Advent Devotional 12-12-25

Upside-Down

Please read Luke 1:46b-55

“With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior. He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name.” Luke 1:46b–49 (CEB)

When Mary sings, she does so from a place the world would call insignificant. She is poor young woman from a remote village. She is pregnant and unmarried. Yet it is precisely in her seeming insignificance that God’s greatness is revealed.

We often romanticize Mary’s song. The Magnificat is more than a song of joy; it’s a declaration of a new world order. She proclaims that God has turned things upside down.

Would some complain today that Mary is too political?  “He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.” Would the powerful today call Mary a radical?

In God’s kingdom, those who are overlooked are honored, and those who hunger are fed. This is not the way power usually works. Through Mary’s voice, Advent reminds us that God’s coming doesn’t just comfort the humble, but also challenges the proud. God’s mercy lifts up those who have been pushed down and calls us to see the world through God’s values, not earth’s hierarchies.

Mary’s song is both deeply personal and profoundly public. It begins with her own experience of God’s favor. —“He has looked with favor on me”—and expands into a vision of justice that touches the whole world. Mary recognizes that what God is doing in her life is part of a larger story of salvation, stretching back to Abraham and forward to every generation.

Advent invites us to let our lives echo Mary’s confidence that God’s promises are trustworthy. Even when the world seems unchanged, her song declares that God is already at work turning things around.

Prayer: Dear God, teach me to see the world through your eyes of justice and compassion. Let my heart, like Mary’s, rejoice in you. Amen.

Rev. Jeff Taylor

Advent Devotional 12-11-25

Luke 1:39-55 – The Magnificat – MARY’S SONG
 
I love the Advent Season.  During the long, dark nights we see countless lights illuminating our homes and sky.  I love the smells of the season, pine needles, incense, and ginger.  I love that many people try their best to be kinder and more generous.  I love the stories of Christmas from the Bible to Dickens. But most of all I love the music. 

Music has always been the medium through which I felt enveloped by the Divine.  Whether I am humming the tune of a favorite hymn alone or singing in a group where all voices are raised together in praise, or just letting the music surround me it always touches my soul and emotions.

Music is frequently referenced in the Bible as a means of praise and worship. Psalm 98 exhorts us to "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!"  All manner of songs and variety of instruments are mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments.    Indeed, the whole book of Psalms is a collection of poems and songs meant to be sung.  As Anne Lamott wrote in Traveling Mercies: “the singing enveloped me …. There was no sense of performance or judgment, only that the music was the breath and the food…. Somehow the singing wore down all the boundaries and distinction that kept me so isolated.”

But it is the hymns and carols of Christmas that particularly move me.

When informing Elizabeth of her pregnancy, Mary finds her voice through song to address this momentous news.  Mary’s song or the Magnificat is a testament to her faith, to the glory of God and the foretelling of Jesus’ teachings.  Despite the sorrows she will face she proclaims her faith in God.  She also tells us that God has “scattered the proud in their conceit, casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly. You have filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”  She understands why she as a common woman from a small town has been chosen to carry the Son of God.

The multiple carols and hymns celebrating the birth of Jesus are to me the most beautiful of sacred music.  The melodies though often simple reflect great emotion and the words tell so many different aspects to the Christmas story.  What could be more touching than the question of “What Child is This?” or reflective of a mother’s hope in “Silent Night?”  What could be more awe inspiring than “O, Holy Night” or rousing and celebratory than “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World?”  I feel peace and love just thinking about them.  So, during this Advent season I hope you too will all take time to reflect on the words of all the carols sung and let the music envelop you and feel the Divine.

Leslie Petteys

Advent Devotional 12-10-25

 Taught to Love

Please read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. (I Thessalonians 4:9-10)

I often think about being a parent.  My husband and I have two adult sons, and even though they are 31 and 29 years old, we will always be their parents. They are so different from each other, but they are both loving and kind men. We’re proud of them and blessed by them. 
How do children learn how to love? I hope our sons learned love by being loved by us, and by witnessing how the adults in their lives loved each other. I think about children who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as child abuse, neglect, violence, or an unstable home, and the potential outcome of these experiences, such as negative impacts on brain development, health, and an inability to form lasting relationships. 

I am struck by what Paul wrote to the Church in Thessalonica: “you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” Imagine that. Taught to love by God. Paul could have written this about us. We – you and I - have been taught by God to love one another. God created us, God sent Jesus to us to teach us about life and love. God offers us grace and forgiveness – love, made concrete. We know how to love because God loves us. 

Why is this important? God doesn’t just love us so that we will feel loved. God loves us because there are children in the world who don’t know what love is. There are people around us who are hungry – every day, all the time. There are brothers and sisters in our communities who are crying, suffering, mourning, fighting addiction, struggling to live. God loves us so that we will be loving. 

This fall, our Foundation hosted an Academy of Faith and Generosity. The main speaker, Ann Michel, told a story about her church. The Church owned and operated two homeless shelters.  Someone asked Ann if the church members were trying to convert the people who sought shelter to Christianity.  She said, “No, we’re trying to be Christians.”

How will you be a loving Christian today?

Prayer: Loving God, teach us to love so that we will share your love with everyone. Forgive us when we forget – when we offer judgment and scorn, and lead us to replace those with love.  In your son’s name, Amen.

Kim Matthews

Advent Devotional 12-9-25

 Read James 5-7:10   

Have you ever wondered during this difficult time in the government and churches, what are we to do, to keep faith in our Lord that He will take care of us?  What must we as Christians do?

