Devotional 12-30-08

Read Exodus 13:11-16

Christmas has past. Our checkbooks are empty and our credit cards are smoldering. Our budgets are blown. If your house is like mine, there is Christmas wrapping paper scattered across the floor, gifts opened and left forlornly under the tree, and too many old leftovers in the fridge. The sad truth is that the holy day of Christmas often becomes the holiday of waste and overindulgence.

In this passage of Exodus, we are told about God’s command to the Israelites to consecrate the first born of their livestock and their children to the Lord in gratitude to their rescue from slavery in Egypt. My instinct is to object – I’ll gladly give whatever is leftover to the Lord, but to give him the “first fruits” is to run the risk that I will run short. Me first, then God.

And yet…

I, too, have been rescued from slavery. I have been freed from the burden of sin and guilt by the death of God’s first and only son. I have been brought into freedom and joy by His sacrifice.

God asks for the first fruits. He doesn’t need the sheep or the donkey. He loves the first born child, but he doesn’t ask for his or her consecration out of selfish reasons. What God really wants from us is that we would finally recognize our freedom – that we have been freed from the chains of this world. He wants us to realize that we live in His kingdom, and that our world is now one of abundant blessings, rather than scarcity.

God asks us to sacrifice our selfishness and fear. He asks us to let go of all of those things that blind us to the truth. He yearns for us to trust him enough to open our hands to receive the gift of grace.

Anonymous

Devotional 12-2-08

Zechariah 14:1-9

In order to understand today’s lectionary reading it is helpful to view it in its historical context. The Old Testament Book of Zechariah was written in Palestine sometime between approximately 557 B.C. and 525 B.C. Zechariah was on of three prophets after the exile (Haggai and Malachi were the other two). He begins the Book with a series of ten clear visions and prophecies. The Book is Messianic in message, describing, among other things, the Grecian empire under the Antichrist, the Battle of Armageddon, the re-gathering of Israel in the last days, and the final triumph and reign of the Messiah over all nations.

Verse one (1) of our scripture, commences with the day of the Lord. This is the second advent of the Messiah, and this day lasts until the end of the Millennium. After this day is finished, the day of God begins and continues through eternity.

How do the 2500-year old writings of Zechariah impact our lives and how are they meaningful for us? It is certainly easy in light of the recent history in the Middle East to believe that these ancient prophecies are a forecast of our future. However I am not sure that his visions are necessarily applicable to the current turbulent conditions in Israel and the surrounding areas, or that they are a prediction of specific military and political actions.

Theological scholars suggest that the writings of Zechariah were meant to encourage the people of Judah that they would be restored to their homeland after the captivity in Babylon. I believe that we can also draw inspiration from these writings. When verse 8 of the scripture states that “living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…” and verse 9 prophesies that the “Lord shall be King over all the earth…” we can be assured of the ultimate triumph of God over the forces of evil in our lives as well.

Lee Oxley

Devotional 12-29-07

In God’s Image
Please read Genesis 1:1-2:4a. How did God create us?

Our scripture lesson for today says that God spoke us into being. With voice, God created us in God’s image. There’s power in words! God imagined us into being.

What does imagine mean? To imagine means to form a mental image. An image is a picture or an imitation. God created us to be an imitation of God. God created us to be a representation of God. God thought us into being, spoke us into being, imagined us. We are a picture of God. You and I look like God. Imagine that!

I love pottery. When I go to arts and crafts fairs, I seek out the potters, and I like to watch them create. Mary recognized how much I like pottery, so one year, she got me lessons in making pottery up at the Museum of Art. I have some cracked earthen vessels to prove it. Maybe someday I’ll take some more lessons.

When you make pottery, you take a lump of clay. Just plain, brownish gray dirt. Nothing special.

The first thing you have to do is called “wedging.” You mix it, knead it, beat it on the table to get all the air bubbles out and make the mixture consistent throughout. Then you throw it on a wheel. That’s what it is called. “You throw a pot.” Creating is tough work. Especially on the clay that gets wedged, thrown, and fired in a kiln.

But when it is finished, it is a beautiful work of art.

The artist will have an image of what it is that she wants to create, and she has the gift to use her wet hands and form the spinning clay into that image. But if you inspect pottery, you will almost always find “imperfections.” Hand-thrown pottery probably hardly ever matches exactly what the artist had in mind. There are variables in the clay, in the speed of the wheel, the pressure of the hand, the glaze, the heat from the kiln…but still, the vessel is useful.

We are compared in scripture to clay in God’s hands, and God is the potter. God has an image for us to live up to. Think about that. We are imagined by God. Created in God’s image.

