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

ADVENT

This Sunday and Monday mark the first weekend in Advent — the four weeks before Christmas. Advent starts the church calendar with a season of preparation and anticipation. Advent is a time we prepare for the coming of the Messiah.   


We reflect on where we are in our spiritual journey and define those areas of our lives that could use some clean-up. An apt analogy is the way we go about preparing our homes for Christmas. Romans 13:11 tells us to wake up, for the time is drawing near; it is here and now. Spend some time this Advent doing a little soul-searching, and take an inventory of your spiritual life. What is keeping you from having a closer relationship with God?  Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing!

O Lord, search me and know me; show me the ways I can draw closer to you. Help me to increase my faith, love, and devotion to you. Amen

Who Do You Say I Am?

Cornerstone or stumbling block? It’s all in how you look at Jesus. Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith. It is in how you react to Him. Is he the Son of God, or simply a very good man who was a great teacher and philosopher? Who do you say He is?

People who believe in their heart of hearts that Jesus is the Son of God have Jesus as the cornerstone of their lives, and by following his teachings live lives that are based on solid ground…living not for themselves alone but watching out for others and for the common good. When hardships come, they can withstand the storms of life knowing that Jesus walks with them, and at the end, will take them home to be with Him forever. 

To people who don’t believe, Jesus is a stumbling block over which they will trip and fall. They believe that it’s enough to be a good person; that it’s unnecessary to surrender their lives to God’s will, that they can get to heaven under their own power.

They will meet that fate that has been planned for them. [1Peter 2:8b] Through Jesus Christ, God has called us out of darkness into wonderful light, and is building us, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. [1Peter 2:5] Praise the One who breaks the darkness!

Precious Jesus, be with us this day. Increase our faith in you and help us to trust you in all things, for you are the living cornerstone. Amen.

How Did He Do That?

Jesus fed more than five thousand people using the five loaves of bread and two fishes the apostles had with them.   This miracle is repeated many times in churches throughout the world. People bring their offerings to the church, and the church then uses them to nurture souls, educate the young, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, comfort the afflicted.  

What would have happened if the disciples had refused, and told Jesus they were not going to share because the food they had was barely enough to feed just them?  All those people would have gone hungry.   We bring our offerings in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us. By offering a portion of our resources, we are able step outside ourselves and touch the lives of others.  


Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens’ Christmas Carol was a character who cared only for his own bottom line.  We’re all familiar with how well that worked for him.  God doesn’t want us to be like Scrooge. God wants us to have a heart for others. If you are someone who is Scrooge-like when it comes to giving to God’s work, perhaps this is the year to turn things around. This Sunday we consecrate our promises of giving to our church. Why not step outside yourself and pledge to make a difference in the life of the church and the lives of others?

Gracious God, give me the courage to do what you’ve called  me to do, and help me do so with a willing and joyful heart.  Amen.

What Does God Require?

Everything we have comes from God and God wants us to respond with thanksgiving; God wants us to respond with praise; God wants us to respond with good works, and God wants us to respond with inward devotion.  We are called to be active members of the body of Christ, but we are also called to be a part of the soul of the body as well. 

Micah, the prophet, tells the Israelites that good works without a good heart means nothing to God.  God wants the inward sacrifice as well as the outward one.  Micah tells us that God wants us to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”  [Micah 6:8]  Combining those three things as well as living in a giving, and caring way is a recipe for a truly successful life: a life that is pleasing to God.

As Lutherans, we believe that we cannot earn our salvation, that it is a gift of grace freely given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus.  However, just because it is ours to claim, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t respond to this gift by sharing of our time, talent and resources, and nurturing our inner spirituality.  It is time well spent.

Gracious God, we are grateful for all of the blessings you’ve given us.  Help us to respond with willing and joyful hearts. Amen

To Everything There is a Season

Living in Minnesota, we get to experience four completely distinct seasons.   As one season gives way to the next, the landscape changes and the way we experience life changes.  There are seasons in our lives as well: infancy, childhood, youth, adulthood, middle age, and old age.  Through all the chances and changes of life, as believers, we are comforted by knowing that God walks with us through it all.

