Dear Servant Family,

As we look ahead to Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, New Year, and Epiphany, we believe that God has great plans in store for our congregation. This onrush of celebrations reminds us of all the good gifts God is constantly giving us. If God is already blessing us in so many ways today, will he not do even greater things in the months ahead?

This is why you are invited to attend, over the next few weeks, one of several “Conversations Around the Campfire.” We want to talk with you about this wonderful church and what might be in store for 2024. We can’t know that without your participation. The first campfire is this Sunday evening, November 12, at 5:30 pm, and there are other days and times you can register for as well. For more information and to register, go to our website at ServantOKC.org/campfire or call the church office at 405-721-4141.

At our Campfires, here are a few of the important things we want to talk about with you:

• Preparing for your new senior pastor’s arrival on July 1, 2024.
• Discuss your most pressing questions about our church’s future.
• Developing a 6-month action plan for strengthening Church of the Servant, beginning in January.
• Identifying some of the most important ways the Spirit is speaking to you as church members and active participants.

Please know that these Campfires are not pledge drives. Pledge drives are important, and will come later on. At these gatherings, we are asking, "Are we ready for what God has in store for us for the future?"

We’re all in. We hope you can be, too.

Did you know there is a group of persons at Church of the Servant who have said, “Yes!” to a most beautiful work of God? Our eight Care Chaplains faithfully pray for, encourage, offer healing to, hold hands with, listen to, and extend compassion to you and me – especially when we are hurting or sick – in the name of Christ and on behalf of the entire Servant family.

The roots of our Care Chaplain ministry go back to 1980 and the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Bob Gardenhire. When the church was in its heyday of attendance, over 70 Care Chaplains were serving at one time. In these more streamlined days, our “Octet of Caretakers” continue to carry the load for those of us who are sick, in long-term care facilities, or who just need prayer and encouragement – and, of course, these acts are extended to our family and friends as well.
 
At the helm is our Coordinator for Care Ministries Vicki Roberds, and her partner-in-blessing Camilla Riley, Care Ministries Associate. Vicki and Camilla receive prayer requests and hospital reports, make Chaplain assignments, coordinate with the pastoral staff for funerals and visitations, and even help find food, clothing, and shelter for persons in need. One of their more recent care partnerships is with the State Alzheimer’s Association, and this work is growing quickly at Servant. Spend just a few minutes with Vicki and Camilla, and you will see God’s joy in their eyes and feel Christ’s compassion for others in their hearts as they go about their ministries.

We were told this was true of ALL of our Care Chaplains. We knew we had to meet these behind-the-scenes, unsung spiritual heroes ourselves. So, a few weeks ago, we gathered with them for a simple meal and deeper conversation. The remainder of this blog is simply their words. Because your Care Chaplains don’t like drawing attention to themselves, we won’t attribute the quotations to any individual. No matter who is speaking, however, you’ll hear the accent of God’s love and call.

• “One of Servant’s pastors invited me to be a Care Chaplain. I stepped out of my comfort zone and said, ‘Yes.’ It’s been one of the greatest blessings of my life.”
• “The Lord said to me in retirement, ‘I am going to give you some things to do.’ When I started sitting with hospice patients, I asked permission to sing ‘Jesus songs,’ and patients responded to those when they hadn’t responded to anything before.”
• “I was attending Church of the Servant and didn’t know anything about Care Chaplains. One of the pastors explained it to me and convinced me I could do this. He was right!”
• “Every job I ever had was in a hospital, so Tom McGee told me about the Care Chaplaincy at Servant. That was 15 years ago, and I’m still serving!”
• “The heart and soul of this ministry are the visits, phone calls, and cards we send out. These simple acts touch people’s lives.”
• “One of the pastors recruited me and my husband for this ministry. At first, I was concerned that I didn’t have enough knowledge, but we were trained. Now we love it. It’s been so rewarding to serve, to give back to others.”
• “Jesus told us to 1) preach the Gospel, and 2) love the Lord God and each other--with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. That’s what being a Care Chaplain is all about.”
• “It is SO GOOD to care for other people!”
• “My aunt started a nursing home ministry when she was 75 years old! When I became a Care Chaplain, she would ask me, ‘Did you touch them? Someone who’s hurting needs to feel your touch.’ I learned how to be a good Care Chaplain from her.”
• “Caring comes naturally to me. When my adult kids were dating, I would say to them, ‘I will love whom you love.’ It suddenly occurred to me that I should make that same commitment to Christ: ‘Jesus, I will love whom you love.’ And Jesus loves everyone! That’s the blessing of being a Care Chaplain.”

One way we can say Thank You to these “servants of Servant” is to bless them in the name of Christ. Please join us this Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Celebration Center; as part of our worship, we will do just that.

In Christ,

PS: Inspired to know more about becoming a Care Chaplain? Reach out to us anytime.

Most of us know only bits and pieces of the spiritual journeys of our two lead transitional pastors, the Revs. Jess Moffatt and Thomas Hoffmann. This week, Pastor Thomas shares more of his story:

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. My father was a hard-working truck driver. He never went to college but read every book in the high school library; he could recite Robert Burns's poetry by heart. My mother was a Christian Science Practitioner (the closest thing they have to clergy), but she wouldn’t accept that she suffered from severe bipolar disorder. This made family life very difficult for me and my three siblings. One benefit of being raised in what others called “a weird religious group” was that it forced me to think about God and theology at an early age. Although I was sure I believed in God, I stopped attending church when I was 12.

Please look forward to a future “Towel and Basin” blogpost where Pastor Jess will share her spiritual journey.

Here is a riddle: Who is 5’5”, speaks multiple languages, and actually lives at the church?

Sometimes pastors make a bit of a joke when someone says to us, “Do you ever go home?” Our brand of humor thinks it’s funny to say, “No, I don’t. I have a bed in the back!” Juan Galvin, a 10-year faithful member of our facilities team, actually lives at the church!

His story begins in Reynosa and other Mexico border towns. At the age of 12, “I heard my dad talking about the USA,” said Juan, “and I knew I wanted to visit, too. I wanted to see the world.” He never went back, and the US became his new home. “That first year was so hard,” he admits, “until I started learning English. But I picked it up fast.” Juan worked a number of jobs throughout Texas, including manufacturing automobile pressure plates and building AC components. After moving to Oklahoma, he maintained apartment buildings for over two decades. Along the way, he raised two girls and two boys who are now grown.

