.  Let us be yielded in our own lives to your calling that we might have much to ponder in years to come.

Post Advent Expressions: Day 1

Todays Scripture Luke 2:31-38

"As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:
God, you can now release your servant;
    release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I've seen your salvation;
    it's now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
    and of glory for your people Israel."  Luke 2:31-32

As I think of Simeon, I have in mind a Sunday School picture from many years ago of an elderly white-haired gentleman with a look of pure joy and amazement on his face as he holds baby Jesus out in front of him.  Mary and Joseph are standing in the background watching in wonder.  As a child, I understood Simeon was happy to see Jesus.   Now, as an older adult, I can better understand that look on Simeon's face as one of deep joy and gratitude to God for the fulfillment of a promise that had been made to Simeon -- that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  We do not know how many years Simeon had lived in anticipation of this day.

We have just experienced Christmas day and for many of us, the days preceding the actual day were ones in which we enjoyed the anticipation of the children in our lives as they waited for Christmas to finally get here.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of us -- young and old alike -- could have that same kind of anticipation and expectation every day, just like Simeon did as he waited for God's Messiah to arrive?  In every day, we can find the Messiah if we look for him.  Jesus doesn't just come as a baby at Christmas but he comes whenever we seek his presence in the world around us through people, events, nature, actions, and thoughts.

The story of Simeon reminds me that I can live in expectation and anticipation of God's presence in my life and that I can know God will fulfill the promises He has made.  That would be a wonderful gift to take from this Christmas if each of us could believe it.

Prayer: Holy God, in a world of unbelief, help us all to believe in your promises and live in awareness of your presence in our lives.  Amen

-Sandra Deaton

Advent Day 24: Beauty in Imperfection

Isaiah 9:6 NIV
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

“In her book, “Bright Valley of Love,” Edna Hong tells the true story of a disabled boy in Germany by the name of Gunther. He heard about Jesus for the first time at about 6 or 7 years old, when he was brought to a Christian orphanage. But just as he was about to celebrate his first Christmas, his first and best friend, Kurt, died. Gunther was just learning to talk, but he cried out, “There’s a crack in everything! There’s a crack in everything,” and, sobbing, he continued, “What’s so great about Christmas?”

The man the children called Uncle Pastor sensed Gunther’s cry for help, so full of pain, and he asked if the other children could answer Gunther’s question: “What’s so great about Christmas?” One little girl answered, “Christmas is so great because God sent his son, Jesus, to be our Savior.”

 “That is true,” said the pastor, “But does anyone know why God sent his son?” A little girl, Leni, who was slower than the other children, thought for a while, and finally she shouted triumphantly, “Because … because … everything has a crack in It.” *

Everything has a crack in it.  Perfection was rendered perfectly flawed through the Choices of Adam and Eve and the rest of our Biblical history (and for most of us personal as well) consisted of God’s people running from and then repenting to God.  

The shepherds were no exception.  Like fishermen, they were known to be a “salty” bunch with a less than stellar reputation.  But these thoroughly “cracked” men were the first to hear the good news that their Savior Jesus was born.  I believe that it was not by proximity to the stable nor happenstance that these outcasts would be the first to hear of Jesus’ birth, but rather to send this message to us all: Jesus came to save the sinful.  

Children have no pretenses as to their perfection. They know that sometimes they are naughty and sometimes they are nice.  That is why Christmas is all the more magical when seen through their eyes, because they easily believe that Jesus came for them.  

Sadly for the rest of us, it is harder to admit the “cracked” parts of ourselves.  But when we deny our cracks, we deny our need for a Savior.  This Christmas let us see that the beauty in our imperfection is Jesus and, in the words of Paul, may we say  

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV

Prayer:  Thank you Jesus for coming to save a sinner such as I. Amen
RSL

*Hub nelson, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Edina, Minn. (Retired)

Advent Day 23: God in Full Humanity

Luke 2:7

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.

1 John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

This Sunday we lit the candle of Love and we were reminded of these simple yet powerful truths:

- When we did not comprehend it, God sent his son that we might know love.

- When our love had become tainted and selfish he sent a baby, pure and

  Innocent.

- Because we had forgotten how to love without pretense or prejudice, the word became flesh and walked amongst us.  Eating with the outcast, and making his ministry amongst the least of these.

- Because our love could not overcome our sinfulness, His great love for us bore the weight of the cross and our sins.

- Because not even death can overcome a love so great, He rose again throwing off the grave and giving us new life.

When we had lost our way, Jesus came to show us. He could have arrived abruptly like a prophet from the wilderness, but he came as a baby.  A baby who would live and grow and become the man who would be our Savior. He was our savior because he lived lives like ours.  Lives lived in the grit and grime and sadness as well as in the joy and beauty of humanity…only perfectly.  A perfect child born into an imperfect world that had no room for Him.  A perfect child who came to show us how to love perfectly unselfishly.

Let us give thanks to God for his gift of love, by loving one another for “God is love”.

Prayer:  Hallelujah what a Savior! As we prepare our hearts for your beautifully, achingly human birth, we give you thanks for your love; your perfect, saving love.

Advent Day 22: Soon To Be Delivered

Luke 2:6

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

“The days were accomplished that she should be delivered.”  I love the wording of that line.  She was delivered.  If you have ever carried a child in your belly, you know that by week 40, you are ready to be delivered from this baby.  To be delivered from the swollen feet, the constant bathroom breaks, the weight gain, the weird cravings and you are just ready for your body to be your own again! 

