Treasures – seen and unseen

Revelation 3: 13-22 (TNIV)

¹³ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me.

²¹ To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

—

Laodicea was a large and wealthy city. It was known for its banking, wool and the production of eye salve. Reference is made to Christ who is faithful and true, the ruler of God’s creation. Christ’s faithfulness is contrasted with the faithlessness of the church of Laodicea. In the ancient world, hot did not mean enthusiastic and cold did not mean passive. Rather they meant for or against. This church was neither.

Indifference led to idleness. By neglecting to do anything for Christ, the church had become self-satisfied. God calls for wholehearted, sincere responses. Anything less suggests that other things have a higher priority than
a relationship with God. Laodiceans could buy what they could see — gold, wool and material goods. What about things not visible to the eye? What has eternal significance? Do we have anything if we do not have a relationship with Christ? Do we find true riches in comfort and luxury or in the treasures of Christ?

If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God or to the Bible, you may have begun to shut God out of your life. Those God loves, God disciplines. We hear words to turn to love, words of correction and an invitation to repent. Christ’s coming is imminent. The idea of God’s rule in Christ’s new age is depicted as he
says, “Here I am. I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus allows us to decide whether or not to open the door of our lives to him. Jesus promises that if we chose his ways over the ways of the world, if we listen to the Spirit, we will sit with him and participate in Christ’s reign.

Are we like the church at Laodicea? Do we think we have all we need? Do we have the things that matter the most? There are times when we are blind to the spiritual treasure God offers and we settle for material well being and purchased riches in a context of consumerism.

— Rev. Dr. Connie Wilson

God, you are so patient and persistent in seeking us. Let us listen. Let us hear. Jesus knock on the door of our hearts. Let us await Jesus’ coming and welcome him! Amen.

The coming of the king

Matthew 24: 15-31 (TNIV)

¹⁵ “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— ¹⁶ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. ¹⁸ Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. ¹⁹ How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! ²⁰ Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

²² “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ²³ At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time.

²⁶ “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸ Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days
” ‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

³⁰ “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the peoples of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

—

In this passage we find Jesus talking about the “last days.” His disciples question him as to how and when this will occur. Jesus does not answer directly but speaks to them of signs. “Look at this” and “look at that” are signs that Jesus gives them. As we move toward Christmas and celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s take a moment to look at this passage.

“Parousia” is an English word that refers to the Second Coming of Jesus. This is the only place this word is used in the gospels even though it is used frequently in other parts of the New Testament. The word refers to a coming in authority and in power. As used here the word refers to the coming of Jesus “in authority and in power.” The coming of Jesus means we have God coming into the world. He comes as a baby, lying in a manger. He comes unexpectedly after the world has waited so long. He was promised by the prophets. He was present with God in the very beginning as the Gospel of John tells us and Jesus is still present in our daily lives.

Thus we have conserved the fact that Christ will ultimately triumph. He comes as a baby; he grows to manhood as a carpenter, dies as our Savior and is resurrected. In all this, we have found a King who comes to us each day. We have a King who is faithful to us even unto death and beyond death into eternity.

As we celebrate the Advent of Jesus this year, may we do so knowing that he must come into our hearts and lives or he does not come at all. He is not found in the tinsel and wrappings, the trees or lights, the songs or parties. He must be found in each of our lives or he will not be found at all.

— Rev. Bill Stephens

O God, you so loved the world as to give your only begotten Son. Grant to us the precious gift of faith that we may know that your Son is coming again. Amen.

Evidence

Matthew 11:2-11 (TNIV)

² When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:
” ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

—

In the first few verses of the scripture for today, the disciples of John the Baptist go to Jesus to ask him if they are to keep waiting for someone else or if he was the one for whom they have been waiting. Jesus replies by giving them evidence of what has been happening — people are being healed and good news is being brought to the poor. These are amazing things. We do not often expect to see miraculous healing. We may wonder if there is any good news for someone who is poor.

