Sunday 25 December 2016

December 25 Christmas

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light.

For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—

    light! sunbursts of light!

You repopulated the nation,

    you expanded its joy.

Oh, they’re so glad in your presence!

    Festival joy!
The joy of a great celebration,
    sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants—
    all their whips and cudgels and curses—
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance
    as surprising and sudden as Gideon’s old victory over Midian.
The boots of all those invading troops,
    along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,
Will be piled in a heap and burned,
    a fire that will burn for days!
For a child has been born—for us!
    the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over
    the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
    Strong God,
Eternal Father,
    Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
    and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He’ll rule from the historic David throne
    over that promised kingdom.
He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing
    and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
    beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
    will do all this.


Isaiah 9:2-7 (MSG)



Saturday 24 December 2016

December 24 Christmas Eve

Lighting the candles:

As we light the first candle, we are reminded, that Christ is our Hope. We also “wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

The second candle we light reminds of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let us “make every effort to live in peace with all men and be holy.” (Hebrews 12:14)

The third candle is the candle of Joy. Mary’s song, known as the “Magnificat,” is but one of many expressions of this Joy in the Bible.

The fourth candle of Advent reminds us of the Essence of God Himself. “God is Love. This is how God showed His Love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4:8-9)

The Christ candle is the tallest, and stands in the center of the wreath. This is the one to whom the others lead. As we light the Christ candle on Christmas Eve, let us be reminded that Jesus is the Light of the world! We celebrate His Incarnation today, remembering that “Jesus Christ, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippians 2:5-7)

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told!” (verse 20)

Reflection:
Here we are, on the last day of Advent. What a journey of fasting and feasting, solitude and prayer, secrecy and celebration! Today we focus on the miracle of the Incarnation. The birth of Jesus, foretold by the prophets and announced by the angel Gabriel became reality in history! Christ entered our messy and broken world of time and space for our sake, a tangible expression of the Father’s love for us! He was born as any other Jewish boy was, and lovingly wrapped in cloths. The celestial celebration was interrupted for a few brief moments in order to reveal this Salvation event to a group of shepherds, tending sheep that were destined to be sacrificed in the Temple. These shepherds, despised by society and considered to be liars by the religious, were the ones God Himself invited to be the first witnesses of a personal encounter with Jesus! Shepherds knew what feast and famine meant. They will also have experienced times of solitude as the boy David had who, because he was the youngest, was left tending the flocks by himself. But they were also those on whom God’s favor rested. They may also have kept many secrets, but the encounter with angels and the meaning of the baby in the manger was not something they could keep to themselves! “They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child!” (Lk 2:17)

Application of Spiritual Disciplines:

Has our encounter with Jesus brought us to respond by glorifying and praising God for all the things we have heard and seen God do in our life and in the lives of those around us? Let us follow the example of the shepherds and not keep the Good News of Jesus locked up in our hearts, but shouted from the rooftops! “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life!” (Jn 3:16) God loves shepherds, He loves sheep and He will even leave the ninety-nine in order to look for the one lost sheep! We are invited to join Him in this endeavor and celebrate His mighty works together with the cloud of witnesses and the angels in Heaven!

We are also called to join Jesus by inviting those on the margins of our church and those on the fringe of society to celebrate with us. (Lk 14:12-14) This is not the Christmas celebration we are used to. This is not the family turkey dinner. This is the luncheon, dinner, or banquet that Jesus will attend. Are we willing to celebrate the Incarnation by showing Jesus’ love to those who need it most?

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ into the world,
to live as one of us yet without sin, to teach us about Your Kingdom through words and deeds, and to die on the cross for the sins of the world.
We praise You for raising Him up on the third day and seating Him at Your right hand,
but also for drawing us to Him in Your Grace and Mercy to become Your children and followers of Jesus!
Fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, and give us boldness to share the Good News of Your Kingdom through word and deed.
Help us be like the shepherds, going forth from here to tell others about everything we have heard and seen!
Help us also invite those to our banquet whom You are calling us to invite, not only family and friends, but the neglected and despised, those who would otherwise not have a Christmas dinner to go to.
Help us become the missional disciples You desire us to be.
In the precious Name of Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate tonight and to Whom all glory and honour is due, now and forever.
Amen.





Wednesday 21 December 2016

December 21

We often turn our hearts toward the love of family or the love of gifting or food or any of the other events that surround the holidays. But how often do you turn your heart in gratitude or live out a love of the gift of creation. The whole earth longs for and while it waits like us, it lives to rejoices in the gift of Christ. So this year as you wait we encourage you to take time in Creation. Listen to its song of longing and of praise for its Creator. Hear the birds, smell the winter air, touch the pine needles of the trees of the forest and consider the mystery that is their song for their Creator. Take time to consider what a restored Earth will be like when Christ, who we love and await once again, returns.


Photo

Tuesday 20 December 2016

December 20

As we tire of waiting for the love born of and in flesh to return let us pray together:

We give you thanks for the babe born in violence.
We give you thanks for the miracle of Bethlehem,
born into the Jerusalem heritage.

We do not understand why the innocents must be slaughtered;
we know that your kingdom comes in violence and travail.
Our time would be a good time for your kingdom to come,
because we have had enough of violence and travail.

So we wait with eager longing,
and with enormous fear,
because your promises
do not coincide with our favorite injustices.

We pray for the coming of your kingdom on earth
as it is around your heavenly throne.

We are people grown weary of waiting.

We dwell in the midst of cynical people,
and we have settled for what we can control.

We do know that you hold initiative for our lives,
that your love planned our salvation
before we saw the light of day.

And so we wait for your coming, 
in your vulnerable baby 
in whom all things are made new. 

Amen.1

Readings: John 3:16 and Matthew 3:1-12

As the lead up to Christmas brings with it increased stress and with that often decreased grace, mercy and love. Try to pause and meditate on the profoundly miraculous and amazing gift of love in God's gift to us, Jesus, who by his love is working the renewal of all things, including our frantic, often patience-less hearts.


Monday 19 December 2016

December 19

Scripture: Malachi 3:6-12

Reflection: “Returning God’s Love” by Joanie Yoder 

The book of Malachi begins with this wholehearted word from the Lord to His half-hearted worshipers: “I have loved you” (1:2). Though Israel had long been the object of God’s love, they no longer returned His love.

God listed the ways His people had offended His love through their disobedience. Israel’s response was to question God. When He implored them, “Return to Me, and I will return to you,” they questioned Him in their blindness, “In what way shall we return?” (3:7). With divine “tough love,” the Lord exposed their many blind spots. He did this so that they might repent and accept His love, and return it with wholehearted obedience.