About ten years ago, Juan connected with Church of the Servant and became part of the facilities staff—and the rest is history. Living at Servant allows him to provide both evening cleaning and maintenance and to keep the building secure. We asked him what it was like to live in a church. Juan answered, “Even though I’m Catholic, this church is just like the church I know: we baptize, we marry people, we learn about Mary and about Jesus. And when I’m in bed at night, I hear the angels sing!”

“I like the people here at Servant,” Juan added, “but I have to say Randy (Shrauner) is my Number One. I give him great thanks for allowing me to work here and to live here.”

When you see Juan be sure to say “Hello” or “¡Hola!” to this humble watchman and caretaker of our sacred spaces.

We are now into our second month with you at Church of the Servant! The time has quickly flown by. This is due not only to your hospitality, but also because of your demonstrated faith in Christ and love for your church. What a joy it is to be your Lead Pastor Transitions Team for a season.

“For a season.” How long is that? And what about our unique title: Lead Pastor Transitions Team? What does this mean? We’d like to unpack this, starting with our title.

The word “Transitions” remains. This lets you know that we come to Servant as persons trained in transitional and interim ministry, along with additional facilitation skills. Many denominations have discovered that when a local church is going through transitions of many kinds, one of the most helpful things can be the appointment of a specialized interim or transitional pastor. Why? Transitional pastors are not seeking a permanent place at that church, allowing them to completely focus on the unique needs of the congregation. Transitional pastors do not come to cast a vision for the congregation, but rather come to help the congregation live out the vision that God is already giving them. Transitional pastors look for places of hurt, anger, and frustration, and invite safe places for healing to happen. Transitional pastors try to stay free from the content of internal church debates and disagreements, and instead focus on the way that sisters and brothers in Christ speak to each other, listen to each other, and forgive each other—even when their personal opinions still differ. They remind the church that both the path and the destination of the Christian journey must always be the same: the sacrificial love of Jesus.

Now we can come back to the phrase, “For a season.” If we are not appointed as your longer-term, “settled” pastors, how long will we be with you? The answer for transitional pastors is always the same: “We will be with you until you as a congregation have successfully navigated some of your most important transitions. We will be with you until you are ready for a new chapter of love and service in Christ’s name.” Here at Servant, we may be with you at least through October of this year.

As your Lead Pastor Transitions Team, we make these commitments to you:

• Each and every day, we will work toward your greater well-being and wholeness.  
• Each and every day, we will pray for you.
• Each and every day, we will be faithful in supporting and strengthening Servant’s ministries and mission.
• Each and every day, we will offer you God’s healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
• Each and every day, we will lift up Jesus Christ our Lord in all that we say and do.
• Each and every day, we rely on your prayers.

Together, and with God’s help, we might just discover that this “in-between, liminal time” at Servant is one of the most important and fruitful seasons of our Christian journey.

We are learning so much about our church!

DID YOU KNOW… that we have three people during the week who work at the front desk? Darla, Pam, and Mary take care of everything that is “incoming” (and even some things that go out). They answer your calls, greet you, handle mail and packages, connect you with the staff–and so much more.

Pam Adams works on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You may know her from the front desk and her previous 20+ years of work as support staff for our children’s ministry. She is the behind-the-scenes person for so many things: the church’s monthly Prayer Calendar, name tags for Prime Time, and Sunday school attendance records—just to name a few of her activities. “I do whatever is needed for our staff and church,” she told us. Pam loves puzzles, crafts, and traveling, but her grandkids are the center of her life. And probably yours, too: she was an avid NICU “baby snuggler” for many years and has worked in our church’s nursery. “Working at Servant brings such joy to me,” she says. “I get to help my church family in so many ways!”

Mary Strain works Fridays until noon. Mary’s young family came to Oklahoma City in 1971. Founding pastor Norman Neaves stopped by to welcome them to the community, and Church of the Servant soon became their spiritual home. Now, a third generation of Mary’s family is attending. You might hear Mary being called “The Face of Church of the Servant” because she worked the front desk full-time for almost 25 years, finally retiring in 2018. Many people joined Servant simply because of how Mary greeted them when they walked in. Like Pam and Darla, Mary doesn’t just sit behind a desk. She is, for example, one of the many volunteers that keep our church greenery watered and healthy. “Through the highs and lows of life,” Mary told us, “Servant has been a place of personal blessing. I don’t know what’s ahead, but I do know this church means everything to me and many others.”

The author Micah Solomon writes, “The heart of hospitality is the ability to focus completely and totally on one person.” We think this is the shared secret sauce behind the amazing ministries of those at the front desk. It’s not because you are made to feel like you are the most important person in the world; it’s because Darla, Pam, and Mary know you are.

Greetings, Church of the Servant, and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve is one of the most special days of the Christian year. No matter what you will do today, who you will be with or where you will worship today and tomorrow, I want you to know how wonderful it has been to celebrate the birth of our savior with you during the Advent Season. I also want to take a moment to thank the staff who have poured hours into writing the daily Advent devotions. I have gleaned a great deal of insight and meaning from their words, and I am sure you have too! Please thank them when you next see them for their words and devotion to our congregation.

Today, I want to share an excerpt from part of the service of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols located in the United Methodist Book of Worship. As you read this prayer, I hope you will do so deliberately and with great purpose. Before we gather to sing tonight, it is important for us to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for this evening. Today’s devotional prayer is a perfect way to begin the day. As you pray the prayer below, pause and think of those who could benefit from your prayers. Say their names out loud as boldly as you will sing in worship later today.

Tonight, we will sing carols, read the word of God, and light the Christ Candle as we worship. Until we gather this evening, let us pray:

Beloved in Christ, this Christmas Eve it is our duty and delight to prepare ourselves to hear again the message of the angels and to go in the hearts and mind to Bethlehem, and see this thing, which is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger.
 
Therefore, let us hear again from Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our sin until the glorious redemption brought us by this holy Child, and let us make this house of prayer glad with our carols of praise.  
 
But first, because this of all things would rejoice Jesus’ heart, let us pray to him for the needs of the whole world, and all his people; for peace upon the earth, he came to save; for love and unity within the one Church he did build; for goodwill among all peoples.
 