We find in these verses that Jesus is sharing evidence of God’s work in the world with the followers of John the Baptist. Jesus is able to share specific things about the way that God is working and that this evidence indicates that Jesus is the one for whom they have been waiting. You may remember celebrating the 17th anniversary of The Church of the Resurrection on the first weekend of October. Each year there is a celebration of God’s work among us and a consideration of what God might be calling us to in the year ahead.

What evidence is there of God’s work in your life? What evidence would you share with others about the way that you are changing on the journey of becoming a deeply committed Christian? Do those around you know when you have experienced God or feel that you are doing just what God has created you to do? These questions may help you think about the way that you are sharing your life of faith with others.

As we continue to journey together toward Christmas, look for ways that you can show evidence of God’s work in your life. You may want to consider participating in a JOY in Service project. You may think about who you will invite to Candlelight Christmas Eve services. Maybe you want to share with a family member or friend the way that you have seen God work in your life and your hopes for the future. Look for evidence of knowing, loving and serving God in your life and in the lives of those around you.

— Rev. Andrew Conard

O God, we want others to see in us evidence that we are becoming deeply committed Christians. Encourage and empower us to take action in our journey of faith. Give us boldness to tell others about the evidence that we see in their lives. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Do you want to be rich?

Psalm 30: 4-5 (TNIV)

⁴ Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

—

Several years ago the path of my morning walk took me down a hill beside Interstate 435. At the bottom of the hill was a very prominent billboard. On this particular morning, the billboard was promoting one of the Kansas City riverboat casinos with the message, “Do You Want to Be Rich?” accompanied, of course, by pictures of piles and piles of money. Since my route toward the billboard took me to the east, I was able to see the rising sun just to the left of the billboard. On this morning, the streaks of color in the morning sky were magnificent… breathtaking swaths of red and blue and a shocking gold bathed the entire landscape before me. As I stopped and considered God’s handiwork, alongside the message on the billboard the conclusion was obvious; I already AM rich! The extravagant joy of the morning sunrise I was witnessing had enriched my life in ways that no casino possibly could. As the psalmist tells us, there might be weeping in the night, but joy comes in the dawning of each new day. The sunrise not only signals the beginning of a new page of the calendar, but a new opportunity to become the person God has always intended you to be. The past is gone. Your sins are forgiven. Awake, rise and experience the rich glory of the world God has created.

— Rev. Russell Brown

O God, help us to slow down today and drink in the majesty of your creation. Let us put aside —if even for a moment — our frantic pursuit of Christmas projects and family deadlines and approach you with a heart full of thanks and worship. In Jesus’ holy name we pray… AMEN.

A resting place

Psalm 132 (TNIV)

¹ LORD, remember David
and all his self-denial.

² He swore an oath to the LORD
and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

³ “I will not enter my house
or go to my bed,

⁴ I will allow no sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,

⁵ till I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

⁶ We heard it in Ephrathah,
we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:

⁷ “Let us go to his dwelling place,
let us worship at his footstool, saying,

⁸ ‘Arise, LORD, and come to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.

⁹ May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;
may your faithful people sing for joy.’”

¹⁰ For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.

¹¹ The LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure oath that he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne.

¹² If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”

¹³ For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying,

¹⁴ “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it.

¹⁵ I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food.

¹⁶ I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

¹⁷ “Here I will make a horn grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one.

¹⁸ I will clothe his enemies with shame,
but his head will be adorned with a resplendent crown.”

—

I can remember a couple of times when my husband and I were traveling by car and after a long day of driving, made the mistake of not stopping when we saw a motel. We thought we’d go on just an hour more, but when the hour was up and we were tired there were no motels in sight or they were all full. So we drove on…and on…and on until finally we found a resting place where we could finally curl up in bed and sleep.