We too are often half-hearted in our faith, appearing to love and serve God but really loving and serving ourselves. Today, as in Malachi’s time, God looks for people who reverence Him by maintaining two spiritual practices: speaking to each other about Him, and meditating on His wonderful attributes (v.16). The first is fellowship with God’s people; the second is fellowship with God Himself. Not only are we to receive and share God’s love, we are also to return it through glad obedience.
Such worshipers are God’s “jewels” (v.17). Are you one of them?

"We love You, Lord Jesus," we often will say,
But are we as ready His will to obey?
Let's heed what God's Spirit would have us to do—
That's how we show Him a love that is true. —D. De Haan


Application:

Solitude and Praying the Hours
Today we revisit the spiritual disciplines we exercised in the second week– solitude and praying the hours. These two disciplines invite us to spend time with God– to immerse ourselves in His presence and to converse with Him and in return God enables us to do what Jesus commands, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… and love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt 22: 37, 39).

The reflection today suggests two ways for us to keep on loving God: speaking to each other about Him and meditating on His wonderful attributes. On this second last day of Advent, let us meditate on God’s wonderful love so that we may speak it to others. You may choose to do so in a block of time in solitude, or throughout the day when you pray the hours (morning, afternoon, evening and before bed) with the prayer provided below.

Prayer:

You, O God, love us from the moment of our conception,
You know us and you love us in the womb,
You love us and you call us
from before the moment of our first breath,
and you love us when we first see the light of day.
As a mother loves her child before she ever sees it,
and then embraces it gently from the moment of its birth,
so you love us – and we thank you.
Help us dear God to love one another in this way…
… … …

You love us, O God from the time of our naming
You love us in our growing
and hold us as we take our first steps.
You love us and walk beside us
as we explore the world with eager hands and eyes
As a father loves his child as he sees it grow and develop
so you love us – and we thank you.
Help us dear God to love one another in this way…
… … …

You love us, O God, as we mature and seek our way,
You love as we become aware of the world around us,
You love us as we smile and play, you even love us when
we say no and when we begin to stray.
As a mother loves her child
as she sees it become proud and tall,
so you love us even when we sin and fall..
Help us dear God to love one another in this way....
… … …

We thank you God for loving us when we are unloving
for caring for us when we are uncaring,
and for calling to us when we go far away....

Help us dear God to love one another in this way...

We ask all these things in the name of Christ Jesus,
He who is our Lord and our brother. Amen.

Saturday 17 December 2016

December 17

Scripture: Isaiah 66:7-11

“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.” (verses 10-11)

Reflection:

The picture of God as a nursing mother is not something we frequently celebrate. This prophetic word, however, tells us something about who we are – infants in desperate need of a caring mother; and who God is – the One who provides with “overflowing abundance.” Those who mourn over the current situation of desolation are called to “rejoice greatly!”

This prophecy is spoken to those who have nothing to celebrate. Family members have died or been killed. They have had to flee for their own lives. These addressees are not even living in their own country! How many people in our world today can identify with this situation? International relief agencies are not able to cope with the amount of need there is. How can we rejoice in a situation like this?

Perhaps we need to recapture the vision of hope that this passage calls us to embrace. Perhaps we need to understand the connection between this prophecy and the Kingdom of God, which is both now and not yet. Perhaps we are called to nurse so that others can drink deeply.

We need to be reminded that the good news of the Kingdom does not mirror the doom and gloom we see around us. We need to proclaim that our God reigns. We need to be reminded of His Promises and His Faithfulness. He promises that we will be nursed and that we will drink deeply and delight in the overflowing abundance He will provide! Is this not cause for rejoicing? Is this not reason to celebrate?

So many people around us desperately need hope. Does our rejoicing not create a desire in them to want to rejoice as well? So many people cannot see how their situation could ever change for the better. Do we truly believe “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Ro 8:28)? If we believe this about God, our response will be one of trust, thankfulness and rejoicing. Isn’t that something to celebrate? The Apostle Paul puts it very bluntly: “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (1 Co 15:19) But thank God, that is not the truth of our situation due to the resurrection of Christ! In other words, we have reason to celebrate even if everything around us seems bleak! Does this reflect our current lives as followers of Christ?

But even this is not our true situation as seen through the eyes of faith. Our God is Missio Dei – the God of mission! He reaches out to everyone in the world. He is stronger than all the powers of darkness. Only He is able to bring life where we see death. And He continues to do so, even when we are not able to recognize it! The Living God is at work in the world, bringing His Kingdom in unexpected ways. He invites us to see where He is at work and join Him in what He is doing. Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Jn 5:19) If this is true of Christ, how much more is it true for us. We who are children of God, are called to participate in God’s Kingdom on earth.

Application of the Spiritual Disciplines:

The Kingdom of God is one of unlimited resources and abundance, because everything belongs to God. He is the God who tells us, “I am the LORD your God who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it!” (Ps 81:11) Not only are we invited to drink deeply of His overflowing abundance, we are also called to extend His invitation to others. The invitation to celebrate the Goodness of God is not only for us as followers of Christ, it is for all those who are needy! Let’s not allow the world to dictate what we see. Let us see what the Lord is doing in the world with eyes of faith and invite others to celebrate the reality of the Kingdom of God with us! In what ways can we invite others to celebrate Missio Dei with us today?

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, from whom all good gifts come,
open our eyes to see the reality of Your Kingdom.
Forgive us when we have allowed ourselves
to be blinded by our misery and the misery of others
instead of seeing where You are at work,
creating life out of that which was dead!
Teach us to understand who You are
and celebrate when others around us see no reason to celebrate.
Help us live the reality of Your Kingdom in such a way
that others will be drawn to it.
Fill us with Your Joy
so that celebration will be how we live
in giving glory to You!
We long for Your Coming, Lord! Maranatha!
Thank You that we can celebrate its certainty!
We pray these things in the Name of Jesus Christ, who was, and is and is to come. Amen!

Friday 16 December 2016

December 16

Passage: Hebrews 10:32-39

Scripture:
“Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.” (Hebrews 10:33-34)

How can the Word of God connect Joy with “the confiscation of our property”? Shouldn’t this give occasion for a Psalm of Lament or even a prophetic announcement of judgment and divine retribution? Jesus also calls us to “rejoice and be glad…when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Mt 5:11-12) Doesn’t that seem like the opposite of “Joy to the world” which the angels announce to the shepherds? Not if we realize that shepherds were often “publicly exposed to insult.”

Just because we may not be the ones who are persecuted because of our faith in Jesus doesn’t mean that Hebrews 10:33 isn’t addressed to us. It seems that the Christians this book is written to are either being persecuted or standing “side by side with those who were so treated.” Are there people we can think of that are being bullied and need someone to stand by them? Are there individuals or groups who are being treated unjustly that are not articulate enough to defend themselves and could use someone like us to stand by them? Have we made an effort to check into our local prison ministries and ask how we can support them?