The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes in chapter three tells us that there is a season and a time for every matter (purpose) under heaven.  Read this chapter and realize that every life has the destiny for good times and for bad times:  “a time to be born, a time to die; a time to dance, a time to mourn; a time of love, a time of hate; a time of war, a time of peace….”   When we experience loss and hardship, we ask God, “Why is this happening to me?” And the response comes back, “To everything there is a season.”  We don’t know for sure if God has predetermined our lives, but we do know that “all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.” [ Romans 8:28]   so no matter what trials you are going through, know that God is there with you, through it all, and be comforted by the love, grace and mercy that is God.  

Holy God, stay by me this day and every day, through the good and through the bad, and help me to trust in you completely for all things.  Amen

Jonah and the Whale

The story of Jonah and the whale is probably one of the best known stories in the Bible.  God asked Jonah to do something and Jonah didn’t want to do it.  Jonah tried to escape from God and you know how well that went.  In the end Jonah did what God wanted and behold…it was good all around. When God speaks to us, it is in our best interest to listen and obey.

How do you listen to God’s voice?  How do you know that it’s God speaking to you?  The only way to listen to what anyone has to say is to be quiet and give that person your full attention.  The best way to do that is through daily devotion because the most common way God speaks to us through the Word. As you read, something in the reading will touch your heart.  That is the Holy Spirit bringing something to your attention that you need to hear. It might not happen every time, but it will happen often enough. After you’ve read, spend some time reflecting on the message.  In your prayer time, take some time to be silent…to listen.  God also speaks to us through music, through the beauty of nature, through the love of family and friends. How do you know what you experience is from God?  The message will be full of  grace, love, light and truth.

Gracious God, help me to spend time with you each day, and help me to listen to what you are saying to me. Amen.

Courage

We live in frightening times.  Not since the Great Depression has our economic situation been so perilous.  Terrorists threaten our country and almost every other country on earth, and it seems as though we are in the midst of a holy war.  God calls for us to be strong and courageous; trusting God in all things. The Bible is full of examples of people in dire straits, people who trusted in God and persevered.

When we are faced with uncertainty, it is important to turn to God’s Word for promises of reassurance. There we can find words of hope and comfort. We can find peace for our troubled hearts. God promises to walk in front of us, beside us, and behind us as we journey through life. We are not to bury our heads in the sand, but we are to move forward, confident our ultimate companion is with us. 

There is no promise that we will not encounter hardship, no promise of easy passage, only the simple promise that God knows us; that God has a plan for our life; that God loves us and that nothing we do can separate us from that love.

Gracious God, help me to feel your presence in my life. Help me to draw closer to you and to trust in you in all things. Amen

Who? Me?

God has put a calling upon your life. Most likely our first reaction is no, not me. I’m unworthy to be called by God. I don’t have the “right stuff.” If God can see the potential in you, why can’t you see it? When God calls you, trust that you do have what it takes to accomplish God’s purpose.  

When Israel was looking for a new king, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to see Jesse’s sons to choose the new king from among them. Seven of Jesse’s boys went before Samuel, and none of them were the one. Those that Samuel thought to be the best suited to be king were rejected. God said to Samuel, “the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." [1 Samuel 16:7]

What we take to be the model for success can be all outward appearance--all frosting and no cake. God looks at our “best heart.” God sees the potential in you and it’s up to you to trust that God will provide you with the tools you need to do the job.

Gracious God, give me the faith to move forward in your call, and equip me for service for the glory of your kingdom. Amen.

Choices

Today, it seems like the “still, small voice” of God is drowned out by our way of life. We are so busy trying to maneuver through our day that it is easy to lose sight of the truly important thing. We are all so busy trying to do our best, yet it seems that we can never do enough, and God becomes lost in the day- to-day static.  Are we prioritizing rightly?