And particularly at this time let us remember the poor, the cold, the hungry, the oppressed; the sick and them that mourn; the lonely and the unloved; the aged and the little children and all who know not the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who by sin have grieved his heart of love.
 
Lastly, let us remember all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore and in a greater light, that multitude which no one number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom, in this Lord Jesus, we for evermore are one.
 
Amen.
 

Merry Christmas Beloved,

Dr. Matthew Mitchell
Senior Minister
Church of the Servant
ServantOKC.org
405.721.4141

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Leave me alone with God as much as may be. As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore, make me an island, set apart, alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond, the world that rushes in on me till the waters come again and fold me back to you.

Amen.    

St Aiden (Died 651)

2 Samuel 7:23-29

Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there another nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people and to make a name for himself, doing great and awesome things, driving out nations and their gods before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt?

And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever; do as you have promised. Thus your name will be magnified forever in the saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you.

And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; now, therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant so that it may continue forever before you, for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

I am a fan of ancient prayers and writings of the Church, such as the prayer of St. Aiden above. We want to think we are an advanced people, wise beyond the vision of our forbearers. But when we sit with the words of this Irish monk and missionary written some fourteen centuries prior as he seeks to deal with the “busy world” around him, we recognize the more things change, the more they stay the same. There is a gap between St. Aiden and us—scientific, technological, philosophical. But the only gap that genuinely matters is between a holy and righteous God and a broken, sin-stained world he seeks to redeem.

We, as God’s children, the Church, have been grafted into a story that has been unfolding for millennia. From that initial call of Abraham in Genesis 12, as God blessed him that he might in turn be a blessing to the world, this drama rolls across the ages. This story, staggering in scope and scale, consumes all stories as God works to reconcile all creation unto himself. It is within this narrative that our individual lives find purpose and meaning. Each of us, and all of us, have a role to play.

The tidal rhythms described by St. Aiden as God draws us close to be filled and refreshed are soon enough reversed as we are swept into the world around us: each bearing the fragrance of the Holy One. God has blessed his house into eternity that this cycle may repeat as we are filled to be emptied for the sake of the world that God so loves. Lord Jesus, let us be your instruments of salvation.

Are you living into the blessing you have been given? Are you fighting God’s tides within your life, or are you allowing him to carry you where he will, when he will, for the purposes he wills?

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Alone with none but thee, my God,
I journey on my way.
What need I fear, when thou art near O king of night and day?
More safe am I within thy hand
Than if a host did round me stand.

(Columba, c.521 - 597)

Luke 1:46-55 NRSV

⁴⁶ And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
  Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
  and holy is his name;
⁵⁰ indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
  from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
  he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
  and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things
  and sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
  in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
  to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

In the passage above, we read Mary's Song of Praise, known as Magnificat, Latin for the first word in the song: "magnify." Mary sings this song after her relative Elizabeth (who is also miraculously pregnant with John the Baptist) greets her and calls her “blessed.”

One thing I particularly like about the Bible is that there are often surprising (to me) reactions to difficult situations. This is a perfect example of that. It would take a lot of faith on Mary's part to rejoice and feel blessed when her circumstances were less than ideal.
 
Peter Slofstra writes, “Her fiancé was thinking divorce. Her family was thinking disown. Her community was thinking stone. Her situation could not have been more difficult. Her status could not have been humbler. An ordinary teenage girl—no resumé, no royal lineage, no special skills. A teenage girl sent away to live with a relative in another city like so many pregnant teens. How could she say, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God [my Savior]?”

The answer to Mary’s surprising reaction can be found in the words of her song. First, she believed God would do what He promised to do. God had promised Abraham, his descendants, and the world that a Messiah would come to save them. Mary believed that promise. She trusted God. Second, she knew and named God as “Savior.” Not just her personal Savior but the Savior of her people and, through them, the world. Finally, she recognized that God looked at her with favor. The same God that created the world also knew her by name and cared about her. She had come to realize that God loved her.
 
Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8 declare that God is always the same and will never change. That means the same truths Mary was singing about and giving God praise for in our text today are also true for us. God fulfills His promises to us; the Bible is full of them. God is trustworthy; you can believe His Holy Word and stand on its truth. And God knows us and loves us. How could we not overflow with joy when we realize that we are loved and seen by the true and living God?

How have you experienced God’s love and faithfulness to you in your lifetime? Take a moment today to enter the presence of God and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind some of these moments. Give God praise and thanks for His goodness and faithfulness to you. You can also rejoice and celebrate (or even sing!), knowing that God never changes and that his love and fidelity toward You and all His children will continue forever.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Almighty God,

It can be quite humbling to think of our role models or ancestors who have gone before us, paving a way for us to live out our lives of faith. Perhaps we even feel thankful for people we never met, but whose lives have made a difference to us. Help us to honor such faithful legacies by leaving one of our own. Help us to be motivated to leave a legacy of faith for others. They might not remember our names down through the generations. Nevertheless, let them know they are part of a chain of faith that has continuity and unity. We humbly pray, O God, that we—imperfect as we are—might give inspiration to others by the way that we place our trust in you. This we pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Matthew 1:1-17 (NRSVUE)

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
² Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, ³ and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, ⁴ and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵ and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, ⁶ and Jesse the father of King David.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, ⁷ and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, ⁸ and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, ⁹ and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, ¹⁰ and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, ¹¹ and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

¹² And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³ and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴ and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵ and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, who bore Jesus, who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel is filled with names we have trouble pronouncing–and even more trouble remembering. We might wonder what significance such a list carries. One way it carries significance for me is that it reminds me that even the faith of Jesus didn’t come out of a vacuum. There had been generations of people who had trusted God and tried to live a life that attested to that faith. No one lived as faithfully as Jesus, of course, but even Jesus knew that his faith in God the Father was supported by the foundation of a long tradition of trusting in the Lord. It can be humbling to think about all those who have contributed to our faith. For some, this includes parents, grandparents, perhaps even great-grandparents. For others, perhaps their most influential role models have been people they weren’t related to at all.  

At a recent holiday gathering, my family and I talked about the fact that a few generations from now some of the descendants in the family may not remember our names. Many times, if people try to name their ancestors, they get stuck at the great or great-great grandparent level. We may or may not have someone in the family who is the keeper of the family tree. However, even if our names are forgotten, God will always remember the life of faith we’ve lived.  

