Advent Devotional 12-18-25

 

Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-16

When I first read this scripture, I was confused. Why was the prophet so unhappy with King Ahaz’s reply about not testing the Lord? Didn’t Jesus have a similar reply to Satan in the wilderness? Then I learned the back story (it is in 2 Kings): during Ahaz’s reign in Judah, the kings of Samaria and Israel wanted to wage war against a weakened kingdom of Assyria. They wanted Ahaz to join them in this conquest. But Ahaz said no. In response, the two kings planned to march against Ahaz, dethrone him and install an ally. When Ahaz learned of this, he was terrified. But where did he turn for help? To Assyria and foreign gods. He even went so far as to sacrifice his son on the altar of a foreign idol!

God, through Isaiah, was trying to bring Ahaz back and stop his turning toward idols. Isaiah assured Ahaz that God would not let the plot against him succeed. But Ahaz didn’t listen. This is the point where our scripture reading picks up. Isaiah insists that God will give him a sign that He is the one true God, the God who can save him. But Ahaz says no. His protest about not putting God to the test was false piety. Ahaz thought he had it all figured out himself. He didn’t need God. Isaiah knew Ahaz’s true intentions. He persevered with his prophecy: there will be a sign. A young girl (later understood as a virgin) is pregnant and will bear a son named “Immanuel”, meaning “God is with us”. 

So, we know that Ahaz turned from the God of his people and looked for answers in the world around him. We know that Isaiah was faithful to his calling and spoke the word of God to Ahaz. But what does the passage tell us about God? I think it tells us that even when we turn away and think we can fix things all on our own, God will still be there actively seeking us. He never grows weary of waiting for us to come back to Him. No matter how foolish or stubborn we are, He doesn’t give up on us. Isaiah’s prophesy is for our time, too. God loves us so much that he sent this greatest of signs: unto us, a child is born. Unto us, a son is given. And his name is Immanuel. God IS with us. 

Our personal adversaries today aren’t literal armies marching against us. But there is a seemingly endless list of battles we may face: health concerns, broken relationships, financial worries, grief and addictions, to name a few. Whatever our own adversaries, may we always remember the promise of God with us. We aren’t on our own. God is WITH us. He will provide strength, courage and wisdom for our individual struggles. 

In all circumstances, turn to God for deliverance. Once more, hear Isaiah’s promise: A young girl will bear a son called “Immanuel”.  God is with US.

Prayer: Thank you, God for sending your son Jesus as a sign to us of your love and faithfulness. Forgive us for the times we try to rely only on our own resources. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of your son -- this greatest of gifts -- help us to always remember the promise of your presence. May we always turn to you. In the blessed name of Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Mary Sue Beam

Advent Devotional 12-4-24

 Luke 1:77-79 (The Message):

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.

I confess that it has been many months since I’ve witnessed the sun rise. With retirement came the opportunity to sleep later. I wish I could say that the allure of seeing a beautiful sunrise is reason enough to set an early alarm. It isn’t for me. However, I have memories of many nights when I did see the sunrise, and it was a glorious, welcome sight. Many years ago, I worked with the youth group, and lock-ins were all the rage at the time. They convinced me to supervise two of those. Lock-ins were the events where the youth spent the night at the church. Those lock-ins were two of the longest nights for me. While some youth did finally fall asleep, I was pretty much awake all night. I thought dawn would never come. Likewise, I’ve had other sleepless nights when I thought the darkness would never end: pacing the floor with a fussy baby, up and down with a stomach virus or letting worries occupy my mind so that sleep wouldn’t come. The rising of the sun was such a welcome sight. It somehow gave me renewed hope and energy. It made such a difference to my spirit.

The scripture passage above is the ending of Zechariah’s prophesy after the birth of his son John. Many translations use “dawn from heaven,” which is a beautiful image. But writing this today, I am especially drawn to the imagery of “God’s Sunrise” in The Message. I’ve always thought that the reference here was only to Jesus, but the commentaries I consulted said that these verses are all a prophecy about John. He is the first ray of sunlight peeking over the horizon. He is not the true light, but the first indication of the light to come, which is Jesus, God incarnate. What welcome news to a people who had been waiting centuries for a Savior. Rather than stumbling in the dark, trying to make their way to God by themselves, a Savior was coming. And with John’s birth, His messenger – the “dayspring from on high” (KJV) – had arrived. He would tell the people how to prepare for the true light of the world. His message is for us, too. We have a Savior. Someone to show us the way to God; someone who will reconcile us to Him forever. John’s message is the same for us as for the Hebrew people 2000 years ago: Get ready. Prepare. This advent season, may we take time to meditate on John’s message: an offer of forgiveness, a time to turn from our selfish paths and turn our hearts to God.