In modern America, we are bombarded with choices. Just go to the market and pick any category: coffee, laundry soap, deodorant, shampoo… you name it and you can see that you have a lot of product to choose from. How about the choices on your television? There are hundreds of channels to choose from…a blessing and a curse. It’s the same with many things we deal with. How do we know which is the best choice?

After the death of Moses, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose this day whom you will serve.”  [Joshua 24:15]  We have the same choice to make: serve God or serve the world. This choice can be made as you go about your day. In the choices you make, ask yourself whom you are serving. Remember, you can be in the world, but not of the world.

Gracious God, guide my steps this day. May  you be a part of every word I say, and every choice I make. Amen.

Nothing's Impossible

When God told Abraham that Sarah would bear a son, Sarah laughed because she knew that she was too old to have a child. God made a promise to them, and Sarah thought she knew, better than God, what was possible. She didn’t know that with God, all things are possible. 

How often do we do the same? How often do we ourselves put limits on the power of God because we think we know, better than God, what we are capable of accomplishing?

On the Sea of Galilee, when the storm was rising and the disciples were afraid of drowning, Jesus said to them, “O ye of little faith, why are you so afraid?” The disciples knew they were in a perilous position, but they forgot who was with them. Though they had seen miracles happen through Jesus, they thought they were hopelessly lost. Jesus did the impossible and calmed the storm.

Whatever our situation, we need to trust in God to somehow make a way for us. Placing our lives in the hands of the One who loves us beyond measure gives us hope for the future. Investing fully in our faith can reap rewards beyond our ability to know. No matter what happens, because of Christ's sacrificial atonement for our sins, we know that we have the hope of a glorious future when our time on earth is over. 

Gracious God, help me to trust fully in your love for me. Help me to know that you are here and that with you, all things are possible.  Amen.

No Thanks God, I'll do it My Way

One of the most beautifully moving descriptions of who Jesus is can be found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. In the beginning was the Word, He was with God, and he was God. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. Jesus offers hope and direction for the lost, the broken, and the weary. Jesus is life and light to all who believe. 

We are an obstinate and head-strong people. If you’re of a certain age, you’ll remember the aspirin commercial that showed a frazzled headache sufferer snapping back at a parent trying to help:  “Mother please, I’d rather do it myself!”  How often do we feel the same way when it comes to our faith life?  “No thanks God, I’ll do it my way.” How has that worked out for you? Why do we resist God’s call when the surrender to God’s will is so sweet.  The answers to life’s perplexing problems can be found in the Word. Spend time each day in the Bible; find a time each day to worship God through prayer and meditation. Moving towards a closer relationship with God is as simple as establishing that simple routine. John goes on to say that the light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  Isn’t that what we need today?  A way to cut through all of the bad news of the day, the corruption we see in our society, the things that threaten to undo us?  Jesus is life, and Jesus gives light to everyone.

Gracious God, help me to draw closer to you through your Word. Increase my faith and my love for you and be with me as I go through my day. Amen

Wake up!

You know what time it is? It’s time to get up and get it together! That’s what Paul says to us Romans 13:11. We have the best intentions of getting closer to God, to walking the walk, and talking the talk, but we procrastinate. We’ll get to it when we’re not so busy. After the kids start school…after this project is finished, after..after…after.  Paul says do it right now. What are you waiting for?

Paul wants us to lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Set aside the world and grab a hold of God. This is a matter of primary focus. What are your priorities? Family? Work? Friends? Those are all important, but if you set God as your primary focus, you will be able to see that these things will be handled in a much better way, a way that is pleasing to God and those close to you. “Put on the Lord Jesus” Paul says and let Him guide you through your day, obeying God’s law of love in all things, for Paul says “the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. “(13:8)

  The night is far gone and the day is near, the time is now.  Take the step; make your move. 

God of Grace and Mercy, look kindly upon me, poor as I am,  and give me the desire to draw closer to you. Increase my faith and my love for you, and help me to live my life in the light of your love. Amen

Who Am I?

“Who Am I?” Is a question we ask ourselves from time to time. Some are blessed to know exactly who they are and where they are going, some are still searching their hearts and praying for God to show them their true path in life; asking the question:  “What does God want me to do? What is my calling?”