Now where does the discipline of celebration come into the picture? Supposing we do go out and risk our necks to stand by someone who is being insulted or mistreated in some way. That’s not anything to celebrate, is it? But have we really thought through the entire issue which is at stake here? Jesus’ mandate for the Kingdom of God clearly includes “good news for the poor…freedom for the prisoners…release [for] the oppressed.” (Lk 4:18) Each time this happens, there is reason to celebrate! Levi celebrates by throwing “a great banquet” (Lk 5:29), the people celebrate Jesus’ raising of the widow’s son at Nain (Lk 7:16), a shepherd celebrates after finding a lost sheep (Lk 15:5-6), and “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents!” (Lk 15:10) If we truly believe that all things are possible for God, then we will know that He can use us to help bring about positive change for those He calls us to “stand side by side with.” Then we will also credit Him with the victory He brings about and give glory to God through appropriate celebration!

Sometimes there are also things to celebrate which we only become aware of in getting to know what some of the ‘down and outers’ in our life have been through. Alcoholics Anonymous know how to celebrate continued freedom from addiction. Can we find ways to celebrate with them? Do we respond with celebration when we hear how others have gone through challenges and overcome in some way? Could this be another expression of standing “side by side” with those who need it? Could this be another way of celebrating how God is at work in unexpected places? Perhaps the Lord is calling us to celebrate things the world would not consider worthy of celebrating?




Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, Father of orphans, widows, aliens and the destitute, we recognize that we too often measure success by worldly standards and neglect to even see things You consider worthy of being celebrated. Open our eyes to see those You call us to stand side by side. Open our ears to hear of the victories You have brought about in lives that others would rather not hear about. Open our hearts to celebrate with those who need most and give us Your Joy when it might mean sacrifice for us! We pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Who gave the ultimate sacrifice of His life for us on the cross. Amen.

Further lectionary texts for today:
2 Samuel 7:18-22 David prays for God's faithfulness toward Israel
Galatians 4:1-7 God's Son, sent in the fullness of time
2 Samuel 6:12-19 The ark of God enters Jerusalem
Hebrews 1:5-14 The advent of the One higher than angels
Isaiah 42:10-8 Sing to God a new song
Hebrews 10:32-39 Confidence that rewards

Thursday 15 December 2016

December 15

Passage: 2 Samuel 6:1-11

“David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.” (2 Samuel 6:5)

What images come to mind when we imagine King David and likely more than 30,000 people “celebrating with all their might”? I’m not sure if the first thing that comes to our mind would be an event at one of our mega-churches. Events we might associate with all-out celebrating could possibly include Woodstock, or similar mega-events with anything but Christian content. But perhaps that might be because we’re not aware of events like Franklin Graham’s “Rock the River” which brought out 8,000 people for a one-day event in Cloverdale last year or “Creation Fest NorthWest” at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington which averages more than 50,000 each July for a four-day festival!

Practicing celebration as followers of Jesus, however, doesn’t depend on the quantity, it depends on the quality of the celebration! David and the whole house of Israel celebrated “before the LORD!” That thought might change both the content and the form of our celebrations if we take it serious enough! How do our celebrations differ from secular celebrations? Do they contrast by being more boring in form – as seen from an unbeliever’s perspective? Do we hesitate to include Scripture, prayer and witnessing for fear of offending anyone? Does our church throw a Block-Party to bless everyone in the neighborhood?

Assuming that we are not the ‘makers and shakers’ organizing the events at our church, does it even make sense to engage in the practice of celebration as individual followers of Christ? If we ask the Lord to open up opportunities to celebrate, I am confident that He will! The Holiday Season offers many opportunities to celebrate, but perhaps there are other unique opportunities that are usually overshadowed by the Christmas cheer? Is there a December birthday, a wedding anniversary or another event we could or should commemorate between now and New Year’s Eve?

Knowing that Jesus would want us to invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (Lk 24:21) might lead us to find special ways to include those who would otherwise not be invited. Perhaps this includes being culturally sensitive – making sure there is at least one dish with rice for our Asian friends, clearly identifying dishes that are vegetarian or without pork for Muslim neighbors, including a national specialty dish for some of the non-Christians of a different culture from ours. Too often I have invited others to an event with my favorite food and drink and music rather than showing my guests how important they are by making them feel at home with something within their comfort zone.

Now that we’ve asked the Lord to give us an opportunity to celebrate, let’s thank Him for providing us with another party, concert, dinner or anniversary! God Himself commands His people to celebrate at least three times a year in the Old Testament. How much more reason do we as people of the New Covenant have to celebrate and include all those that our loving Heavenly Father would want us to celebrate with! To Him be all the glory!!!

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for inviting us to celebrate! Teach us what it means to celebrate with all our might before the Lord. Infect us with the Joy of Your Salvation which makes us want to share Your Love with others. Reveal the occasions You would want us to celebrate. Lead us to those whom You would want us to celebrate with! Thank you for inviting us to Your Table at the Great Banquet and for allowing us to invite those who need to know You to the banquets You provide for us here and now! Blessed be Your Name! Hallelujah! We give You all the glory and pray these things in the wonderful Name of Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!!!

Further lectionary texts for today:
2 Samuel 7:1-17 God will build you a house 
Galatians 3:23-29 Children of God by Christ's coming 
2 Samuel 6:1-11 The advent of the ark of the Lord
Hebrews 1:1-4 In the last days God speaks by His Son 
Jeremiah 31:31-34 A new covenant written on the heart 
Hebrews 10:10-18 New priest, new sacrifice once for all

Wednesday 14 December 2016

December 14

Passage: Luke 7:31-35

 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’” (Luke 7:34)

Jesus tells us that fasting and feasting is often interpreted by others as something that is evil. This Advent, we have begun discovering the discipline of fasting in new ways for ourselves. Perhaps we have already heard some negative comments about some of our deliberate choices. Be comforted, people said John the Baptist had a demon.

As we transition from secrecy to celebration this week, it is appropriate that we be reminded that this, too, will be misunderstood by some people. Jesus was accused of being “a glutton and a drunkard.” Did this stop Him from accepting invitations to dinners and parties? Did Jesus stop hanging around with the ‘wrong crowd’? The rest of the Gospel of Luke tells us quite the opposite!

If Jesus is our supreme example, perhaps we need to ask ourselves if our lifestyle reflects His. Jesus did both: fasting and feasting. Jesus was neither afraid to accept an invitation from a Pharisee nor a tax collector. A mature Christian once asked me if she should accept an invitation to the wedding of a gay couple. What would Jesus do? Notice that the criticism of John the Baptist and Jesus does not come from ‘tax collectors and sinners,’ but from the religious community! Do we base our choices on what we think our friends at church might think? The Salvation Army has proven that we can be in the midst of ‘sinners’ without taking part in the sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll that they offer. Could Jesus be challenging us to do so without a ‘holier than Thou’ attitude? Do others see us as being joyful Christians, gladly accepting invitations to celebrate?

