Devotional 11-30-22

Psalm 130: 1-8

Many years ago, I had a friend whose brother faithfully attended church exactly twice a year: on Christmas Eve and Easter. When she encouraged him to come more often, he declined her invitation with this reasoning: “Oh, every time I go to church, I hear the same old songs and stories.” Well… yes. Of course. 

There is much that is so familiar during Advent. We will hear many of the “same old songs and stories.” I, for one, love them. I find joy, comfort and meaning in both the sacred and secular traditions and routines of this season. But, am I waiting in anticipation for something new? Maybe not so much.

The psalmist here is crying out to God on behalf of all of Israel. He looked around him and saw much sin, brokenness, destruction and hurt. Yet he speaks of waiting with hope for God’s steadfast mercy and forgiveness. He speaks of his assurance that God will ultimately deliver Israel and forgive her sin. God will restore them to wholeness. In the meantime, he calls on his people to watch and wait expectantly with hope.

For what are we waiting this season? With the psalmist, we can look around us and despair. There is so much division, hatred, greed, selfishness, and pain. Yet, in the midst of this brokenness, Advent offers us the time to wait expectantly for God’s great love and mercy shown in the birth of a baby 2000 years ago. God loved us so much that he came to earth to be among us. Does the familiarity of the story dull the message for us? Do we still hear the message of hope for this world in the story of shepherds and angels and a sweet baby lying in a manger? Do we still wait with hope for God’s ultimate deliverance and redemption?

I will enjoy all the usual hymns, songs, scriptures and stories this year. I hope that you will, too. But I pray that, amidst it all, we find time to listen anew for the message of hope and love in the familiar. Perhaps this year we may, with the Spirit’s guidance, hear God speaking to us with the assurance and hope that all is not lost. We must not give in to despair. We must wait patiently for His mercy. And maybe, in our waiting, we will even hear Him speak to us of the part we can play in bringing this hope to the world. 

God loves us. God came to live among us. That is a message that will never get old. God will have the ultimate victory. That is a promise that is worth waiting for. I pray that this season, we may all wait together expectantly for God’s incarnate Word to us.

Prayer: Holy God, please be with us during this time of waiting. Help us to take the time to look for new meaning in the familiar stories and to listen for your whisper of assurance. Help us to live in expectant hope so that we might be vessels of hope and love to a hurting world. Thank you for the glorious gift of your son, Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Mary Sue Beam

Devotional 11-29-22

Read Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist Prepares the Way 

In today’s environment, there is a saying about speaking “truth to power.” 

This usually refers to calling out the powerful when they abuse their position or those less fortunate. 
In today’s reading, John the Baptist is out in the desert baptizing sinners when some of Israel’s Pharisees and Sadducees came by to watch and judge his actions.  John does not hesitate to call them out for their hypocrisy!  They were confident in their beliefs and decisions of faith because they were sons of Abraham!  John confronts them about their attitude and warns them that the day of reckoning is coming and that God could raise up children of Abraham from stones.  As you might imagine this did not sit well with them. 

During Advent we are challenged.  How do we prepare to meet Jesus? When have we acted like the Pharisees and stood confident in our stance that we were right?  How can we humbly be reminded that we are all children of God and gifted with forgiveness no matter our sins? 

Might I gently remind us all that Advent serves as a time to prepare our lives for service to him in his kingdom here on earth as we await that house not made with hands but eternal to the heavens!  May it always be so! 

Prayer: Father thank you for the your gift of grace and forgiveness.  Help us to walk in humility and confidence in your promises. In Jesus name we pray. Amen  

Marv Jones

Devotional 11-28-22

 The following devotional is included in memory of Jean Modlin.  It was originally published on December 19, 2007.

Psalm 61:  Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

The Monday after Thanksgiving in 1970 was a dark and dreary day. I was sitting at my desk looking at list of names. This was supposed to be a special list with surprises beside each name – a list to take as I began my Christmas shopping. Today I could not concentrate on the paper or have the joyous feeling I always have this time of the year. Only two weeks earlier the tragic Marshall University air crash had taken the lives of 75 victims.