We are God’s children, adopted through the sacrament of baptism, redeemed by Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of God; we are heirs to the Kingdom. God has given us a great instruction book for living:  The Bible. In its pages, you’ll find answers and insight into what God has done for us and how we are to live our lives. In this Sunday’s sermon text, Romans 12:9-21, Paul gives us more than twenty directives, or bits of advice for living a godly life. God wants us to be faithful in our relationship with God and with others, and love is the guiding principal for all that we do. What is God calling you to do?  God is calling you to be who you are to the best of your ability. Thank goodness for grace, because without it, we wouldn’t stand a chance.

God of mercy, look with favor upon me, and through your Holy Spirit, help me to become the best me that I can be.  Amen.

My God is a Rock

Does your life seem to be in turmoil more often today than in the past?  Are you running your hardest just trying to keep up with the demands on your time?  Have you got your priorities straight?  As you go about your day, try to remember that God has called you by name and God’s mark is upon you. God has something wonderful in mind for you.

Be sure and take time to listen for God’s voice, and follow God’s lead.

There’s an old spiritual called My God Is a Rock in a Weary Land. The image of God as a rock is comforting to us. Rocks don’t change. They are solid; probably the most dependable things in creation. While we are weary from spinning our wheels, God, the Rock of Ages, is always there, ready to listen to us and ready to offer us comfort and support. Why we don’t rely more on God for our day to day stuff is a mystery. The helping hands of God are there for you. Spend a little more quality time with God, and you will find the strength and the stamina you need to go about your day. They road will not always be smooth, but you’ll feel assurance that all will be well.

Gracious God, look with favor upon me, and give me the assurance of your presence as I go about my day today.  Amen

Lord, Guide My Steps

Because God is holy, we are called to live lives that are holy, but how are we to do this? Sin is as much a part of our nature as is our desire to be good. Our task, as believers, is to not let sin overcome us. Jesus is our example, and if we try to live as he lived, and take his values for our own, we are on our way.

Psalm 119:105 tells us that God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. The psalm goes on to ask God to guide our steps so we will not be overcome by evil. [vs133]

So it is the Word of God that is to be our guide for controlling our behavior. “Lord, guide my steps” should be a constant prayer for us as we move through our day.  Will we ever reach perfection? No, of course not. Does that mean we shouldn’t try for it? No, of course not.  It is our goal, as Paul says, “our upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. [Phil: 3:14] God’s mercy and the sacrifice of Jesus are our saving graces. Nothing that we do can get us there, try as we may. But nothing we do can separate us from God’s love either.  Thanks be to God who gives us the victory.

God of tender mercy, guide my steps this day that I may not fall into sin. Amen

Weekly Devotional for August 7, 2011

Step out in Faith, that’s what the disciple Peter did on that stormy night on the Sea of Galilee. When he saw Jesus walking towards him on the water he shouted, “Command me to come to you,” and Jesus said “Come.” And so Peter left the boat and started towards Jesus, but fear of the wind overcame his faith and down he went. Note that it wasn’t the wind itself, but simply the fear of the wind that did him in. Matt. 14: 22-34

Another interesting part of this story, is that there were at least eleven other disciples in that boat, and what they were doing is called “playing it safe.”  They didn’t get much done, but,  at least they stayed dry. Ministry can be adventurous, messy and exciting, but it can also call you out of your comfort zone. You have to leave the boat sometimes to do what Jesus calls you to do. Remember that Peter’s name was Simon before he met Jesus, and Jesus renamed him Peter, the “Rock.”  You know how well rocks float?  Not so much, and Peter is the rock on which Jesus planted his church. Jesus chose Peter because of his great faith, his exuberant enthusiasm, and his love for Jesus. What would happen to the church if more disciples were like Peter than the ones that stayed in the boat?  

Gracious God, help me to be more like Peter in my life and in my faith. Let me cast aside fear and move forward in faith, love and devotion.  Amen. 

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