Being reminded of not letting our left hand know what our right hand is doing in this context might lead us to not necessarily broadcasting which Christmas parties we attend or plan to attend. Of course people will find out, and we don’t need to lie about it. We might even be a witness in calmly explaining the reasons for our decision! How would our non-Christian friends react if we offered to be their ‘designated driver’ at the next party? Is there a non-Christian friend in our life whom we could invite out and ask to go to a restaurant or concert of their choice?

Of course we want to be prepared for the occasion. We will have prayed for guidance. We may ask a trusted Christian friend to intentionally pray for us. We should definitely put on “the full armor of God” (Eph 5:14-18) before leaving. But perhaps it would also be good to remind ourselves, that in order to be the ‘salt of the earth’ and the ‘light of the world,’ we need to follow Jesus’ example in going to places that need salt and light! May He give us Joy in partying as Jesus would!

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, we confess that too often the comfort zone of our church family hinders us from being with the ‘tax collectors and sinners’ You call us to go to. Forgive us for when we have been insensitive to the prompting our Your Spirit in extending or accepting invitations to enjoy time with the non-Christians You have placed in our lives. Please open our hearts to love them as You love them. Please open our ears to hear You calling us to ‘go.’ Please protect us from the evil one when we obediently go to the dark places ‘in the Name of Jesus.’ Thank You for teaching us how You want us to be the salt and light You call us to be. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, Who calls us to follow Him to be with the ‘tax collectors and sinners’ of our day. Amen

Further lectionary texts for today: 
 Zechariah 8:1-7 God's promise to Zion 
Matthew 8:14-17, 28-34 Jesus heals 
Malachi 3:16-4:6 Elijah and the coming one 
Mark 9:9-13 Questions about Elijah 
Micah 4:8-13 God will thresh out the people 
Luke 7:31-35 The Messiah and John the Baptist

Tuesday 13 December 2016

December 13

Passage: Ezekiel 47:1-12

“The man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the Temple toward the east.” (Eze 47:1)

Ezekiel’s vision presents something that is impossible according to the laws of nature. The water from the invisible source underneath the Temple transforms the Dead Sea into fresh water! The image is picked up again in Rev 22:1-2, where it is “the river of the water of life…flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” John reports Jesus as saying, “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them,” and explains, “by this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” (Jn 7:38-39) According to the laws of nature, it is impossible for something dead to come alive. Our Almighty God, however, continually brings life to many things considered dead.

Part of the discipline of secrecy is not drawing attention to oneself. Could it be that part of being the light of the world means allowing the Lord to use us to make positive changes in the little things He points out to us? When there’s no one around and we notice something on the floor, do we pick it up and put it away? When traffic clumsily moves around some debris on the road, are we willing to go and take it off the road? When we notice that someone else has forgotten to do something, do we quietly do it without saying anything? Perhaps these are some of the life-giving things that God wants to use in order to transform our salt-water environment into the fresh water of His Kingdom?

A poem attributed to Mother Teresa is meant to encourage us:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for Your river of life. Thank You that You continue to bring life in so many unexpected ways. Please open our eyes to see where You invite us to be life-giving. Remind us that although what we do may neither be seen nor recognized, You see and will reward it. Allow us to pick up the garbage others leave behind and go to those who are beaten half-dead as the Good Samaritan did. May we never draw attention to ourselves, but always give You the glory. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, who is our Master and Guide.



Further lectionary texts for today:

Ezekiel 47:1-12 The wilderness will flower
Jude 17-25 Prepare for the Lord's coming
2 Kings 2:9-22 Elisha receives Elijah's spirit
Acts 3:17-4:4 Peter preaches about the prophets
Numbers 16:20-35 God destroys Korah's company
Acts 28:23-31 Paul preaches in Rome

Monday 12 December 2016

December 12

Scripture: “Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 29:19) 

Passage: Isaiah 29:17-24

What could be the connection between humility and joy? Is it perhaps that we can choose to be humble, but cannot choose to be joyful? Mary seems to suggest that in the opening of her song in Luke 1:46-47. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.” Mary’s humility is evident in her response to the angel (Lk 1:38). She recognizes that the joy she now experiences in sharing her pregnancy with Elizabeth is a result of God’s activity in her life, not of anything she did to become happy. The pattern is also true for our supreme example, Jesus Christ. “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name.” (Php 2:8-9)

“In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Php 2:3-4) Being humble means not pushing our way into the spotlight. It is most often in the shadows that we find needy people that need our help. This is also the place to exercise the discipline of secrecy. If we quiet our hearts and ask our Father in Heaven to reveal those people He wants us to serve, we might be surprised to see needs we have previously overlooked. Let us also allow the Lord to show us how to serve those special individuals in such a way that we remain humble, not letting our left hand know what our right hand is doing. Perhaps this could be an anonymous card or gift. Sometimes we discover joy in random acts of kindness to strangers.

Yesterday we began by removing obstacles in our lives through confession and forgiveness. Let us focus on an attitude of humility today, valuing others above ourselves and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in ways to bless those He places in our lives in secret ways, knowing that our Father “sees what is done in secret.” The Joy He gives us in return will be greater than the happiness we often seek!

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for all that You are doing in the world today. We recognize that most of this is unseen, and desire to follow Your example in this as Your children. Open our eyes to see the needs around us that You would want us to address. Lead us in ways of helping others that puts them first, and not us. Teach us to give so that our left hand will not know what our right hand is doing. Transform us into the humble servants You want us to be. We pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ, whom You have exalted and given the Name, which is above all names! Amen.

Sunday 11 December 2016

Sunday December 11 (Third Week)

Lighting the candles:

As we light the first candle, we are reminded, that Christ is our Hope. We also “wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

The second candle we light reminds of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let us “make every effort to live in peace with all men and be holy.” (Hebrews 12:14)

The third candle represents a turning point in the season of advent. It is the candle of Joy. Just as the jailer in Philippi who was “filled with joy because he had come to believe in God,” we can sing with the Prophet Isaiah:

“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow!” (Isaiah 35:5-7)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Third Week of Advent: Secrecy and Celebration

1. Secrecy
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Mt 6:3-4) Do not allow anyone to know of the good deeds you do in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations.

2. Celebration
“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Co 9:11) Practice being grateful and thankful to God and to others for the blessings in and around your life.

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Reflection:

As part of the ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ Joy is a gift from God to those who follow Christ. We are called to “be joyful always…for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:16-18) And if that isn’t enough, the Apostle Paul says again, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Php 4:4) Perhaps we also need to be reminded, that the exuberance of Isaiah 35 and the commands to be joyful need to begin with a transformation inside. David prays, “restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Ps 51:12) after repenting of his sin. Isaiah prophesies: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isa 12:3) Whereas the shepherds “spread the word…about this Child,” “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:17, 19) Let us begin by exhaling all that is not of God in our lives and inhaling all that the Lord wants to give us, drawing the water of life from the well of salvation!