God had a plan for numerous generations, regarding how divine love and salvation would finally come in fullness for us humans. God doesn’t love us by accident, but on purpose. Everything we need we find in Jesus…the way he lived, loved, died, and lives forever. The genealogy Matthew included isn’t just an explanation of blood lineage; it goes much broader and deeper than that. It even includes the shadowy parts of the family history. That speaks volumes to me. Even though where we’ve come from (and who we’ve come from) might matter to us, the only thing that matters ultimately is where we’re going in our lives of faith.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Almighty and merciful God,
from you comes every good and perfect gift.

Your goodness has created us, your bounty has sustained us, your discipline has chastened us, your patience has borne with us, your love has redeemed us.

Give us a heart to love and serve you, and enable us to show your thankfulness for all your goodness and mercy by giving up ourselves to your service, and cheerfully submitting in all things to your blessed will;

through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

The Book of Worship 1965

1 Samuel 2:1-10
New International Version

Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
  in the LORD my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
  for I delight in your deliverance.
² “There is no one holy like the LORD;
  there is no one besides you;
  there is no Rock like our God.
³ “Do not keep talking so proudly
  or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
  and by him deeds are weighed.
⁴ “The bows of the warriors are broken,
  but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
⁵ Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
  but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
  but she who has had many sons pines away.
⁶ “The LORD brings death and makes alive;
  he brings down to the grave and raises up.
⁷ The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
  he humbles and he exalts.
⁸ He raises the poor from the dust
  and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
  and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s;
  on them he has set the world.
⁹ He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
  but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
¹⁰ those who oppose the LORD will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
  the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king
  and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

How do you celebrate good news in your life? One of the fascinating aspects of this passage is how Hannah responds to this gift of a child. She prays and gives thanks to God for the gift He has blessed her with. There are many ways that we celebrate good news in today’s culture. This past September, my family celebrated my great-grandmother’s 100th birthday. We gathered together as a family at the Senior Center in Waurika, Oklahoma to celebrate the wonderful life that she had lived. Family and friends from near and far came to spend the day with her. Just a few weeks later, she passed away. As I reflect on the life of my great-grandmother and remember all the Sunday afternoons spent at her house, there is not a single memory from those days that didn’t involve praying together as a family. For the smallest of things, she led our family in prayer. For life-changing events, she prayed for our family. The gift of life and the gift of family were reasons enough for her to celebrate what God has done, and she celebrated by doing what she loved most, praying to her Heavenly Father.

Advent is a season that reminds us of the greatest day in history, the day that our Savior was born. The day that the promises of God came true in the form of a baby. That child would grow to become the Savior of the world. This is a precious season. It is easy to take this time for granted as we are distracted by Christmas services, family gatherings, and buying gifts. I pray that in this season we can slow down and celebrate what God has done for us. That we can be like Hannah, who in the midst of celebration, prayed to thank God for His goodness.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

We believe in you, O God,
For you have made the suffering of humanity your suffering.
You have come to establish a kingdom of the poor and humble.
Today we sing to you,
Because you are alive, you have saved us, you have made us free.
Amen.

(Cuba, 20th Century)

Genesis 17:15-22
New Living Translation

Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. ¹⁶ And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

¹⁷ Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” ¹⁸ So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

¹⁹ But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹ But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” ²² When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

How often do you look at the footnotes?

They appear as these tiny, italicized words and phrases nestled in the margins of our Bibles, and many times, they go unnoticed. Footnotes of scripture provide alternatives to words within passages or details to context, but they are easy to bypass in our personal study. This week I was reminded, though, how important it is to read those links to scripture found at the bottom of my page.

Verse 15 of this chapter in Genesis reveals the words of God to Abraham about his wife, Sarai. After changing Abraham’s name, God unveils Sarai’s new name: Sarah. This is a huge moment in scripture: amidst God’s faithful covenant-making, a renewal of identity is offered. But the footnote connected to this verse opened my eyes even more to the glory of this moment. Within the New Living Translation, the footnote for verse 15 states “the change in spelling [from Sarai to Sarah] may reflect the difference in dialect between Ur and Canaan.” Seems like some simple details that take you into verse 16, right? I wouldn’t say so. Ur was where Abram and Sarai had come from – it was their past. This past had served a great deal of their time, including the beginnings of their marriage. But God was taking them somewhere new now, somewhere promised: the land of Canaan. By altering the dialect of their names, from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah, the hope of this promise is written so deeply into their story that even their names declare its fulfillment.

Pretty cool that a footnote can tell us that, right?

This information is full of glory and can speak to the rule and reign of God’s kingdom from the beginning of time, but I think there’s even more to see here. So, I ask the question again: How often do you look at the footnotes? Or maybe I need to ask it in a different way: How often do you slow down to look for the glory of God in the details? How often do you take a breath and look back over what lies before you, or what you are experiencing, or what you are hearing, and ask: "What more are you trying to show me, Lord?" I don’t do that enough, but what I’ve found when I do, there are always far deeper lessons the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me. And I’m not just talking about scripture study. His glory is in my daily interactions with those around me. He’s in my drive to the office. He’s in my mid-afternoon walk. He’s in a phone conversation with my mom. He’s in my prayers with my husband. His glory can be found everywhere – even in the margins of life that we sometimes fail to recognize. So, my question for us this Advent season is: Are we looking for Him?

Make a list each day this week of the moments you recognize God’s glory and ask God what He may be teaching you in the midst of them. You may be surprised by the footnotes He reveals.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Dear Father,
As we move ever closer to the coming of the celebration of the Christ-child at Christmas, it is a time to stop and ponder things in our hearts. Like Joseph, you remind us you are close when our hopes and dreams for the future don’t turn out as planned. You are never far away when we face heartache and sorrow. You are nearby when family and friends can’t be in our lives this holiday season.
 
Christ, you are near when joy is swallowed up with emptiness. Amid life’s disappointments, thank you Lord for replacing our hopes and dreams with Your Divine will. Lord, Your ways are always good. Your dreams and plans are beyond our imagination.
 