Psalm 132 refers to a resting place for God. Up through the reign of King David, there was no “house” or “temple” to accommodate the Ark of the Covenant. The People of God understood that the Ark housed the Ten Commandments but they believed it was also the place in which God resided. If you’ve seen the first

Indiana Jones movie, you know what it probably looked like. David offered to build a temple for God but God said, “Not yet.” It was his son, Solomon, who did so. . .who built “the resting place.”

We know that on that starry night when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, they were looking for a resting place.

I wonder if we not only need a resting place for our physical bodies, but also a place where we can rest in God. St. Augustine in the mid 300s said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord.” We can’t live without sleep. We need rest to replenish our mind and body. Spiritually, the same is true for us — we need to rest in God to replenish our spiritual selves. During the busy holiday season, try to find time to “rest in God.”

— Rev. Prudy Bertolino

Gracious LORD, filled with your spirit, may we thirst for you alone as the source of wisdom and rest. In you let us find our resting place where we can curl up, surrounded by your cushion of love and replenish our faith and spirit. Amen.

How can I keep from singing?

Psalm 37 (TNIV)

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;

² for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Take delight in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish:
Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

²² those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.

²³ The LORD makes firm the steps
of those who delight in him;

²⁴ though they stumble, they will not fall,
for the LORD upholds them with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

²⁸ For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.

²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.

³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.

³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

³³ but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴ Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked and ruthless
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

³⁶ but they soon passed away and were no more;
though I looked for them, they could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.

³⁸ But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

—

This morning I woke up singing. I had lyrics repeating over and over in my mind. This time, the phrase was from a song I had heard in worship. All I could remember was one line…”strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord.” I kept wondering, “What does this have to do with my day?” Then in this morning’s reading we read from the psalms. The psalms were used as songs in worship during the time of the Bible. Many people would remember the psalms as they pondered life, faith and God. In Psalm 37, all of the stanzas begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet in an acrostic poem. King David reflects that life is unfair. David encourages us to focus on God even when it seems that people who don’t have a better life. He ponders, what is it we are to do?

In the lyrics David says:

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
Hope in the Lord and keep his way (verses 3-5, 34).

Which lyrics do you need to hear this morning? What do these lyrics from the psalms have to do with your day? What song will you sing in your head today?

— Rev. Nicole Conard

O Gracious God, you give us words to ponder each day. Focus us on what we need to hear from you so that we may live faithfully for you today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Clinging to God’s Word

Psalm 119.25-48 (TNIV)

²⁵ I am laid low in the dust;
preserve my life according to your word.

²⁶ I gave an account of my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.

²⁷ Cause me to understand the way of your precepts,
that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.

²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹ Keep me from deceitful ways;
be gracious to me and teach me your law.

³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws.

³¹ I hold fast to your statutes, LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.

³² I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.

³³ Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.

³⁴ Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.

³⁵ Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.

³⁶ Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.

³⁷ Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.

³⁸ Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.

³⁹ Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.

⁴⁰ How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life.

⁴¹ May your unfailing love come to me, LORD,
your salvation, according to your promise;

⁴² then I can answer anyone who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.

⁴³ Never take your word of truth from my mouth,
for I have put my hope in your laws.

⁴⁴ I will always obey your law,
for ever and ever.

⁴⁵ I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.

⁴⁶ I will speak of your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,

⁴⁷ for I delight in your commands
because I love them.

⁴⁸ I reach out for your commands, which I love,
that I may meditate on your decrees.

—

Since my daughter Annie was four years old, she has been participating in gymnastics. Now she is sixteen and a junior in high school, competing for the girls high school state gymnastics title. One of the many things that marvel me about skilled gymnasts is how effortlessly they execute a routine on top of a four-inch beam that is four feet off the ground. Annie does a four–leap series in which the last jump she splits her legs 180 degrees and does a quarter turn in the air landing solidly back on the beam. We watch with audible beating hearts as the girls perform back handsprings, gainers and back flips atop the narrow precipice. As difficult as these routines look, what really amazes me is when the girls land a little bit off center. They wobble and teeter as if they are going to fall over the edge of a cliff, but they often cling so firmly to the balance beam with their toes that they regain their center of gravity and continue on with their routine until the final dismount.