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, whereas for the world around us “tis the season to be jolly,” we thank You for reminding us that You desire to give us the Joy of salvation! Remove everything in our lives that prevents Your Joy from filling it. Let us draw deeply from Your well of living water. Transform us with the Joy of Your salvation to become the radiant disciples You want us to be! We thank You for Your blessing and pray these things in the powerful Name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen

Saturday 10 December 2016

December 10

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:8-20

“To Whom is Peace?”

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” These are the familiar words of the angelic chorus in Luke 2:14, rendered in the New Living Translation.

Contrary to what perhaps most of are used to thinking, God’s peace comes with a condition attached to it. Peace comes to the person who pleases Him and seeks Him. God’s peace is not for everyone; it is for those who have turned their hearts to Him.[1]   This fits perfectly with the Old Testament prophecies and predictions of the coming Messiah, who was foretold to be a warrior for God, delivering His people while destroying His enemies.[2]     As Christmas draws nearer, our anticipation to the joyous celebration grows higher. But even before that, let your expectations run high for the coming of the Prince of Peace.

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His Wings. — Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Application: Pray the Hours Praying the hours— stopping at fixed hours to pray— is a spiritual discipline that turns our hearts to God even as we carry out our daily activities. Also know as divine office, it has long been practiced by Christians over the centuries. Below you will find a longer prayer divided into three parts— morning, afternoon and evening. When the set time comes, quietly ease away from the obligations of home or work and take a few moments to spend time with God.

Prayer:[3]

God of prophets, in the wilderness of Jordan you sent a messenger to prepare our hearts for the coming of Your Son, the one who brings true peace into our world and into our lives. Help us to hear the good news, to repent, and so be ready to welcome our Saviour and to enter into the kingdom he brings.

Help us dear God to accept and to unwrap the gifts you give us; especially O God we ask you to help us accept the gift of peace. Help us to acknowledge our deep and abiding need for you and to confess that only you can help us find what we are looking for; That only you can help us repair our broken relationships; That only you can lead us to the peace you want us to have; Help us walk toward the light
. … … …
 Loving God, as we have prayed for ourselves, so we pray for others. Many are in despair through physical hardship, seeking relief from their burdens, and hope in the midst of their cares. Others have minds and souls filled with hatred, lives shackled by prejudices and the terrible obsessions that lead to war and to that which is worse. Come to them with the help that they desperately need. Come to them with the gift of healing and the gift of seeking, come to them with the gift of loving and the gift of having found.

Your church in all the world also needs saving from everything that threatens its mission. O Lord, where it is persecuted, keep it faithful. Where it persecutes, rebuke it. Where it is seduced by affluence, shake it. Where it is self-satisfied, unsettle it. Where it is weak, poor, and meek, bless it with your joy, peace and strength
. … … …
 Father, we give you thanks for your peace, for gift to us and for how you have promised it to the whole world. This day we know some of that peace within our own experience: we know what it is to be made whole, that it is to walk through the wilderness and then to enter the promised land; we know what it is to depend on you and to find that you do not fail. We hold before you now those in our midst: some who need the peace we have prayed for today, some who need a healing touch, some who need comforting, and some who celebrate your goodness toward them.

Hear our prayers, O God, for (BIDDING PRAYER).

 Thank you Lord for your many gifts. Keep alive in us the spirit of seeking, that we may also have the spirit of having found. We ask it in the name of the one who taught us to pray for your kingdom to come and for your will to be done, Christ Jesus your Son and our Saviour. Amen

[1]"To Whom Is the Peace?" http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=890 (Accessed on November 22, 2013).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy (2) for The Second Sunday of Advent - Year A," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/a-ad02sm.php (Accessed on Nov 22, 2013.)

Friday 9 December 2016

December 9

Prayer:[1]

Help us God to be ready for the coming of your kingdom, help us to live each day according to your word to seek justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you.

Help us each day to confess our weakness, to reach out to those around us who are in need, to forgive others as you forgive us, to serve others as Christ has served us.

Help us each day to first praise you and thank you for your goodness, and to first ask what it is you want us to do, and help us then to do it.

We thank you God for your promise of a world of peace, for your promise that Christ will reign and that he will judge favourably for those who are poor and those who oppressed, that he will smile upon those who are in need, and lift up those who are cast down.

Make us instruments of his grace and his power even now, before his kingdom comes in its fullness. Make us people who seek to bring your blessings of food and clothing - of shelter and warmth, of care and of compassion, of justice and of mercy to those who require it.

Thank you Lord for your many gifts. Help us accept them and help us share them with others. We ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen

Scripture:

Isaiah 41:14-20, Romans 15:14-21

“An Awareness of the Need”

God cares deeply for the poor and needy in our community, for the underprivileged and the marginalized . When He establishes everlasting peace all over the world, He promises to make all things well and never to forsake them. (Isaiah 41:17-19) Although the universal peace of God is not yet a reality, His heavenly kingdom has already broken in on earth with the good news Jesus proclaims. In Romans 15:20, the apostle Paul makes it his ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. God is deeply aware of our need for His salvation so He gave His son. Paul is keenly aware that the vast number of Gentiles have not yet heard the gospel. Who are those in and even beyond our community whose needs we are called to be aware of? How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! — Isaiah 52:7 NLT

Application: Prayer Walk In hundreds of cities around the world, God is helping Christians to pray as they pass through the streets of their communities.

As you prayer-walk, your prayers extend beyond your own concerns, focusing directly on the needs of others and opening yourself to see them with God’s eyes and heart.[2]

Be intentional as you engage in prayer walk today. While it does not have to be a long walk, pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit before you begin and be attentive to the things to pray for in your community. You can prayer-walk alone in your heart or audibly with a partner- many find that their prayers are more focused when expressed with a friend.

[1] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy for Advent 2 - Year A," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/a-ad02sm.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.)
[2] Adapted from “How to Prayerwalk,” http://waymakers.org/pray/prayerwalking/how-to/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013)

Thursday 8 December 2016

December 8

Prayer:
Prayer: From the very beginning, O God, you have asked us to call you upon, to obey your gracious law, and to turn to you in times of trouble. We have often failed in this. Yet you, O God, have not failed us. We thank you, God, for continuing to reach out to us - for sending to us, in the fullness of time, Jesus Christ, your only Son, to intercede for us, and for pouring out upon us the Holy Spirit, to guide and lead and to comfort and to challenge us day by day. Help us Lord to turn to you, even as you are turned toward us.[1]

Scripture: Psalm 85
“Strife Closed in the Sod”[2]

The peace of God, it is no peace.
But strife closed in the sod.
Yet Christians, pray for but one thing:
That marv’lous peace of God.
— William Alexander Percy (1885-1942)

Strife closed in the sod. Well, I know that William Percy was a southern farmer, a plantation owner. Is it a farming image, pointing to the struggle and hard work, the blisters, the aching back that it takes to make the soil produce? That God’s peace is not a quiet contentment, but that it grows out of struggle and difficulty and pain and suffering? That peace, wholeness, comes after being cut in pieces?