God, Maker of Miracles, you are nigh when we cannot see your will or scorn holiness. When we say no to your call for obedience. Thanks, Ancient of Days for Your perseverance, Your tenacious grace, and tireless love for giving us second chances.
O Emmanuel, we anxiously await your return. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Keith Haney, Author

Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰ But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

²² All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." ²⁴ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵ but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Let’s think about Joseph in this moment. Here he was expecting to begin this relationship with Mary, and suddenly she was bearing a child. If I were Joseph, I would feel betrayed, probably angry, confused, and many other emotions. It wouldn’t be until the angel arrives and tells Joseph “do not be afraid” that he would have had some clarity and understanding. Even after the angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph, the faith it must have taken to trust God’s plan at this moment. As we reflect on this passage, we can ask ourselves: "Are we willing to trust in God's plan for us, even when it may not make sense to us or go against what others expect of us?"

Ask God if you living according to His will and plan, or are you living a life that only suits your needs? Ask God to show you His will for you and how you can begin to follow HIS PLAN. 

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
  test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
  and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Amen.

(Psalm 139:23-24)

John 3:31-36
New Living Translation

³¹ “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.[a] ³² He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! ³³ Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. ³⁴ For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. ³⁶ And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

This portion of scripture from John is a summary of the entire gospel. Jesus comes from “above,” sent by God to speak the truth about God and to give the Spirit. Belief or unbelief in this divinely appointed witness, who is the Son of the Father, determines one’s present and future relationship with God. We know from the book of Hebrews that it is impossible to please God without faith. We also learn in the book of James that faith is inseparable from action. To those who believe in Jesus, the subsequent response to salvation is obedience. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we turn away from our former sinful ways and are spiritually reborn. We no longer want to follow those old ways. Our desires begin to mirror His desires, and our deeds reflect His heart for the world around us. Those deeds are the outer reflection of the inner transformation.

I attended a funeral for my good friend’s mom this week. A few things really stuck out to me during the preacher’s message. The preacher said that you couldn’t separate her from Jesus, meaning that if you knew her, then you knew about her faith in Christ. This statement was not only true about her but should also be true about each one of us. A heart that is continually being transformed into the likeness of God will reveal itself through actions that align with the word and will of God. My friend’s mom always welcomed people into her home and showed hospitality to these guests, regardless of their age or social status. She was genuine in her concern and care for people and made each person feel important, seen, and loved. Her words and actions reflected Christ’s love for others and are a huge part of the legacy she is leaving behind.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Holy Father,

When the waves come crashing in, you are my rock: you protect me. You call me, "dear child," and assure me all will be well because you are there in every moment. Lord, in you I find my identity; you have led me to be who I am. I am thankful for being an adopted son, an heir. Amen.

Galatians 4:1-7

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ² The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. ⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] ⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Have you ever had an experience in your life where your very identity was shaken? Who am I and where do I come from? We see the ads on television all the time to get a DNA test and find out who we really are. This very question came into sharp focus for me in December 1988. I was a senior in high school, excited about graduating and moving into my future. One night, after attending my half-sister’s Christmas play, I returned home to find one of Mother’s oldest friends, Phillip, was visiting. I hadn’t seen Phillip in a couple of years, so it was a pleasant surprise, until it wasn’t.

Mother and Phillip began to tell me in a very awkward way, that Phillip was my biological father. I was shocked, stunned, dumbfounded, and unable to process the totality of this news. As the weeks went on, my very identity began to crumble around me. Who am I? From where do I come? Is it true? Did my Dad, the man who raised me, did he know about this? I was 17 years old at the time; I was lost and confused. I tried talking with close friends about it, but they were of no help. I talked to Mom about the whole situation, but nothing ever satisfactory came of it in my mind. Finally, I needed to talk to Dad. He was always a strong sense of direction for me, he was a rock in my life.

We met, as usual at Kipps Big Boy on Reno and Meridian. I didn’t know how to begin, so I just blurted it out. Dad looked at me, put his hand behind my neck, and pulled me to him to where our foreheads were touching, and we were eye to eye. He said, “Son, you are mine and always will be. I love you!”

In Galatians, Paul confirms for us that we are sons of God. Jesus laid his very life down to take on not only my sins, but yours as well. We have received the full rights of sons and daughters of God. Because of this, God sent the Spirit to dwell in our hearts, who calls out, “Abba, Father!”  It is God, the Father, reaching out and placing his hand on your neck and drawing you in, forehead to forehead, eye to eye, and saying, “You are mine. I love you!”

How do you see your relationship with Jesus? Do you know that you have been drafted into the family of God, a son or daughter, with full rights?

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

God of Mercy and Compassion, you have, in your great benevolence for mankind, rescued us, by redeeming us from enslavement to the evil one and, gathering us to yourself through the sacrificial death of Jesus, Who, having washed us free from stain of sin, sanctified us with faith through baptism. Lord, thank you for blessing us with your saving and healing grace.

Anonymous by prayersandpetitions.org

Galatians 3:23-29

Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. ²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Do you remember your baptism? I do! It was amazing! I remember standing beside Brother Doug Melton in the baptismal font overlooking the congregation. The heater was broken, so the water was freezing, but I was too excited to notice. Brother Doug asked for anyone supporting me in my Christian walk to please stand. Hundreds of people took this covenant vow and stood in support of my baptism. We paused for a moment so that I could look around the room and witness so many familiar faces – new friends and old, family members, and Sunday school leaders – standing… for ME!

After saying a few words, Brother Doug lowered me into the water and slowly counted to three. And just as I was about to gasp for air, he raised me up and I heard the roaring applause! I can hear it and feel it right now – that moment transformed my life!

What made this moment so powerful for me was that I got to witness the body of Christ supporting me in this new chapter of my life. I can’t say I woke up the next morning and had the rest of my life figured out, but I can say my eyes and my heart were open wide! I had a new perspective on life, and I did not feel like I was making the journey alone.

Baptism makes us one in Christ and one in the body of Christ – all nations, races, ages, and gender. Let me say that again – we are ONE in Christ. During our baptism, we make a vow to live a life of discipleship and, as it states in the UM Baptismal Covenant vows, the congregation also makes a vow:

“We will surround these persons with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their trust of God, and be found faithful in their service to others. We will pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life” (UM Book of Worship pg. 89).

