Christmas Brings Out the Best in Us

It is the time of great hospitality; a time for giving and sharing of presence and presents; our homes are cleaned and decorated to look their best; there are new Christmas clothes to wear and beautiful music fills the air. The sights, the sounds and the smells of Christmas bring back treasured memories of childhood. Yes, all the things that surround the celebration of the birth of Jesus bring out our best.

We gather at church at Christmas to celebrate this most wonderful day. We take the bread and the wine, the body and blood of Jesus, and we pray for wholeness, radiating the image of Jesus, Son of God, love’s pure light. Jesus, who came to us to show us who God is and how to live a life that is rich in meaning and pleasing to God, is the cause of this goodness we display at this time of year. Jesus, who came that we might have life, is God’s greatest gift to us. O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray; cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.  O Little Town of Bethlehem vs. 4

Gracious God, thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus, and for the many blessings with which you shower us. Help us to be grateful for the Gift, and help us to live our lives for your Glory.  Amen.

Hey, I'm Getting New Stuff for Christmas

We set aside December 25^th to celebrate the birth of Jesus, God in human form. It is Jesus who shows us who God is, and what God is like. It is Jesus who prepares the way to radically change lives. It is Jesus who teaches us how to live. It is Jesus who promises us life…New Life.

Behold:  I Make All Things New [Rev 21:5]  Jesus says,   I_make_all -things _new! 

Hey Jesus, make me new! I want to be new. I’m tired of dragging all the old baggage around. I want  a new start, I want  a fresh beginning. I want to start out with a clean slate and start drawing with new crayons  and I want it all to be colorful and beautiful and meaningful to me and to those lives I touch.  Come on Jesus, that’s what I want for Christmas…a new me!!  

“No problem,” says Jesus, “All you have to do is to surrender your old you, and voila, presto chango… a new you!”

“That doesn’t sound too easy,” I said.

And Jesus answered, “It’s not, but I’ll be there to help you through it, if you’ll let me. You know,  you’ve  pretty much had the wheel so far in your life,  how’s that working out for you?...not so good? Let me be the driver behind the wheel of your life and let’s see where we can go and what we can do together.” 

“Well, that sounds pretty good to me,” I said, “I definitely want a new and improved me!”

“Oh the places you’ll go…” Jesus said, sounding a little like Dr. Seuss.

Gracious God,  here I am. Take my life and use it to your glory.  Help me to be an active participant in your kingdom, not simply a spectator.  Thank you for Jesus and for new life. Amen

The Shepherd

On the third Sunday of Advent we light The Shepherds’ Candle to remember that it was to humble shepherds that God sent his message of great news to all people. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  Jesus, who is sometimes called “The Great Shepherd,” was God incarnate; born that we might know the grace and true nature of God, and that we, through God’s grace, can have eternal life.

The twenty-third Psalm best describes the nature of our relationship with God: The Lord is my shepherd, I lack for nothing.

This Psalm is a love song to God, and Jesus is our guide to living a life enfolded in God’s love. Read it and indulge yourself in the beautiful language and the wonderfully comforting images and metaphors it contains.  God watches over us, giving us what we need; directing our path and steering us back to the path when we go wandering.

 
As we approach the day celebrating the birth of Jesus, let us surrender ourselves to the leading of the Good Shepherd.  Let us pray for God’s guidance and protective care. Let us give thanks for the blessings that God bestows on us.  We know that without God’s shepherding, we are a lost people.  We search for happiness and fulfillment in places where it cannot be found. “Gentle Shepherd come and lead us, for we need your tender care.”

Taking Stock

Advent is a good time for taking inventory of your life, both spiritually and physically, and then take steps to improve things. Is your lifestyle life-affirming, or self- destructive? Is your spiritual life superficial or are you in a deeply committed relationship with God?  

Isaiah 40:3-4 says to prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low, the uneven ground shall become level and the rough places, a plain.  As you look at your life, what can you do to smooth out the rough places and make everything more meaningful and therefore more rewarding for yourself?  Build upon your strengths and gifts and work on your shortcomings. Want a closer relationship with God?  Spend more time in the Word and in meditation. Become more active in your church and volunteer to do something for the kingdom. Are you giving to God’s work?  Could you do more?  If not, why not?  Our church is amazing. Think how much more we could do for the Kingdom of God if we had everyone’s support! And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.  [Isaiah 40:5]

Gracious God, move within me to enable me to become all that you have envisioned for me.  Help me to grow closer to you, and help me to become a true witness to your glory.

Amen