I think so. Let me tell you more about William Percy, who lived nearly all of his life in Greenville, Mississippi… When the Ku Klux Klan came to Greenville, Percy spoke out against them vehemently. Percy raised three orphaned children, sent penniless young people to college, helped the jobless find jobs, and supplemented the salaries of black preachers in the area.

And remember, this is all in the 1920s and 1930s: forty years before the civil rights struggle. But that is how Percy followed God’s will. You know what that would have gotten him, don’t you? Conflict and struggle and pain and suffering… And yet that is where he found God’s peace, “the marv’lous peace of God.”

— Excerpt from Thomas A Renquist’s Topsy-Turvy: Living in the Biblical World: Gospel Sermons for Sundays After Pentecost, p.36.

Application: Praying the Scripture is one of the many ways that we interact with the Word of God. As a spiritual discipline, it helps us become more tuned in to the Father’s heart as we pray His words.

You are invited to pray through Psalm 85, a prayer for restoration from Israel’s national distress and defeat, in which the psalmist struggles to make sense of Israel’s recent suffering as he remembers God’s past mercy on Israel (vv.1-3); asks God to restore Israel (vv.4-6); recalls God’s promises (vv.7-9); and looks to the future God’s righteousness will bring (vv. 10-13).

One way to pray through Psalm 85 is to follow the psalmist’s pattern of prayer as outlined above— read the first section of the psalm, remember what God has done in your life and then pray it; after that, move on to the next section. Another way is to meditate on each verse and then paraphrase it to pray in your own words.

 You might also want to continue the spiritual discipline of solitude. Scripture and solitude complement and strengthen one another. Solitude makes soul space to absorb Scripture, particularly when we devote hours to be alone and quiet before the Word of God. Praying Scripture gives us strength to endure and benefit from solitude.[3]

[1]Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy for Ordinary 17 - Year C," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/c-or17sesu.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.) 
[2] Excerpt from Thomas A Renquist, Topsy-Turvy: Living in the Biblical World: Gospel Sermons for Sundays After Pentecost (Middle Third) Cycle C, (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing, 2000), 36. 
[3] Bill Gaultiere, "Bible Reading," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2012/08/bible-reading/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.)

Wednesday 7 December 2016

December 7

Scripture:

1 Kings 19:11-12, Philippians 4:5-9

 “The Lord is Near”

 Few of us would experience the upheavals the prophet Elijah went through in his life of service to God and to the people of Israel. Elijah stood up boldly for God in a time when idolatry had swept his land. He pronounced God’s curse of famine on the land. He came face to face with the false prophets of Baal and called down fire from heaven. He And yet more than twice he had fled for his life.

At the end of his long flight from Mount Carmel to Mount Horeb, Elijah had a supernatural encounter with the living God. There was a whirlwind, an earthquake and a fire on the mountain, but the Lord did not appear to him in any one of them. Instead, the Lord spoke through a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12 KJV). Would we hear God when he whispers to us, “What are you doing here?”

Would we recognize how much He loves us to have a care to just check on us? Would we let on everything that’s going on inside of us, as Elijah did (1 Kings 19:14)? Regardless of the situation we are in, God wants to draw near to us so that His peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.
— John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

Application: Solitude Paul’s final exhortation to the Philippians includes what they ought to think and do. Allow some time to immerse yourself in the reading of Philippians 4:5-9 when you practice solitude. What is God speaking to you through His Word? Our time spent in solitude has implications in our active life. It empowers us to love others: “if we’ve truly been with the God of love and his love is purifying us and putting us at peace then we’ll love others better.”[1]

Richard Foster writes, “the fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts.”[2]

This Advent week, as we willingly yield to the God of peace, may He enable us to think and act according to His Word in matters that concern others.

Prayer:
A Benediction. (You might consider reading it out loud at the end of your time of solitude to hear these words of blessing.)

Go in peace! Love and care for one another in the name of Christ, And rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus; both now and forevermore. Amen[3]


[1] Bill Gaultiere, "Solitude and Silence," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2005/08/solitude-and-silence/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.)
[2] Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth, (San Francisco, Harper & Row, 1988), 95.
[3] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy For Advent 03 - Year C," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/c-ad03su.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.) 

Tuesday 6 December 2016

December 6

Scripture: 
John 14:27, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

“Garlands and the Cross”

What make our lives as followers of Christ different? People from countries that follow Eastern religions may comment that the peace their Christian neighbours have within them is what makes them stand out among others who frequent shrines and temples.

Garlands are offered, incense is burned, and libations are poured out. These gestures illustrate this world’s effort to secure peace and well-being from without.

Jesus promises to give us his peace— not as the world gives. His peace becomes ours to have with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We no longer strive for the things of the world but “strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up” (Rom 14:19 CEB). As we make every effort to take up our cross, so the work of Christ may be complete in us, let us also build up our community of faith with the love of Christ. The cross of our Lord Jesus is most evidently witnessed in the lives of His people.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace. — John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

Application: Solitude,  Christian living begins with transformation from within. The question is, are we willing to let go of our futile struggles and let God in? We need to learn to enter God’s peace:[1]

“Once you push through the initial discomfort and challenge of solitude you’ll find that it will bring the wonderful refreshment of God’s peace .Even when we’re in stressful circumstances we can learn to maintain a silent center, a stillness of soul that flows in God’s peace. We come into this peace by training with Jesus in silence and solitude. As we go into the solitary place with the Lord he purges our souls of the distractions, anxieties, and sins that rise to the surface. Then his Holy Spirit like a dove settles on us and leaves us with the gift of peace, a deep and soul-full sense of well-being.”[2]

 Jesus calls us to be the salt and light of the world. When our lives manifest the beauty of His peace, all those around us will taste and see the goodness of God.

Prayer: 

Gracious God, we thank you for gathering us together in the name of the risen Christ and for the many blessings that bless us with through him and the Holy Spirit.
We praise your most holy name for the life that you pour out upon us, for the love that you embrace us with, for the strength and the hope that you grant us. We receive your many gifts with a sense of awe and humility.
Be present with us dear Lord, and guide us in our time of prayer and meditation, that we might hear what you have to say to us this day, and hearing, might do as you ask. May our lives reflect your goodness and bring to you the praise of others, both now and forevermore. Amen [3]



[1] Bill Gaultiere, "Solitude and Silence," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2005/08/solitude-and-silence/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.) 