Minutes after we heard the devastating news of the plane crash, I received a call to come to Gullickson Hall at Marshall University. I was President of the Marshall Faculty Wives Club at that time. When Phil (my husband) and I arrived, the gymnasium was filled with grieving, hysterical students. Phil helped carry cots from a nearby dormitory for the students, many of whom were receiving medical attention. We stayed until early morning, helping where we were needed, and when we returned a few hours later, I was asked to open the North Parlor of Old Main (remember that room?) The members of the Faculty Wives Club were to provide meals during the evenings, when the MU staff would be working around the clock, and to be present in the North Parlor when family members of the victims arrived. Later that day a member of the club suggested that a fruit basket be sent to each grieving family. I contacted many grocery merchants who generously donated the baskets, which were taken by Marshall representatives to each family who lived in town or were taken by a representative who would be attending an out-of-town funeral. Soon the services were over, but the sorrow and aching remained.

As I sat at my desk that gloomy morning, the telephone rang. A vice-president of Marshall University called with a special request. The owner of the then - Baltimore Colts, a professional football team, had donated a sizeable gift of money to be used to buy Christmas gifts for the 70 children of the victims of the plane crash. Would I buy these gifts for the children, (whose ages ranged from one month to those in their early 30’s)? Of course, I answered, “Yes.” I put down the phone and walked to the center of the room and stood quietly. Tears filled my eyes, and I closed them as I prayed.

“Dear Lord, I want to do this, but I don’t know how. I need your help. Please tell me what I should do.”

As I stood there quietly, a bright light suddenly hit my eyes. In that instant I knew exactly how to go about this new shopping. When I opened my eyes, sunshine was filling the room. I hurried to the phone and called Jean Douglass (whose husband was a Professor in the MU Chemistry Department.) I almost shouted, “We’re going shopping!”

The next morning we headed to downtown Huntington with a list of names and ages. Jean and I were guided with every purchase. As we studied each name, we knew exactly what we wanted for that child, or, if first we saw a gift that we liked, we agreed instantly on the name. We knew we had divine help as we shopped.

On Friday of that week, my living room was filled with the gifts. Each gift was delivered personally by alumni, faculty members or other friends. I never shall lose the memories of that week. Jean and I know God was with us each day, helping us to decide for each child and to see not just a name, but a surprised, happy face. I always will give thanks to Him for his guidance.

Prayer:  We thank you, dear Lord, for being beside us daily. We are at our best when we let you know our needs and let you guide us. Amen

Jean Modlin
(died November 4, 2022)

Devotional 11-27-22

 Psalm 122, v 1:  I rejoice with those who said to me,   “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

When Kim asked for writers for the Advent Devotionals I was happy to volunteer.

I love the Advent season and all the joy I have experienced at this time of the year. When she sent me the date I would be writing for and the readings to choose from I was even happier.

November 27th is my parents wedding anniversary. It seems appropriate that my devotion is on the day my sister and brother and I celebrate the people who first took us to the house of the Lord.

Our Christmases weren’t always filled with the Hallmark moments we see on TV, but we always had good food, lots of laughing and some off key singing. We were happy to be together.

Johnson Memorial is that kind of family. We’ve had some difficult Christmases in the past few years, fire, water damage, Covid, but we rejoice when we can be together in the house of the Lord. Our Common Grounds folks have mentioned how happy they are to be back inside the church.

We can’t always be together but we can always be together in spirit and read the text and sing the songs that bring us back to the manger.

This Advent I’m happy that I will be with the ones I love and worshipping the Holy Child who brought Love to all the world, forever and ever.

Amen

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sharing your son with us and giving us an example of how to love without ceasing.

Debbie McGinnis

Images for December 16 2022 devotional