God’s sunrise is coming. What a welcome sight! What a difference that will make! May we all be ready for the new day.

Prayer:
Oh God, thank you for your constant presence in our lives. Forgive us when we stumble blindly along, trying to have everything our way. Pierce our darkness and help prepare us once again for Your coming. Help us to see the light of your love, truth and mercy and then let that light into our souls so that we may reflect it out to the world. We ask this in the blessed name of your son Jesus, Amen.

Mary Sue Beahm

Devotion - December 3, 2023

 Scriptures: Isaiah 64: 1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

Advent is a time of expectant waiting; waiting for God to come down and live among us. The scripture readings also speak of expectant waiting - waiting for God to come and save His people. Here, Isaiah is writing after the exiles return to Jerusalem. They faced a temple in ruins and the extreme difficulties of rebuilding. God seemed far away, and Isaiah pleads for Him to again show His face. The Psalm reading is a similar plea for deliverance after some national tragedy. Both readings express an expectation of deliverance that comes with earthly power. The Israelites were waiting for a Messiah with political power and military might to restore their nation.

As Christians, we know a Messiah whose power did not come from political or military dominance. We can see how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies, but many of the people with him did not understand. They just didn’t quite get what Jesus was about. He didn’t fit their expectations and certainly wasn’t the savior they’d been imagining. It is easy for us, from our vantage point 2000 years later, to question why they didn’t see who Jesus was. How did they miss the message in his miracles, actions, and preaching? I tell myself that I would not have been so blind; I’d have surely been among his followers.

We know who it is we are waiting for this advent. Or do we? If I am honest, I wonder how often I have been guilty of “not getting” Jesus. My blindness comes not from unbelief, but from wanting to fit Jesus into my mold. Not the mold of a warrior or an earthly king, but a mold of my making. Perhaps I am not alone in doing this. I want a Jesus who sees the world and its people as I do. I want a Jesus who wants to spend time with the same people as I do, who would vote as I do and worship like I do. It’s so much easier to believe that Jesus thinks just like I do. 

This time of waiting is a good time to do a reset on who Jesus really is and what his coming revealed to us about God. It is a good time to remember that this savior told us to love our enemies, to forgive without end, to not store up treasures on earth and to seek first the kingdom of God. If I am serious about helping to make God’s kingdom come, I must take the time to search the scriptures and my heart and ready myself anew for this surprising Messiah. I must remember that the savior we are waiting for turned all expectations upside down. His was the power of love. And that is a power greater than anything man can conceive. 

I pray that we may all use this time of waiting to make ourselves ready to fully accept and share this surprising and powerful love. Come, Lord Jesus.

Mary Sue Beahm

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 12-5-21

 Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

It was a long-ago August afternoon and my children and I were returning home after a day at the pool. While the swimming was wonderful, we were now tired and hungry. It wasn’t long before the sounds of bickering came from the backseat. As the volume of the argument increased, I stopped them with my own tense plea. “Please, stop it! You two are giving me a headache!”

My daughter was immediately chastened and turned to her younger brother, saying “I’m sorry Daniel”. Daniel, mustering up all the indignation his 4-year-old self could express, replied “Oh, DON’T say that to me yet, Lydia. I’m not through being mad at you!”

I inwardly laughed and vowed to add that to my list of funny “Daniel sayings”. By dinner time, all was forgiven, and peace was restored. Over the years, I have remembered that moment many times. I thought Daniel’s reply was funny at the time, but I now view it differently. How often have I had trouble being through with anger, resentment or bitterness? How hard is it for us as adults to get through with our bad feelings over something that was said or done to us?

Too often forgiveness is withheld - even between members of a church family. I know of times when care was required to keep two people who didn’t get along from being placed on the same committee. Perhaps we all know of instances like that. Isn’t that sad? 

In today’s reading, John the Baptist is calling the people to “Prepare the way for the Lord”. I believe that one way we can prepare is to examine our hearts to see if we are carrying any bitterness, anger or resentment. Are we still mad with someone? Is there some past wrong that we need to forgive? If so, then perhaps it is time to ask God to help us get through with that. 

Yes, forgiving is often so very hard to do. But what better time than Advent to start that process. How can Christ truly be at home in our hearts when He must share it with our grudges? With prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I believe we can get through with being mad. We can make the Christ child’s path to us smooth and straight by emptying our hearts of bad feelings over past wrongs. 

Let us prepare to receive Christ’s love and light this Christmas by getting through with our anger, bitterness and resentment. Then may we be filled with His love and light, so that His love will shine out from us into all the world. 

Mary Sue Beam