In today’s passage, the psalmist cries, “My soul clings to the dust (v.25, NRSV).” Just like a gymnast on a beam, often we feel like we are on the verge of falling over the edge due to life’s daily struggles. Then the psalmist acknowledges God, “I cling to your instruction (v. 31, NRSV).”

When you feel like you are close to the edge, what brings you freedom and hope? What do you cling to? The psalmist clings to God’s word. If you read the psalm passage again you notice that God’s word revives, answers questions, leads to understanding, strengthens us, enlarges us and is wonderful, faithful and true. Today let us meditate on God’s wondrous works which offers us the hope and life to bring us back to our center and allows us to stand firmly planted, even in hard times.

— Rev. Nancy Pauls

Thank you God for your Holy Word. Open up moments for me each day so that I might spend it with you. Let your Holy Spirit speak to me through the scriptures so that my life may be changed by yours. Amen.

Blue, blue Christmas?

Psalm 28 (TNIV)

¹ To you, LORD, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.

² Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

³ Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.

⁴ Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back on them what they deserve.

⁵ Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.

⁶ Praise be to the LORD,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.

⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

⁸ The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

⁹ Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Psalm 36 (TNIV)

¹ I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.

² In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.

³ The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
they have ceased to be wise and to do good.

⁴ Even on their beds they plot evil;
they commit themselves to a sinful course
and do not reject what is wrong.

⁵ Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.

⁶ Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.

⁷ How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

⁸ They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.

⁹ For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

¹⁰ Continue your love to those who know you,
your righteousness to the upright in heart.

¹¹ May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹² See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!

Psalm 39 (TNIV)

¹ I said, “I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
while in the presence of the wicked.”

² So I remained utterly silent,
not even saying anything good.
But my anguish increased;

³ my heart grew hot within me.
While I meditated, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ “Show me, LORD, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure.

⁶ “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
without knowing whose it will finally be.

⁷ “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.

⁸ Save me from all my transgressions;
do not make me the scorn of fools.

⁹ I was silent; I would not open my mouth,
for you are the one who has done this.

¹⁰ Remove your scourge from me;
I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

¹¹ When you rebuke and discipline people for their sins,
you consume their wealth like a moth—
surely everyone is but a breath.

¹² “Hear my prayer, LORD,
listen to my cry for help;
do not be deaf to my weeping.
I dwell with you as a foreigner,
a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

¹³ Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again
before I depart and am no more.”

—

What kind of holiday season are you having? The anticipation of Christmas brings joy and happiness, but it also brings stress, frustration and sadness. Sometimes we put on our smiles of “good cheer” when, in reality, we are grieving the loss of someone who won’t be with us this Christmas or we know that the family gatherings bring anxiety or guilt over past circumstances. Last December, I found myself frustrated because I just couldn’t get into the Christmas spirit. The calendar was so full and I was behind on Christmas shopping…and Jesus Christ’s birth was the last thing on my mind. Then, of course, that made me feel guilty.

I find comfort in the sheer honesty of these psalms. Look at Psalm 39 — it is a confession and a plea for God’s forgiveness. Psalm 36 reminds us that God’s ways are very different from people who seek to hurt others or who only have concern for themselves. Psalm 28 is a prayer for God’s help. Do any of these psalms sound like the prayers of your heart right now?

If you find yourself stressed, frustrated, hurt, guilt-ridden, crying, exhausted, angry, jaded or apathetic this month, know that you don’t have to pretend to have it all together. Seeking God in prayer — and being honest about how you feel — will begin the process of welcoming peace, hope, love and joy into your life. Being open with a trusted friend can give you a place to be authentic and to find support. Last year, I found true joy in serving others through holiday mission opportunities. It reminded me that God’s love is often most evident in community, and that people caring for one another is one of the most important things that Jesus modeled.

