1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26

“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and with the people.” vs. 26

In the early days of Israel, before there was even a king, the priesthood under Eli was enormously corrupt. According the ancient stories the priests, led by Eli’s sons, regularly profaned the sacrificial offerings. But at the height of the corruption a woman named Hannah had brought her only son, the one for whom she’d prayed with all her heart, and left him with Eli at Shiloh as a thank-offering to God. She then returned each year with a new little robe for her child…it’s a beautiful story of a mother’s sacrificial love. That little boy, Samuel, grew to maturity and became the first of the long line of prophets who were the salvation of Israel. It’s very likely Luke was thinking of him when, in describing the childhood of Jesus, he wrote, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.” It’s a reminder that the manifestation of God’s love in our world often begins with the birth of a child. We see those children in our worship services. They’re brought in the arms of loving parents and dedicated to the Lord’s work…and they grow up so quickly. Nurtured by love, touched by the Spirit, before our eyes they become adults…and more than that, it’s in them that we see hope for humanity. And all of us are blessed by their presence.

Thought for the Day: Children I know who bring hope to my heart.

Luke 2:8-20

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’” vs. 15

The shepherds in Luke’s story could have been content with hearing the good news from the angels and then going back to sleep. Instead Luke reports that they decided to go into Bethlehem and see the thing that had been made known to them. Last night and this morning worshippers all over the world have heard that same good news, and for many that experience will have been enough. “We’ve heard the good news,” they think to themselves, “and now it’s back to the routine.” It’s an understandable reaction, but hearing is only the first step on what could be the journey of a lifetime. It’s in the “going” that we experience the glory and grace of the new life that is ours in Christ Jesus. Christmas calls us to go with the gospel and transform the lives of hurting people with unselfish deeds of love and affection. St. Francis, who is widely credited with staging the first Nativity scene in 1223, prayed, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…where there is hatred let me sow love…” St Francis got it! He knew that there was more to Christmas than hearing the story. Like the shepherds he went with the gospel and in the process changed the world!

Thought with the Day: How can I change the world?

Luke 2:1-14

“Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.” vs. 4

When Luke decided to put together his account of Jesus’ life he must have been thrilled to find this little story of the birth in Bethlehem. It really was the missing link, the piece of evidence that linked Jesus of Nazareth to the messianic promise of old. Jesus had come from the house and family of the great king, David, and this was the story that proved it. But it was Luke’s masterful crafting of the story that gave it global appeal. He tells it so well: a poor couple’s journey to Bethlehem, a humble birth in a manger, shepherds watching their sheep, and then, capping it off, a chorus of angels! Year after year believers and non-believers come together by the millions to hear it read and sing the angels’ songs. Again and again we’re reminded that the Savior of the world was born in a humble stable in an obscure town and that working shepherds were the first to glimpse his glory. It’s a simple story that cuts across nationalistic boundaries and economic divides to provide a message of light in a world that battles darkness. As we hear the familiar words tonight we’ll be reminded of God’s love and receive the gift of hope. The Lord has come! Let heaven and nature sing!

Thought for the Day: What part of the Christmas story touches my heart?

Luke 1:43-45

“And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” vs. 43

Elizabeth’s reaction to Mary’s visit reveals a genuine humility that is often lacking in an age of entitlement. She had been privileged by God and it blew her mind. She was an ordinary woman with no claim to fame or glory and she didn’t deserve the honor that had come to her. There have continued to be moments like this in the lives of the faithful through the years. Most believers aren’t what might be called “spiritual giants.” They’ve done nothing to capture public attention but instead live out their lives in relative obscurity. But every once in a while they are visited by the Spirit of God in a way that blows their minds. It might be a brief encounter with another person or a quiet interlude in the course of a routine day, but in that instant their soul is filled with unmistakable joy. And then they wonder what they did to deserve the experience. Of course there isn’t anything special that they have done…it’s just something that happens in the course of a faithful humble life. God comes to visit and we are lifted up. The neat thing is that the visits are spontaneous and unprogrammed. They come when we least expect them and they never fail to lift our spirits. They are a vivid reminder that the meek and the humble are close to the heart of God.

Thought for the Day: A time when I’ve been surprised by the Spirit.

Luke 1:39-42

“And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’” vss. 41b-42

The scriptures report that Mary, though initially concerned about her son’s mission, became closely associated with his disciples after his death and resurrection. It even seems that by the time Luke wrote his gospel some had begun to recognize her special status among believers. As the centuries passed and stories of her immaculate conception gained official status people began to believe that she could be counted on to pray for sinners in the hour of their death. In our time many have learned to regularly pray “Hail Mary’s” as a special mantra along with their “Our Father’s.” While such practices are not for everyone they should not be disparaged. In fact they provide a powerful corrective to the notion that God has exclusively masculine attributes. Some even say that paying attention to Mary opens the way to an appreciation to of the feminine side of God. It’s certainly true that millions of Christians have found comfort and hope as they’ve turned to her in time of need. Elizabeth was right…Mary is blessed among women…and all of us have been blessed in our relationship with her son. And what would our Christmas celebration be like without the woman in blue sitting at the center of every manger scene? Jesus was fully human! He had a mother…and she deserves our recognition.

Thought for the Day: Why do some say that Mary was without sin?