How awesome is it to know we are not in this alone?! We have the strength and support of the whole Christian Church! What a relief it is to know I don’t have to figure it all out on my own.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Our Dear Gracious Father, we thank you for the promises you have made to watch over and bless us. We ask that you keep our hearts pure as we try to please you today. We pray for your guidance, and help us to love you and to love each other, that our words will be kind and fruitful. Fill our hearts with the desire to share your words and promises with others. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Zechariah 8:1-17

God’s Promises to Zion

The word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying: ² “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am zealous for Zion with great zeal, and I am zealous for her with great wrath. ³ Thus says the Lord: I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. ⁴ Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. ⁵ And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. ⁶ Thus says the Lord of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the Lord of hosts? ⁷ Thus says the Lord of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, ⁸ and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong—you who have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the Lord of hosts. ¹⁰ For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one another. ¹¹ But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew, and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. ¹³ Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

¹⁴ “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts, ¹⁵ so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. ¹⁶ These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, ¹⁷ do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.”

Sometimes we all need to hear encouraging words. I know I do. Words that are spoken so clearly and precisely that our outlook changes without hesitation.

When I read Zechariah 8:1-17, I feel full of so much hope, based upon God’s promises to love and take care of his people. These promises help me counteract all the negative actions and words I see and hear from so many different media sources. These promises are weighted in my heart, and help me to remember how the messages of Zechariah can motivate us to overcome our feelings of helplessness.

I have had times when I get in a rut about something, and need to “snap out of it.” If only it were that easy! But eventually, I will remember about God’s promises to one day return and establish His kingdom over us. There is so much hope and encouragement in those promises, that it can change my perspective in such a drastic way that It makes me feel cleansed.

There are a lot of things in our lives today that can cause us anxiety and lead to despair. Hopefully, we can all remember the promises God made in Zechariah. We should strive to let these promises comfort us, and help us to know how much God desires to have fellowship with each one of us. How fortunate we are to have such a loving God.

Do you let God’s promises uplift you when things are not going according to your plan? Do you think of ways to encourage others as God’s promises encourage us?

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Give me ears to listen to your small, soft voice saying: “Come to me, you who are overburdened, and I will give you rest . . . for I am gentle and humble of heart.” Let that loving voice be my guide.

- Henri Nouwen

Ezekiel 47:1-12 NIV

The River from the Temple

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,[b] where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so, where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

This scripture spoke to me in a new way since I have taken the trip to the Holy Land. I was very hesitant about going on this trip. I originally said "maybe" when Matthew asked me, I have never had the desire to go. One day at work, Randy came by my desk and said, "You should go to Israel." I told him I would really think and pray about it.

The first full day we were in Israel, we are sitting in the Magdala Museum and we are looking at this beautiful painting. The painting was Mary Magdalene touching Jesus’ cloak. I was just sitting in the back of the room and started crying. I could feel the Holy Spirit so strongly, and I thanked Matthew for encouraging me to go on this trip. I was glad I listened to the nudge from the Holy Spirit. I have the picture hanging in my office to remind me of that special moment in Israel.

We visited the Dead Sea and En Gedi, they were both breathtaking to take in.

The Dead Sea was so salty that no creature could live in it; we could only float in it for 15 minutes and had to be careful not to get any water in our eyes. It was beautiful. People come from all over the world to float in the Dead Sea to get healed.

En Gedi is on the western shore of the Dead Sea and is known for the “spring of the kids.” En Gedi was known in the Bible for its beauty and wilderness. It was an Oasis where it protected David as he fled from Saul. En Gedi got to see the renewal of the Dead Sea.

I find myself thinking so differently about the Bible and how it brings to life the places we went to in Israel in a whole new way. It also has helped me to have a ‘hunger’ to dive deeper into the Word.

How can you dive deeper into the Word? How can you bring the Bible to life in a whole new way? We must listen to those small nudges from the Holy Spirit.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Dear God,

Speak gently in my silence.
When the loud outer noises of my surroundings
and the loud inner noises of my fears
keep pulling me away from you,
help me to trust that you are still there
even when I am unable to hear you.
Give me ears to listen to your small, soft voice saying:
“Come to me, you who are overburdened, and I will give you rest . . .
for I am gentle and humble of heart.” Let that loving voice be my guide.

Amen.

- Henri Nouwen

Isaiah 29: 17-24 NRSV

¹⁷ Shall not Lebanon in a very little while
  become a fruitful field
  and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest?
¹⁸ On that day the deaf shall hear
  the words of a scroll,
and freed from gloom and darkness
  the eyes of the blind shall see.
¹⁹ The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD,
  and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
²⁰ For the tyrant shall be no more,
  and the scoffer shall cease to be;
  all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—
²¹ those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,
  who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate
  and undermine justice for the one in the right.

²² Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

“No longer shall Jacob be ashamed;
  no longer shall his face grow pale.
²³ For when he sees his children,
  the work of my hands, in his midst,
  they will sanctify my name;
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob
  and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
²⁴ And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,
  and those who grumble will accept instruction.”

Several years ago, when my family and I were living in Santiago, Chile, life for me was hard. It was hard in a million different ways. I was living in a culture that was not my own, trying to communicate in a language that was not my first, raising a baby without the nearness of my extended family, and surviving on very little money in a tiny apartment downtown that just so happened to be located right in the center of political protests that lasted about a year–leaving our windows shattered and our home (and eyes) tear-gassed one too many times.

One day, my husband came home and said, “let’s move to the coast!” I laughed it off, thinking it was one of those dream-out-loud situations, but then he went to work putting together a business plan and creating a partnership with a businessman he knew. All the pieces were falling into place. We traveled to the coast, picked out a big two-story house with the tiniest sliver of an ocean view, and began packing our things to move. Then, about a week before the moving trucks were scheduled to come and collect our things, our business partner pulled out of the deal, and everything seemed to fall apart.  

We ended up moving to the coast anyway, trusting that God would provide what we needed. It was one of the best decisions we could have made. Almost immediately, we found a church, friends, and a peaceful life. We created a wildly successful company, expanded our family, and learned to laugh again. God also transformed my heart, which had begun to grow bitter, into a heart filled with gratitude.

I think back on those difficult days in Santiago. It was hard then to be hopeful about the future because I was stuck, focusing on all the trying circumstances surrounding me instead of all the blessings in my life. But, over time, and through gratitude, I began to see things more clearly. I began to see those difficult years as the gift they were. God used my isolation to break bad habits and mature me; He used experiencing poverty to teach me to appreciate the smallest of things, and He used living through scary and dangerous situations to show me different sides of His character.