— Rev. Molly Simpson

Holy Lord, you know how I feel and what I am thinking. You hear my prayers of joy and also my cries for comfort. Help me to be honest with you when I struggle, and be the shepherd that carries me. Be for me the light that comes into the darkness, the hope born into the world that refocuses my life. Thanks for listening, and thank you for loving me no matter my disposition. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Remembering and anticipating

Revelation 1:1-8 (TNIV)

¹ The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ² who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

⁴ John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

⁷ “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

—

The season of Advent is a time both of remembering and anticipating. We remember the Biblical accounts that tell us of the angel’s announcement to Mary, the fear and doubt that Joseph initially experienced and the amazing culmination of a birth outside an inn in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. During Advent, the church tells again these stories to re-establish the truth of John 3:16 in our hearts and lives. We tell again these stories to our children and grandchildren so there will not be a generation that does not know God’s love for us through Jesus. During this season, we remember God reconciling the world to Himself though the coming of Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

Advent is also a time of anticipation. We look forward to the coming again of Christ. The early church, confident in promises such as those found in Acts 1:11, lived in daily anticipation of Christ’s return to earth. Imagine what our lives would be like if we also lived in daily anticipation of Christ’s second coming!

Our challenge during Advent is to live daily in the tension between remembering and anticipating. We can’t anticipate if we don’t know what came before but we can’t look forward if we are always looking back. We need to do both. As the book of Revelation reminds us, Jesus is our Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13). He is our beginning and will be our end. Thanks be to God for His faithfulness yesterday, today and forever.

— Rev. Laurie Barnes

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us and sending your Son Jesus for us and for our salvation. Help us to be mindful of your works in the past as we look forward to an eternity with you. Amen.

Thy “kin”dom come

Isaiah 11: 1-10 (TNIV)

¹ A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

² The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—

³ and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;

⁴ but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

⁵ Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

⁶ The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

⁷ The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

⁸ Infants will play near the hole of the cobra;
young children will put their hands into the viper’s nest.

⁹ They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁰ In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

Matthew 3: 1-12 (TNIV)

¹ In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’ “

⁴ John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

—

Who do we call our brother and sister? The lectionary’s scriptures for today offer us a different way of thinking. Read Isaiah 11:1-10. It shows us what the “kin”dom of God should look like: “the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the yearling together, and a little child shall lead them…they will not hurt or destroy in all my holy Mountain.”

And yet, leaders emerge that feed our fears. War and violence persist. Poverty and racism seem to be married. Hate crimes continue in the name of religion. Then, John the Baptist comes along in Matthew 3. He seems a very unlikely candidate to proclaim the coming of the Christ. Yet, he speaks to all by his lifestyle and message: “Repent” for the “kin”dom is being ushered in. This “kin”dom is a place where those at the margins of society will have a place at the table. This “kin”dom will allow us to see with new eyes those we have viewed with suspicion. God’s preferential treatment of the poor will offer realignment of our priorities. God’s reign will liberate and protect the weak and oppressed, giving life-giving order through the transforming work of Jesus.

How can this be you ask? Is this only idealistic Babel? The baptism that John speaks of will offer us a clean start. We have to remember this when we might get discouraged. After returning from Africa this past May, I was so disillusioned by the death, poverty and violence that seemed to rule. Yet, one young seventeen-year-old orphan casts a vision for the “kin”dom. He has partnered with the United Methodist churches and hopes that the 250 orphans for which he provides food and clothing will remember that they are not orphans but children of God.

This “Way” of bringing “kin”dom truly offers us the truth and the life that will change the world. How can you bring “kin”dom this Christmas?

— Rev. Karen Lampe

God of All, help us to remember your hopes for “kin”dom. In Christ’s name, Amen.