Hebrews 10:7-10

“And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” vs. 10

There aren’t many people who even care that much about the arguments put forward by the writer of Hebrews. From their perspective all this talk about sanctification and sacrifice is speculative and boring and has little to do with life in the 21st century. And they have a point! The only people who show much interest in atonement theories are theologians and a few pastors still caught up in seminary-speak. Yet at one time these conversations were crucial…we probably wouldn’t even know about Jesus if folks hadn’t hammered out these ideas in the first century. They knew about the resurrection but they struggled to put it into words. After a time they began to understand what had happened in Jesus as a turning point in history, and came up with some important teachings. In their estimation sanctification was the best news ever…it means we don’t have to purify ourselves and we don’t have to try to be perfect. In fact, it’s impossible to be righteous! But God keeps on loving and makes it possible for us to live as holy people! This is an important truth, one worth hanging on to, and even if we don’t follow the philosophical arguments very well, it does feel good to know that God’s grace is never conditional or dependent on our own worthiness. In Christ our salvation is secure!

Thought for the Day: What does holiness feel like?

Hebrews 10:5-6

“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.’” vss. 5-6

The sacrificial system had been the centerpiece of worship for the people of Israel for centuries. It was a way for them to deal with the guilt and the power of sin. By offering the proper sacrifices people could receive the assurance of forgiveness. It’s important to remember that the system worked! But when the temple was destroyed, and sin remained, there was a problem. The writer of Hebrews believed the solution was to be found in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary. In his death sin was destroyed and there was no more need for sacrifices and offerings. And this new system also worked! The death of Jesus became for Christians a once-for-all event…by his blood believers found forgiveness and life. Whether or not we believe the logic laid out in Hebrews is really beside the point. The bottom line is that forgiveness comes by the grace of God…it’s a gift and doesn’t require payment from us. If we believe the good news we have what it offers, the complete remission of all of our sins. As we prepare for Christmas it’s good to keep this great truth in mind. In Christ our sins are wiped away! The sacrifice is complete!

Thought for the Day: Why is forgiveness important to me?

Psalm 80:4-7

“O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?” vs. 4

The psalmist was very aware of his people’s history. He’d heard the stories and committed them to memory. He knew they were a blessed and privileged people and that God had rescued them out of slavery and given them a fresh start and a new land. He also knew that they had messed up big time! Instead of doing justice and showing mercy they had been power hungry and arrogant even to the point of worshipping other gods…and now they were in trouble, besieged by enemies and on the verge of extinction. He believed in his heart that God was fed up with them and was even angry with their prayers for help. It’s easy to think that way about God when we’ve broken promises and made poor choices and are experiencing the consequences of a decadent lifestyle. Life can be pretty miserable sometimes and it’s not a stretch to think that God is angry with our prayers of desperation. We can even begin to think that we’ve fallen out of God’s graces. Of course that’s never the truth. It wasn’t for Israel and it isn’t for us. God’s love is unconditional and God’s mercy is never ending. Every one of us is a precious child of God and when we fall on hard times God continues to love us. And if we’re feeling unlovable, God loves us all the more.

Thought for the Day: Times when I’ve felt unlovable!

Psalm 80:1-3

“Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” vs. 3

When times got tough for the people of Israel they alway sent out a cry to God for help, and who can blame them? We do pretty much the same thing. When the situation is out of control and our future health or prosperity is threatened even agnostics will send up prayers for salvation. The phrase used by the psalmist, “let your face shine,” was a plea for God’s gracious intervention, a smile from on high. These same words are used in the benediction that closes worship in many of our churches Sunday after Sunday. We know from daily experience that smiles lift hearts and calm fears…even a smile from a stranger can be an inspiration on a rough day. What a blessing it is to get regular smiles from God, especially when we’re not feeling so good about ourselves and our prospects are dim!  It makes a big difference to know that the Lord of the Universe is on our side and wants us to know peace and wholeness. It’s not unusual during these days before Christmas to feel out of sorts. Some of us are facing the fruits of procrastination and we’re feeling pressure to get things done. Maybe today is the day to slow down and look for God’s shining face. It’ll show up in the most unexpected places and always our spirits will be refreshed. God really is a very present help in times of trouble.

Thought for the Day: Where have I seen God’s shining face?

Micah 5:2-5a

“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” vs. 2

During his ministry Jesus was known as a Galilean from the village of Nazareth…it’s where he and his family had lived. But after his death and resurrection stories of his birth in Bethlehem began to circulate and were picked up by the gospel writers, Matthew and Luke. The town had always been small and insignificant. Located just a few miles from Jerusalem, it was known as the birthplace of David, Israel’s greatest king. That was the probably the reason the prophet Micah made note of it. Writing a couple of hundred years after David he dreams of a day when the little town would bring forth a new ruler. Early Christians believed that his prophecy had come to pass in the person of Jesus and the connection was celebrated. It wasn’t long before the Shepherd’s Field and the Cave of the Nativity became pilgrimage sites and major churches were constructed for worship. In a couple of weeks those holy places in Bethlehem will again be crowded with people from all around the world who have come through checkpoints and walls to celebrate Jesus’ birth. While they worship most of us will have to be content with singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” It’s not the same as being there, but it is a vivid reminder of Jesus’ humanity…his origin is from of old, and he came to be our King.

Thought for the Day: What’s the definition of a holy place?