This week, I want to encourage you to practice gratitude. This is the best way to start and end your day. Gratitude is the practice of being present to the goodness of God and being thankful for what we have in our lives. There are many different ways to express your gratitude to God. For example, you can journal, pray, meditate, or list a few things you are grateful for aloud or on paper each day and then thank God for those things. 

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will.

You have given me all that I am and all that I possess: I surrender it all to you that you may dispose of it according to your will. Give me only your love and your grace; with these I will be rich enough and will have no more desire.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.

St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

Luke 1:46b-55

"My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Today's Scripture lesson is known as the "Magnificat" or "Mary's song" and is the mother of Jesus' response to how God was at work in the world in and through her. The opening pages of the Gospel of Luke have exploded with action and activity. An angel of the Lord had visited Zechariah in the Temple as he was performing his priestly duties with news that his wife, Elizabeth, would give birth to a son named John; the man who would make straight the path in the wilderness for the coming Messiah. Later in Chapter 1, the Angel Gabriel visits Mary with the news that through the power of the Holy Spirit, she is the chosen one to bear Israel's deliverer, Jesus. As Mary proclaims this "Good News," all creation is focused on the outcome of these two miraculous pregnancies.

While our lives might not stand at the intersection of all history as did Elizabeth's and Mary's, God has a place and a role for each of us within his Kingdom. How will you respond to that call? God never compels obedience or forced conformity but invites us to take our place among his saints. Will we trust in his provision and providence, or will we lean on our own understanding? Will we, like Mary, understand that God has done great things for us to be blessed for eternity, or will we remain in the darkness?

My prayer for each of us and all of us is that we will be sensitive to God's voice as he calls us to his side. When we hear that voice, may we not harden our hearts but, like Mary, lift our voices in praise for the goodness of God and the hope he brings to us all.

Are you listening carefully for God’s voice during this Advent season? What steps can you take to ensure you have made space in your life for God to move? As you listen with an open Spirit, commit yourself to obedience even prior to God’s word being made alive in your heart. That posture will allow you to respond with joy and celebration just as Mary and Elizabeth before you!   

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

O creator and mighty God, you have promised strength for the weak, rest for the laborers, light for the way, grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love.

O creator and mighty God, help to continue in your promise. Amen.

A Prayer for Strength – United Methodist Book of Worship 524
(A Traditional Prayer, Pakistan)

Luke 3:1-18
John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, ² during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, ⁴ as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
  make his paths straight.
⁵ Every valley shall be filled,
  and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
  and the rough ways made smooth,
⁶ and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What, then, should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

¹⁵ As the people were filled with expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,[a] ¹⁶ John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

¹⁸ So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the good news to the people.

During this Advent season, I have spent a great deal of time reflecting upon a few key words. Watching, waiting, and preparing are the three words I have focused on the most. I find that when I focus on a particular word during my prayer and devotional times I am not as distracted. Watching, waiting, and preparing are significant words during the Advent season. During the Wednesday night Advent study, I asked our group, "What are we each watching, waiting, and preparing for during this holy season?"

In the time leading up to Jesus’ birth and before his ministry began, there were those who were watching, waiting, and preparing for a new day to begin in all of Israel. One of those who was doing each of these three things was John the Baptist. From the beginning of Jesus’ life, John the Baptist is also part of Jesus’ greater story. Remember how John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary and Elizabeth meet in Luke 1? Read Luke 1 to rediscover this wonderful moment between Mary and Elizabeth. From the very beginning of conception, John the Baptist was watching and waiting for Jesus to enter his life and once John encounters Jesus he begins to prepare the way for the Messiah in all of Israel. John will need a great deal of strength to prepare the way of Jesus. After all, John the Baptist will give his life in preparing the way of the Lord.

During this holy season, let each of us call upon the Lord and ask for His strength no matter what we face, and in doing so, let us watch, wait, and prepare for what God is calling us to do. Join me on Wednesday night for dinner and the Advent study. I will dive much deeper into how John the Baptist is a person we should study during this special time of year.

Find a moment to pause today. Slow down and ask yourself these three questions:

1. What is God calling me to watch for?
2. What is God asking me to wait upon?
3. What is God wanting me to prepare for so that I may share his Glory?

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Dear God,
It’s difficult to fully let go of our anxiety, or the world around us when we can’t see evidence of all that you’re doing – when we can’t understand or see your purpose or plan. Today, we pause and remind ourselves of our dependency on you, for we know in our hearts that our circumstances and futures are touched by your hands.

Isaiah 55:8 reminds us that our thoughts are not your thoughts – and that our ways are not your ways. When we are struggling to see clearly and make decisions, we are not alone and that inner peace is something only you can supply.

So today, Lord, we purposefully, even urgently, say again that we choose to believe in you. We know that it’s often in the most challenging times that you are most at work. Thank you for being the one who gives us the strength to help each other and to see distinctly the choices we face. As we scan our personal horizons, we know that we also must look to you alone for the power and possibility that is our future.

We ask for your guidance so that we might walk fully in your path – a path that you have blessed. We also ask for your face to shine on us – individually, and as a team of colleagues and partners.

Please bring to fulfillment all that you have given us to do in the weeks ahead. Give us a heart of wisdom to hear your voice, and then make our footsteps firm. Please make us strong through your favor and grace.

-Greg Christopher, Xavier University-

Psalm 146:5-10

How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
Whose hope is in the LORD his God,
⁶ Who made heaven and earth,
The sea and all that is in them;
Who keeps faith forever;
⁷ Who executes justice for the oppressed;
Who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free.
⁸ The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;
The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;
The LORD loves the righteous;
⁹ The LORD protects the strangers;
He supports the fatherless and the widow,
But He thwarts the way of the wicked.
¹⁰ The LORD will reign forever,
Your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the LORD!

My mother was a strong woman of faith. In my lifetime I never remember her being in a state of anxiety or worry. One of her “pearls of wisdom” was that worry was a lack of faith. I have lived a large portion of my life not worrying a lot. The Spirit has given me peace many times in my journey. However, in 1988, my middle child, LaDonna, was beaten up and her jaw was broken in two places by a guy she knew. Due to this experience, she lived in a state of anxiety for many years. Finally, in 2003, she married and her life returned to being more “normal.” Then her husband, Jack, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. LaDonna was his primary caregiver. She took him to doctor appointments, stayed with him during chemo treatments and a bone marrow transplant, and spent many nights in the hospital with him. As time went on, his condition worsened. This was when I began to worry about what would happen to her if he passed away. I prayed and tried to figure out how she would survive on her own again.