I’m sure that Mary felt all of that, but also sheer terror as to the future that was laid out before this infant-king.  How do you raise a Savior?  Could this all have been some dream that she would wake up from?  Would there be anything that she and Joseph could teach the Son of God?  How was this all going to work?

Mary couldn’t have known the answers to these questions.  Just as no mother has the answers as to her child’s future. All she could do is put one foot in front of the other and continue taking these miraculous steps of faith.

And then it was accomplished.  Her due date had finally arrived.  She was ready to give birth.  And knowing the oppression of her people, I’m sure that she too was ready to be delivered by this child, the Son of God.  

She delivered him into life, and he delivered her through his death. What an amazing, harrowing, heart breaking, and elating life Mary lived as the mother of this child who was soon to be delivered.

Prayer: Wonderful, merciful Savior, we stand in awe that you would give up your glory and throne in heaven, to walk with us for a while and deliver us forever. Amen

RSL

Advent Day 21: Legacies of Service

Luke 2:1-4
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.”

Acts 13:22 
“And when he had removed him (Saul), he raised up David to be their king, of whom he (God) testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will."

In David, we find a man who is striving to do God’s will, and although he was a sinner through and through (just as you and I), God honored David’s desire to be His whole-hearted servant.  

In the lineage of Jesus, traced back through Joseph, a humble carpenter, we find generations of ordinary people who became extraordinary through their service to God.  

Who we come from matters, but even more important is a heart dedicated to doing God’s will.   In the house of David we find Biblical patriarchs and heroes such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but we also find the unusual record of women such a Rahab and Ruth who are remembered for allowing God to use them in difficult circumstances.

As children of The King, we all come from a royal lineage with a history of greatness.  But the greatness of our lineage is born out of self-sacrifice, humility and service to God.   

In the end those with great or small wealth in life will leave behind “things” in death, but those who seek God’s will leave legacies of service.


Prayer:  Holy God, we thank you that you are a God who favors service over riches.  May we all leave behind legacies rich in servanthood and love. Amen

Advent Day 20: Following the Difficult Call

Matthew 1:18-23 (NIV)

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 ”This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).”

Joseph “did not want to expose her to public disgrace” and “he had in mind to divorce her quietly”.  Those are pretty potent words to sum up the kind of man that Joseph was.  He had every right to place Mary before the public and have her scorned and stoned to death, and yet, although he had at first thought himself embarrassed and wronged, Joseph’s thoughts were those of concern for Mary’s reputation. 

Joseph sought to do the right thing, which was not the easy thing.  But God would ask even more of him.  He would soon be instructed through a dream that he was to be Mary’s husband and earthly Father to the Son of God.  

Do you ever wonder what would have happened if Joseph had said “no way” to God that night?  What if he had refused to be part of this holy conspiracy to save the world?  The Bible doesn’t say much about Joseph before or after the birth of Christ, but that does not mean his was a bit part.  No, in fact, his obedience helped to pave the way for our salvation.

Through Joseph, we have been taught a very important lesson:  God values obedience over public opinion.  May we each, like Joseph, seek God’s will above all else, even when it isn’t easy.

Prayer:  Eternal God, please help us all to seek your will before our own comfort.  May we have hearts like Joseph’s and the courage to follow through with your calling on our lives. Amen

Advent Day 19: Praise As A Way Of Life

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. -Luke 1:46b-47

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! -Luke 1:45

Mary’s Example

Almost immediately after receiving Gabriel’s message, Mary left home to visit her cousin Elizabeth who lived about 60 miles away.  As she traveled Mary had time to think.  She must have wondered if the events of the last few days had been real or if it was all a dream.  When Mary arrived the scriptures tell us that Elizabeth’s baby leaped for joy in her womb.  Elizabeth greeted Mary by saying to her “blessed are you among women,” and called Mary “the mother of my Lord”.

Let’s be honest, Mary must have been confused and wondered what in the world God was doing.  Think about it--- she was a very young girl whose life was suddenly turned upside down.  

Aren’t you glad that God knew we’d need friends and family in our lives? The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone or in isolation – we need each other.  Friends can rejoice with us and cry with us.   A true friend will even tell us when we’re wrong. 

In this case God used Elizabeth as “confirmation” that what had been told to Mary by the angels was truly from Him.  Because they lived so far apart, Mary hadn’t had the opportunity to say anything to Elizabeth about her condition.  Only God could have revealed this to Elizabeth.

Did God have to do this? No. Did Mary appreciate this confirmation?  You bet!  God often puts those little exclamation points in our lives to let us know that it’s really Him talking to us.  I love those times and I’m so grateful for them.

Still everything familiar and comfortable to Mary was suddenly changing.  Have you ever had one of those moments when you just didn’t understand?    I love Mary’s response to this sudden upheaval in her life.  Did she whine?  Lose faith in God?  Wring her hands in worry?  Call all of her friends for advice?  No.  She praised God.  That’s really powerful!

When others might have been prone to question God, Mary simply and beautifully praised Him.  How I’d love for that to be true in my life --- that no matter the situation my first response would be to praise God.

PRAYER:  Lord, I thank You for this special time of year when we celebrate Your birth.  I thank You for Mary’s wonderful example of faith in the midst of confusion.  I confess that too often I worry instead of trusting You.  Your Word tells us that God inhabits the praise of His people.  Help me to make praising You my response in every situation.