[2]Bill Gaultiere, "Solitude and Silence," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2005/08/solitude-and-silence/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.) 

[3]Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy (2) for The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year C," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/c-ea06sn.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.)

Monday 5 December 2016

December 5

Prayer:[1]

Holy God, we look for You, we long for You.
Let us see that You come among us.
Make us aware of Your presence and help us to turn toward you and so come to glimpse your glory and your power and experience your grace and your love.
Loving God, prepare us to celebrate the first coming of our Lord Jesus and to do Your work in expectation of His Second Coming in power and great glory.
As we turn and walk the road toward your outstretched arms, remove from our lives those powers and forces that have caused us to do evil rather than good, to hate rather than love, to hold resentment close to us rather than the power of your forgiveness, to seek amusement rather than fulfillment.
Bring down the high places that obstruct your path and fill in the valleys that hinder our coming to you. Forgive us Lord for having wandered away from you and help us to walk each day in the direction you would have us go.
Compassionate God, by the coming of Christ Jesus you give us strength in the midst of our weakness, peace in the midst of our conflicts, and light in the midst of our darkness.
We hear your voice calling to us, we see your hands reaching out to us. O Lord, enfold us in your arms, and not only us - but all who we lift before you now in our hearts and with the words of lips. Gracious God, by Your tender compassion the light of Christ has dawned upon us. You have prepared a way to you for us and for our world. And you come upon it.
Come Lord Jesus,
Come Holy Father,
Come Spirit of Righteousness and Truth, and make this world a new and better home, now and forevermore. Amen


Scripture:
Malachi 3:1-4, 2 Peter 3:8-15

“Make Peace with God”

Israel’s expectation of the coming of the Anointed One includes the purification of the entire community of Israel. God desires a holy and righteous people for Himself and He promises to send His Anointed One to make them ready, so they can stand in His presence on the awesome day of His coming. The apostle Peter understands the implication of the Lord’s coming for Christians. “You ought to live holy and godly lives,” he writes to the early church and encourages the body of Christ to “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (2 Peter 3:11, 14). God’s patience with sinners means salvation for all, and Jesus came so we can make peace with God. Jesus fulfills God’s promise to purify His people. Through repentance and faith in Jesus, we can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence” (Heb 4:16). Jesus, the Anointed One of Israel, was sent into our world the first time so that the community of believers will be presented to himself as the pure, radiant bride at His second coming.

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise. — John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)

Application: Solitude God often speaks to us concerning the way we live when we come to Him in humility. One of the valuable things of practicing spiritual disciplines daily is that it is an acknowledgment of our need for God. Plan a time for today and/or in the next few days to engage in the spiritual discipline of solitude. Make sure you will not be disturbed for that time so you can take as long as you need. “The point of your time in solitude and silence is to do nothing and don’t try to make anything happen.[2] In solitude and silence you’re learning to stop doing, stop producing, stop pleasing people, stop entertaining yourself, stop obsessing — stop doing anything except to simply be your naked self before God and be found by him.”[3] Remember Jesus’ example of praying in a solitary place and be prepared to enter a time when all the connections you have with people and even things are cut off except for your reliance on God. Most importantly, trust the Holy Spirit to guide you through your thoughts and make your solitude “the place of conversion, the place where the old self dies and the new self is born.”[4]

Photo Credit

[1] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy For Advent 02 - Year C," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/c-ad02smsu.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.)
[2] Bill Gaultiere, "Solitude and Silence," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2005/08/solitude-and-silence/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.) 
[3] Bill Gaultiere, "Solitude and Silence," Soul Shepherding, http://www.soulshepherding.org/2005/08/solitude-and-silence/ (Accessed Nov 21, 2013.) 
[4] Henry Nouwen, The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life, (New York: Crossroad, 1999), 47. 

Sunday 4 December 2016

Sunday December 4 (Second Week of Advent)

Prayer: 

Gracious God, we give thanks to you for the peace you give unto us and for the peace that you promise to us and to our whole world. Help us, dear God, to be a people who continue to imagine this time and who trust in its coming. Pour out your Spirit upon us in the time of waiting that we might live as people who are already citizens of the new heaven and the new earth that you will bring to pass. Help us to walk by the vision and the Spirit you grant to those who seek you through your living Word.

Readings: Isaiah 4:2-6, John 14:27

“The Promise of Shalom”

 In view of the pending disasters His judgment would bring, God promised restoration and purity— His perfect peace, shalom— to the nation of Israel. For centuries, Israel looked forward to the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies, to the coming of the Anointed One who would bring all God’s promises to fruition. How would they know who this Messiah that they were looking for might be? What was the sign of His coming? In today’s Scripture reading, the prophet Isaiah tells us that He will be the Branch of the Lord, beautiful and glorious, and at His coming all God’s people will be made holy, cleansed by a spirit of judgment and fire. Yet Jesus the Messiah did not fulfill the promise the way as many Jews of his time expected. His shalom is not merely an earthly one that restores Israel and purifies its inhabitants; it is the heavenly shalom of perfect reconciliation with the Father that brings restoration and holiness to humanity. He took our judgment upon himself and gifted us with his Spirit so we can be pure and holy even in the present life.

As we light the candle of peace and enter into the second week of Advent, we wait expectantly for the coming of the Prince of Peace, who has brought God’s perfect peace into the toil and turmoil of humanity and will one day return to establish everlasting peace that knows no bounds.

Light the Advent Candle of Peace 

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Peace. Our peace is found in God and in his son, Jesus Christ. John the Baptist, and all the prophets remind us, that to receive peace we must be prepared for it. We light this candle today to remind us that Christ is the Prince of Peace, the one promised from the beginning of the world. We thank God for the hope he gives us and for the peace he bestows.[1]

Introduction to the Spiritual Disciplines for the Second Week of Advent: 

Solitude 

This week, we look to the example of the One whose coming we eagerly await as we engage in the spiritual disciplines of solitude and prayer. During the three and half years of of his early ministry, Jesus not only demonstrated an incredible life of service but also exemplified a spiritual life of solitude and prayer. In Matthew 14, we find Jesus withdrawing to a solitary place, where the crowds followed him. After healing many and then feeding all of them, he dismissed the crowd and “went up on a mountainside by himself to pray” (14:23). He prayed late into the night. Then, walking on water, he rejoined his disciples who were in a boat buffeted by the waves. Our Lord sought to have time alone with the Father and this is what doing the Father’s will demands. In the time of solitude, one is truly alone in a quiet place, away from other people and all distractions. Here one seeks out God and allow Him to search and examine one’s heart. By setting all things aside for a time, space is created for the Spirit to renew and empower the broken, contrite soul. Whether it is for one hour or for a few hours, let us take time this week to practice silent solitude in God’s presence. In a quiet place of our choosing- a spare room in the house, a secluded spot in the park- away from things that compete for our attention, let us come to the Lord just as we are and invite the still, small Voice to speak into our lives.