God had a different plan. LaDonna passed away first and Jack followed four months later. During this time, it became very clear to me that worry was not productive and no matter what I planned or thought, I had no control over the big picture. God is concerned about everything that happens to us. No worry is too big or too small for His attention. When we give God our problems, He promises to give us peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Our hope is in the Lord and when we seek Him, he will give us the peace that only He can give when things happen that we don’t understand. Praise the Lord!

Will you go to God with your life’s pieces so that he can give you unbroken peace? 

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Almighty God,
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ, Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people. By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

(Portions of Service of Word and Table I, The United Methodist Book of Worship, 1992)

Psalm 146:5-10 (NRSVUE)

⁵ Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
  whose hope is in the LORD their God,
⁶ who made heaven and earth,
  the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
⁷   who executes justice for the oppressed;
  who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
⁸   the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
  the LORD loves the righteous.
⁹ The LORD watches over the strangers;
  he upholds the orphan and the widow,
  but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
¹⁰ The LORD will reign forever,
  your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!

At verse 5 in our reading, the word “happy” appears. In some translations, “blessed” can be found. Either way, I think this is much like the word “beatific” (as in “beatitudes”). Basically, this means that one is spiritually happy or serene (peaceful). So how can one be serene amid the situations mentioned in verses 7-10? Those verses mention being oppressed, hungry, imprisoned, treated like a stranger, or bereft after the loss of family members. The good news: When faced with such situations, we can know in our hearts that we have a source of help. Even amid sorrow, despair, or mistreatment, we can be filled with a strange and beautiful peace, which can’t be taken from us.  

As the people of God waited for the Messiah–the chosen one who would bring God’s promise of salvation to fruition–they had to look with spiritual eyes. They saw hope, even when things appeared hopeless. Hope has a way of healing us. How can we be truly happy, fulfilled, and serene? We can place our hope in God, who loves us. Christ came to dwell among us. He taught, loved, healed, worked miracles, gave himself up, died, and arose. Because of that, we are blessed. We can look forward to Christmas (commemorating the coming of Christ), because we hold hope in our hearts right here and now.

How might you celebrate the presence of Christ among us today by being involved in ministering to those who are hurting?   

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world.

Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.

Amen.

Presbyterian Worship Book

Matthew 12:33-37 (NIV)

³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

I have always found Scriptures like these hard to read. It is hard to read about God’s judgment. It is hard to see God as both the God who is perfect love, as well as the God who is our ultimate judge. Jesus’ words from the account of Matthew tell us that every person will one day have to give account for their actions. Are we ready for that? If you had to be truthful, you would probably say, “No.” I know that is what my answer would be. But the good news from this passage and the hope that we find is through God’s patience. Scripture tells us that, because of our sin, we deserve death. But how great is it that God is patient with us and allows us the time and space to repent and live into His calling for our lives? We are given time to produce good fruit on this earth. We are given time to make disciples. We are given time to worship our God and fall more and more in love with Him daily. As we prepare our hearts in this season of Advent, may we begin to recognize God’s patience in our lives, and how this is good news for us every single day.

Join us through this special time of Advent as we dive deeper into the Word of God. Each day, we will pray and reflect on a different passage from Scripture. Daily Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, and reflections are written by our church staff.

Give us, O Lord,
Steadfast hearts, which no unworthy thought can drag downward,
Unconquered hearts, which no tribulation can wear out,
Upright hearts, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.
Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God,
Understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

(Saint Thomas, Italy, 13th Century)

Isaiah 41:14-20

Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob,
  don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you.
I am the LORD, your Redeemer.
  I am the Holy One of Israel.’
You will be a new threshing instrument
  with many sharp teeth.
You will tear your enemies apart,
  making chaff of mountains.
You will toss them into the air,
  and the wind will blow them all away;
  a whirlwind will scatter them.
Then you will rejoice in the LORD.
  You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none,
  and their tongues are parched from thirst,
then I, the LORD, will answer them.
  I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.
I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus.
  I will give them fountains of water in the valleys.
I will fill the desert with pools of water.
  Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.
I will plant trees in the barren desert—
  cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.
I am doing this so all who see this miracle
  will understand what it means—
that it is the LORD who has done this,
  the Holy One of Israel who created it.

One of the most humbling parts of my job is taking crews of middle school students on mission trips. Oftentimes, it is one of the first trips they’ve ever taken away from home without their parents, and along with this, it is one of the first trips they’ve taken where it’s not considered a vacation. These young people are often new to the world of mission trips and they are vulnerable; yet, they always seem to teach me something about our God in the end.

Several summers back, I led a group of very young pre-teens and teens to Grundy County, Tennessee through a mission organization known as Mountain Top. There we served the local community through construction projects for those in need. My group was assigned to a man who faced a great deal of medical issues and struggled to maintain his home, so, he asked us to come and repair his porch. The materials we were provided were not the greatest, including nearly petrified wood. Hours of pounding hammers and little progress led to a great amount of frustration among the students and the adults present. Then, a sixth-grade boy suggested we stop and pray – not just once – over every single nail we used to put this wood into place. Sweating and exhausted, we prayed over the first nail and watched it slide into the wood. We did it again and again and again, praising God after every board was secured. Every single person there stood back from that finished porch, knowing that we had just witnessed a miracle.

I couldn’t help but think of that story when I read Isaiah 41. How often do we run into difficulty or frustration and fail to turn to the Holy One who makes miracles happen? How often do we take on hardship and attempt to fix what we face on our own? We were doing plenty of that on that hot day in Grundy County. But when we look at this passage of old, we see that God is the One who brings things back together, for Redeemer is part of His name. I was reminded of that very promise on that mission trip, and we all find that reminder during this season of Advent. Christ’s entrance into this world is a miracle given to us in our neediness. It is proof of overflowing fountains of living water. It is growth in a dry and lonely place. It is love when we least deserve it. May these mighty acts of our God stir in us praise like no other.

At the end of that mission trip in Grundy County, one of my students within our group gathered us together and gave us each a nail from our worksite. She smiled as she said, “So we remember what God did.” I pray this season is the same for each of us: that we look to Him as the miracle worker and praise him for what he has done in our lives. May we turn to him in all that we face.