There is much work to do to ensure a good harvest.  In the same way, we must wait patiently for Christ’s return.  We can’t make him come back any sooner.  But while we wait there is much that we can do to advance God’s kingdom.  We must live by faith, looking forward to the future rewards for our labors.  Don’t live as if Christ will never come.  Work faithfully to build his kingdom as the King will come when the time is right.

When things go wrong, we tend to grumble against and blame others for our miseries. Blaming others is easier than owning our share of the responsibility, but it can be both destructive and sinful.  Before you judge others for their short comings, remember that Christ, the Judge will come to evaluate each of us.

While we as JMUMC wait, we have come together to believe that God has a plan for this church.  Seeking God’s direction, we pray this Breakthrough Prayer, both together and separately, for Gods guidance: 

“Holy God, From the river to the rails and beyond, 
break through our complacency.  
Give us guidance and courage to follow Your perfect plan. 
Come Holy Spirit, Come!”

Since we as a congregation have been praying this Breakthrough Prayer, there have been several God Moments, such as:

• Working together to start a young adult and MU students’ group that is now meeting after worship on Sundays.
• Guidance for strengthening our Reconciling Ministry on Wednesday evening.  Working at the Pride Gathering in Huntington, to be known as a reconciling church that accepts all.

We must continue to work together and keep the faith in Christ to break through to those that do not know Christ and try to continue to reach those who doubt that there is a Christ!        

Christ will come when it is right!  Before we judge others remember that The Judge, Christ will come to evaluate each of us!

Melanie Herr

Advent Devotional 12-8-25

 

When the magi had departed, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon search for the child in order to kill him. Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt." --Matthew 2: 13-14 CEB

I recently came across a painting called Streetcar Madonna by Allan Rohan Crite, and was instantly drawn to it. It's certainly different from the "Flight into Egypt" paintings we are used to. 

Allan Rohan Crite ( 1910-2007) was born in New Jersey and raised and spent the duration of his life in Boston. He participated in the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930's. He created neighborhood paintings depicting Boston's predominantly African American Roxbury district.  Community was sacred to Crite. His art and generosity endure through his depictions of neighborhood life and the many artists and leaders he inspired.  His Episcopalian faith influenced many of his works.  He often presented iconic Christian imagery overlaid onto contemporary city life. He designed the covers of church bulletins in several states.

Streetcar Madonna  (1946) depicts a Black Mary and baby riding Boston's Orange Line. I wonder what the women behind them are thinking. Are they judgmental of this woman in strange clothes with a crown of stars and a baby emanating rays of light? Or do they even notice this strange twosome? Maybe they are just talking about their day. 

Would we recognize the Holy Family if we came upon them?

Anita Farrell

Advent Devotional 12-7-25

Recently, my husband and I moved to a new home and decided we needed to change to Roku Television, where we discovered YouTube TV as an alternative to what we had used in the past.  We noticed that every couple of hours, during a commercial break, YouTube TV presented a Zen moment. It usually consisted of a peaceful scene, like a waterfall or a hot air balloon flying through the sky, with soft calm music playing in the background.  We were amazed that the electronic devise we were watching (a TV) actually encouraged the viewer to take a break and just relax the mind and the eyes as the scene and the quiet music played for a brief time.  If this break wasn’t long enough for the viewer, there is actually a station on YouTube television that presents Zen time for an hour at a time, 24/7, so you can watch and listen and relax and refocus as long as you want or need.  It was truly an amazing discovery, as Zen time usually consists of stillness and silence so an individual can reflect and pray. It helps with finding calm and inner peace, free from distraction.      

So as I began to think about the Advent season and the devotion I was going to write, the Bible verse from Psalm 46:10 popped up in my mind and just kept swirling around in my thinking.  It states:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

During Advent, this time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of God’s son, it seems that every day, every thought and every schedule we have, seems to revolve  around a frantic pace and a constant rush to get things done amid the chaos as well as the celebration.  How sad for us, as this is the exact opposite of what God would want us to do.  Perhaps instead we should be pursuing more Zen time - slowing down, being still, and refocusing on helping ourselves to spiritually and mentally improve and strengthen our relationship with God, so we can celebrate the birth of God’s son. We should be focusing on what God has done and what God is doing now.

So now is the time to slow down, breath deeply, be still and take a break.  Pray.  Then remain still, so you can hear what God wants you to do.  Allow God to be in charge and guide you.  Allow God’s strength and love to fill you.  Then feel the difference in your life, your focus and your relationship with God.  It all comes down to less chaos and more Jesus!! 

Rev. Suzanne Ellis

Advent Devotional 12-6-25

Saturday in Scripture

Centering Prayer

O God, our God, my God, I have calmed and quieted myself. Open my spirit to hear your Word. Amen.  (Inspired by Psalm 131)

Please Read
Isaiah 11:6-10
The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den.
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Matthew 3:1-3
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'"

Questions to Consider

1. The kingdom described in Isaiah 6-10 sounds beautiful – the very description of peace. If  the Kingdom of God is now and not yet, do you believe the kingdom as described is possible?
2. Slowly reread Isaiah 6-10 again. Imagine what is described. What gets in the way of this kind of peace?
3. In Matthew, John the Baptist is calling for repentance. He says that the one coming is the one Isaiah described as the voice of one crying out to prepare the way of the Lord.” How can you prepare the way of the Lord so that the peace described in Isaiah 11 can come to be?

Closing Prayer
O God, it is hard for me to imagine peace. Forgive me when I am an obstacle to your work in the world, and help me to prepare a way for you. In your son’s name, Amen.