Prayer [2]

As we grow more accustomed to the practice of solitude this week, we may find in ourselves a growing awareness of what God is doing in our lives. This is when we move into prayer and commune with God verbally. As familiar it is to us, prayer as a spiritual discipline is difficult to do. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had to tell his disciples repeatedly to “watch and pray”! And we often find instructions and encouragements in the New Testament that says, “devote yourselves to prayer” (Colossians 4:2). To cultivate a life immersed in prayer, this week we will engage in a few different subdisciplines of prayer- praying the Scripture, prayer walk, praying with a partner and praying the hours. Jesus came so we can be reconciled to the Father. Yet without a life of prayer we cannot enjoy an intimate relationship with our Abba, Father. During this second week of Advent, let it also be our desire to learn to pray as our Lord prays on that lonely mountainside. Let the reconciliation that Christ brought us with the Father move us to prayer, until “that marvelous peace of God” is established wherever His people pray.

Application:

There will be more detailed instructions for each day’s discipline. We’ll be focusing on solitude in the first half of the week and then shift to prayer in the second half. At least an hour’s time is needed to go through each day’s devotional and to practice the discipline. Prayerfully prepare yourself for this week’s spiritual disciplines. Spend some time alone reflecting on the peace of God and today’s Scripture reading. Close the prayer below with your own response to God’s invitation to a deeper commitment in your relationship with Him through solitude and prayer during this second week of Advent.

[1] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy for Advent 2 - Year A," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/a-ad02sm.ph (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.) 
[2] Richard J. Fairchild, "Sermon and Liturgy (2) for The Sixth Sunday of Easter - Year C," Sermons and Sermon- Lectionary Resources, http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/c-ea06sn.php (Accessed on Nov 21, 2013.)

Saturday 3 December 2016

December 3

Prayer: 

Our times are in your hands:
But we count our times for us;
we count our days and fill them with us;
we count our weeks and fill them with our busyness;
we count our years and fill them with our fears.
And then caught up short with your claim,
Our times are in your hands!
Take our times, times of love and times of weariness,
Take them all, bless them and break them,
give them to us again,
slow paced and eager,
fixed in your readiness for neighbor.
Occupy our calendars,
Flood us with itsy-bitsy, daily kairoi,
In the name of your fleshed kariros. Amen [1] 

Reading: Isaiah 29:17-24

Reflection: December 6 marks the Feast of Saint Nicholas. The legend of his life has taken on a particularly commercial aspect in the generations since his life and death; however, it seems that his life was rather unlike the man populating our malls, and instead looks very much like our Saviour in his sacrificial life. “One legend in particular illustrates his generosity; a family in his community was desperate; the father had lost all of his money and had been unable to find husbands for his three daughters. The daughters were in danger of being given over to prostitution or another form of degradation when, one night, Nicholas appeared at their home. He tossed three bags of god into the open window-thereby saving them from a terrible fate.”[2]



Application: It may seem like a nice fairytale, but there is something important to note, “while Santa has his bundle of toys, the gift that Saint Nicholas gives is nothing short of freedom from poverty and desperation. The life of Saint Nicholas is an example of faith made flesh.”[3] As we consider the Feast of St. Nicholas consider what it would look like to offer freedom to someone in your life. It may not be financial freedom; it may be the radical freedom of forgiveness or even the simple freedom of time as you do a task for them. As we are present in the places that the Kingdom calls us to break into, the places of darkness we can see our lives and communities shaped by the freedom of a life in Christ.



[1]  Walter Brueggemann, Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann, ed. Edwin Searcy (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 147.
[2] Richard John Neuhaus, God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas, eds. Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe (Brewster, MA: Paraclette Press, 2007), 39.
[3]  Ibid., 40.

Friday 2 December 2016

December 2

Prayer:

 Loving God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.[1]

Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11



Reflection: “No, we are not spared it. We have to hear the voice of one crying in the wilderness, even if it confesses: It is not I. We must have the patience of [persons] of advent. The Church is only the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, announcing that the final radiant Kingdom of God is still coming and that when God wills, not when it suits us… The Church itself is still an advent Church; for we are still waiting for him who is to come in the unveiled radiance of unconditional Godhead with the eternal Kingdom.”[2]

Application: Reflect on the places of feasting or fasting you incorporated in your life this week and consider which of these you would like to continue with through the Advent season and into the New Year. Consider which of these has been particularly life giving to those in your life and to your relationships, make a note somewhere significant as a reminder to meditate on it.

[1]Prayers for Peace and Justice,” Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, accessed November 22, 2013, http://www.holytrinitygnv.org/ministries/justice-compassion/peace-prayers-bcp/ 

[2]Karl Rahner, Everyday Faith, (London: Burns and Oates, 1968),18-19.

Thursday 1 December 2016

December 1

Prayer:
Lord, when we strive after healing in the world and nourishment for those who hunger, we find you at our side. Whenever we long to see your face, help us not avoid the corners of our communities where you most often dwell. Stir our hearts that we might seek and find you today in those places where you have promised to be. Amen.[1]

Reading: Isaiah 54:1-10

Reflection: Pause to consider the Exodus narrative. The cries from Israel, “we want a king on a throne with power in his fist."[2] We are culture that pursues power, we desire to feast on all that it claims we can have when we attain power: individual, corporate and national, and yet we eat the bitter ashes, we feast on the brokenness of our desires, the same desires that Israel desired and one of the reasons they could not embrace the prophecy that Jesus would not be that kind of ruler. He is unlike any ruler we have known. As we consider Jesus, are our heart prepared to fast from the powers of this world so that we may know the true fulfillment of being fed by Christ?




Application: Consider journeying in prayer today, this week, this month or even for a year with a person oppressed under the power systems we strive for in our neighborhood. It may seem difficult and this may take time, but as you learn the stories of your neighbors and coworkers you will undoubtedly hear of places where there is conflict and oppression. You will see places were you have been privileged socially, culturally and even by your gender and race. Consider fasting of a meal or a day routinely in an act of solidarity with those who are oppressed in these huge complex systems of oppression. One such huge system is that of our food production; consider when you sit down to your next meal all the hands that truly have contributed to your feasting, even while they may fast involuntarily because they go without the food they have picked or the means to pay for it.

Information on Migrant Worker Rights in the US.

[1]Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals pg.55. 
[2]Andrew Peterson, “So Long, Moses,” Behold the Lamb of God: 10th Anniversary Edition. (Nashville: Rabbit Room Press), 2009. iTunes.