Devotional 11-30-16

Matthew 3:1-12

As a child, I loved Christmas. I looked forward to getting what I asked to get  A letter was written to Santa Claus detailing just what I wanted for Christmas. I searched through catalogs and made my list. When a little older to see if I was getting what I wanted, I would sneak around searching closets and places I thought my parents were hiding my presents.  Yes, I would even get under the tree, when no one was looking, untape some of my presents to see what they were.  I just could not wait. Not much of a surprise on Christmas morning, though.

Oh, I knew the Christmas story and participated at church in the telling and celebrating, but mostly, it was all about ME and gifts.  I thought Christmas would never arrive.

Now, decades later, I still love looking forward to Christmas and love giving more than receiving.  At my age there is not much I need or want. I do look forward to the music of the season, the lighting of the Advent Wreath, family and friends, the outside lights around houses and on Christmas trees, Christmas Eve service ( hopefully in the sanctuary of JM) and much more.

But most of all, I love that I have been given the greatest gift. The gift of the forgiveness of my sins and eternal life with God’s gift to us all, His Son.

Let’s prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas. Our Lord and Savior is coming.   Amen

Kay Lewis

Devotional 11-29-16

A Christmas carol and nursery rhyme I remember from my childhood goes something like this:   

          Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
          Please put a penny in the old man’s hat
          If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do
          If you haven’t got a ha’penny, then God bless you!

I thought this was some little known British poem until I found out it has been recorded and/or performed by such notables as Bing Crosby, the Kingston Trio and John Denver.

In this Advent season perhaps we should consider it not only the COMING season (as in the coming birth of Jesus) but consider it also the GIVING season. Let’s not wait until December 25th.

So what can I do, what can you do, to make Advent not only the COMING season, but also the GIVING season? Perhaps this can best be summed up by reading Acts 20 verse 35. “.....remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive”.  I don’t think it means prettily wrapped packages under the tree. Yes, it will be fun to exchange gifts with family and friends but perhaps there is more that we can do, something we can do now during Advent.

I do not know personally anyone in need of food or clothing, or children with no toys, but there are many and groups and programs can fill those needs if only we support them. I hesitate to name any particular group or program but you know them as well as I do, the groups who donate food, clothing, toys. In our own church we have programs to meet those needs but they need our support.

Let’s start the GIVING now!

Jean Dean

Devotional 11-28-16

  

Matthew 3: 1-12

People would pay any amount of money if someone really knew how to tell the future.

I am sure that most of us would be skeptical of anyone who we encounter on a day to day basis that would make that claim.

I wonder what the mood was among John’s disciples after they had heard his word and become baptized at his exhortations. These people were folks that were searching for something that John had connected with when they heard his word.  They did this at some risk of being ostracized and judged by the present religious structure of the day and went to some measure of difficulty to get to where John was preaching.

Now he tells them he is not the One.

I believe the common expression is, “Say what?”

I am sure the inquisitor in all of us would be just as curious as they were.

The best prophets in our Bible are seen in the 21st Century through the rear view mirror of time.   The people who heard John’s message and who waited with anticipation rather than skepticism should be our model for this Advent season.  Faith, I believe, is defined as hope in things not seen.  My hope for you this Advent Season is that each of us finds the hope in that faith throughout the season and new year.

Mike Bowen

Devotional 11-27-16

NEVER GIVE UP!

  
I read Isaiah 2: 1-5 several times.  I saw what he was saying but really did not get it.  Thinking about the world today, especially this country’s political situation in the presidential election, I find that it has lost the dignity and moral characteristics that I deem is so important.

I am so negative and he is so positive. I know that by the time you read this, the decision will be made and I pray that the healing will start to take place. Maybe prayer is the answer.

Isaiah laid out the violence, unfaithfulness, bribery, and trampling of the poor. I see horrible happenings such as Aleppo, terrorist attacks, shootings.  The list could go on. How could I expect weapons to become plowshares, spears become pruning hooks, peace on Earth?

Then I read a commentary by Barbara Lundblad.  She created the lightbulb that went off over my head!  She said that Isaiah was a realist.  He saw what was happening.  He was talking about the future.  ADVENT SEASON is all about looking toward the future.  But for now all we can do is pray:

God of Peace, bring an end to the war in Syria. HEAR OUR PRAYER

We can never give up.  We can help the people see by looking at what people have accomplished when they never gave up. We can see this through our history, especially in this country.  Prayer and standing strong for what is the right thing to do is the answer.  During this ADVENT SEASON we look forward to the celebration of our God’s birth and the lessons that He will teach us.  We must stand with Isaiah in placing our faith in Our God and in our Prayers for the future.

Let us pray:
God of Peace, Give us the faith and the ability to believe that the future that Isaiah saw for us will come to pass.
HEAR OUR PRAYER

Carolee Brown