Do you live the life that God imagined for you?

Jeff Taylor

Devotional 12-27-07

The Light of Christ Remains
9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, to those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has been shined . . .
9:6 For a child has been born to us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Today is two days after Christmas, the packages have been opened, the mess cleared away, and the left-overs eaten. Now our attention is being drawn forward to the new year. How easily we consider Christmas “over” and move on to new things that occupy or minds. However, when we look outside, the Christmas lights are still glowing. So, lets continue to live in the glow of the Light that came to earth at Christmas.

In the passage above Isaiah described a people walking in deep darkness who saw a great light. He announces that a child has been born to the Jews who would bring light to that darkness. Some believe that Isaiah was speaking of the birth of Hezekiah, one of the great, Godly kings of Judah. But, the same passage is a foretelling of the birth of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. It was Jesus who brought light to the darkness of the world of his time and ours.

Christ’s coming brought God’s light of love, peace, hope, grace and mercy to all who live in darkness and who give their lives to Christ. As incomprehensible as this seems, it is really very simple. John 3:16 tells us “God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.” God’s gift of love and grace is offered freely to everyone.

Lets not let the “Light” go out with the taking down of our Christmas decorations. God has entrusted to us His Light so that as we live and work in the world our little piece will be a beacon to others.

Prayer: O God, sometimes darkness seems to overwhelm us. Send the Holy Spirit to help us turn to you so that we can experience the light of your love and grace and take them into all the world. Amen.

Maudie Karickhoff

Devotional 12-13-07

Be and Live
Please read Genesis 15:1-18.

In his relationship with God, Abraham, a real pioneer in trusting God, had to risk much. He and all of his descendents before us paved the way for us for the past 4000 years. God had made a promise to Abraham (his name was Abram at the time) that moved him to leave familiar territory. It is hard for me to imagine having that kind of trust in God. I like to play it safe; I want to map it out; I need to know my ETA; I can’t just take off to go who-knows-where.

Even if I took such a step of faith, how long would I wait for God? Maybe until my vacation days are used up. But after God’s promise to Abraham was made, Abraham didn’t just wake up and see God’s glorious plan revealed in front of him. No, he had to keep on trusting, keep on believing, and keep on waiting. His life took many detours and turns that might have caused us to go back to the comfortable surroundings of Ur.

In light of all of this, a single verse in the above passage, Verse 6, jumps out at me. And [Abraham] believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6.

Abraham believed. His belief caused him to act; but it was his belief that was of foremost importance. It sounds like something out of the New Testament, doesn’t it? It sounds like grace!

Mark 1:15: “…repent, and believe in the good news.”
Mark 5:36: “Do not fear; only believe.”
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
1 Peter 1:8 “Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.”

Our believing is our first step in our life in Christ. Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves, in our lives, in our stuff, even in church, that we don’t take time to just believe. Similarly, we’re so busy doing that we don’t take time to be. But what was it that was reckoned to Abram as righteousness? Just believing. I like to play with words. Look what happens when you break apart “believe.” Be and live.

I attended a funeral yesterday where the gospel choir sang “Take me back, take me back dear Lord, to the place where I first believed you. Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I first believed.” It was a powerful reminder to me that the place where we first believed is Holy Ground. Sometimes we move from that place, and we need to ask God’s help to take us back there, to that place and time when we believed and trusted completely.

Be and live. Believe!

Dear God, take me back, take me back dear Lord, to the place where I first believed you. Take me back, take me back dear Lord where I first believed. Amen.

Jeff Taylor

Devotional 12-6-07

The Words of Micah

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephratah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel. Micah 5:2

Although tiny Bethlehem was a city with a proud history, “the city of David” – it was still tiny, not the kind of place where you would expect “lightening to strike twice” – not a location to a second candle to shine forth. One glimpse of glory should be all the place deserved.

Yet, inspired by God, the prophet Micah had foreseen a ruler coming again from David’s tiny town, and in coming the promise of peace in all its fullness – the kind of peace the very angels of the Lord would proclaim on those same sheep-filled hills, surrounded by light.

And even more light would be evident. Micah’s ancient words would guide those strangers from afar, the wise men, to the place where the Christ Child lay.

Candlelight reflected in starlight. Even in such an unlikely place as Bethlehem the circles of light expands.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

This Advent, let us circle around those flickering, growing circles of light. Circle around those candles of the Advent Wreath – traditionally named The Prophecy Candle, The Bethlehem Candle, The Shepherd’s Candle, The Angel’s Candle. Let these growing circles of light urge us on –
to Listen
to Prepare
to Behold
to Rejoice!
Amy Inghram