Zephaniah 3:14-20

“Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” vs. 14

For once something had gone well in Israel and the prophet encourages the people to sing for joy with all of their heart. Because they had acted against corruption and injustice they could be confident of the Lord’s presence among them. Zephaniah even says that the Lord will join their joyful singing…an image that stretches our minds. What an amazing celebration that must have been! Sometimes that sort of thing still happens. Often we’re told by pastors and prophets that we need to straighten up and repent of our self-indulgent living, and we struggle to obey. We despair of ever pleasing God with our words and actions. But occasionally we do get it right! We even surprise ourselves with our deeds of compassion and kindness…and it feels good. We find ourselves wanting to sing for joy and happily join in those songs of celebration…we might even be moved to dance! There’s a bit of that atmosphere in our communities as we move through the weeks of Advent. Certainly we’re hearing the songs…they’re everywhere, and some folks love to join in. It could even be that the Spirit who has sparked our benevolence will be providing the harmony for our carols and hymns of praise. And when the Spirit is our partner in song and dance, the celebration could last forever. Wouldn’t that be sweet!

Thought for the Day: What makes my spirit dance for joy?

 Luke 3:4-6

“as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ’The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”’”vs. 4

As the people of Israel prepared to return to Jerusalem from the years of captivity in Babylon the prophet Isaiah believed they would be led by the Lord in triumph. Every obstacle would be eliminated, every valley filled and every hill laid low. Luke remembered those words as he sought to make sense of John’s mission. In his estimation John wasn’t the messiah. He was the messenger or forerunner, the one who had been called to prepare the way. There’s an implication that Jesus could not even have begun his ministry without John having set the stage. In a sense that is so very true. Without John’s baptism Jesus would not have experienced his call! Those connections turn up frequently in our own experiences of faith and ministry. Most of us don’t come to faith on our own…we need other believers to prepare the way. Others water the ground and plant the seed, and we’re the ones who experience the harvest…and then we in turn prepare the way for others. Sometimes the interconnectedness is stunning…we never know who will be the one to open our eyes and connect all the faith dots. The most surprising people can have the greatest influence…and through them the Lord travels in triumph to bring salvation.

Thought for the Day: Who did God use to prepare my heart for faith?

Luke 3:1-3

“during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.” vs. 2

John wasn’t ordained…he wasn’t even a licensed preacher. He had no credentials or standing to set him apart…he didn’t even live in Jerusalem. He may have belonged to the mysterious party of renegades who had set up shop at Qumran…no one knows for sure. But at a particular time in an unlikely place the word of God had come to him…and he had responded. That happens sometimes…in the middle of life, with no warning at all, a word comes, and we’re convinced it has come from God. Sometimes it’s a word of judgment and before we know it we’re speaking against injustice, pointing out deeds and actions that need to be changed or reformed. Those words are important…they expose sin and violence against the oppressed. If we don’t speak them, perhaps no one will. At other moments the words will be gentle and kind, and we speak them to lift up broken hearts and heal wounded spirits. These too are important words…they offer compassion and love that come straight from the heart of God. To be the mouthpiece of God is a crucial calling, not one to be ignored, and silence is never an option for the faithful. For better or for worse that word from God demands to be spoken…and in the speaking the world is changed!

Thought for the Day: A time when the word of God came to me!

Philippians 1:9-11

“And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,” vss. 9-10

Contrary to what we might expect, the road to holiness does not consist of daily obedience to the revealed commandments of God. Paul rejects that kind of rigid legalism and insists that the most reliable guide to the blameless life is love. He prays, not that the Philippians would be more obedient, but that their choices would be guided by a love infused with knowledge and full insight. He knew that we live in a grey world, where not everything is black and white, a world in which it is not always clear what we should do in every circumstance. We know that too…we experience the ambiguity everyday as we try to sort out truth from falsehoods in every aspect of our lives. It’s just not easy to know who or what we should trust. The answer is not a careless licentiousness, a life-style in which we do whatever we please. Selfishness is never a good guide to right behavior. Rather our calling as followers of Jesus requires both study and loving action. Knowing what to do or say isn’t always readily apparent…it requires insight and a boatload of love. And love always gets the last word!

Thought for the Day: What tough decisions am I facing right now?

Philippians 1:3-8

“I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.” vs. 6

Paul was so proud of the congregation in Philippi. He hadn’t spent much time there but he’d obviously been effective in proclaiming the gospel…and the people had taken it to heart. Everything that he heard was positive and his letter to them is effusive in his praise. They had proven themselves to be a generous and loving community and Paul prays for their continued growth in holiness. His words are instructive for us. No matter who we are the Holy Spirit has been at work in our daily journey, constantly encouraging us in faith and strengthening us in service. We’re like a planted garden, constantly growing and maturing, regularly showing forth love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. That doesn’t mean that we can’t get off track and wander from the path of righteousness. We’re all too familiar with the way that can happen in this temptation-filled world of selfish consumption. The cultural demons are hard at work even in this Advent season to distort the purity of the Jesus message and obscure it with glitz and glamour. But the Spirit never deserts us and constantly encourages us to return to the good work that has begun among us. It really is a magnificent calling! In the midst of all the conflict and turmoil, we are the hope of the world!

Thought for the Day: What good work will I be doing today?

Luke 1:78-79

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” vss. 78-79

Jesus regularly arose early in the morning and went out to pray. And there on the hills that surround the Sea of Galilee he would watch the sun come up. It’s a magnificent sight and certainly must have lifted his spirits. Some of us know that feeling. Night can be hard when we’re going through tough times. The hours drag on and the darkness breeds despair and sadness. But then comes the dawn and when we see the first rays of light peep over the horizon the results are close to magical. Hope floods our hearts and life seems good again. Zechariah’s song reminds us that Jesus gives that same burst of joy to our dark and troubled world. It’s not only that he offers the promise of life in the presence of death, he actually becomes for us the one trustworthy guide to living the abundant life in the present. As we devote ourselves to walking in his Way we discover the amazing peace that comes through the tender mercies of our God. We even feel his presence in those dark times when the unthinkable becomes real and suffering brings tears. No wonder we like to decorate our homes and streets with lights in these dark weeks leading up to Christmas. They’re a powerful reminder that the dawn from on high has broken upon us.

Thought for the Day: My best sunrise ever!

Luke 1:68-75

“the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” vss. 73-75

Zechariah saw the birth of his son, John, as the fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to Abraham. It was a sign that Israel had not been forgotten, that God was finally acting to bring salvation. While Zechariah couldn’t have known how the rescue would be accomplished, he did know that John’s birth was the beginning of the story and not the end. The new freedom was to be used for service without fear. We know a bit more about that salvation story…it’s a part of our faith legacy. And we too have been called to serve, to live in holiness and righteousness through all of our days. For some people that seems a foreboding proposition…they have the notion that living in holiness means saying goodbye to having a good time. Those who try it discover it calls for discipline. Holiness just doesn’t happen while we’re wandering around. A good first step would be to identify a role model, preferably a joyful saint, and then do what they do. Progress will be slow…behavioral changes always take time…but the results will be gratifying. One day we will discover the joy that comes with selfless serving…and life will be a delight!

Thought for the Day: Who could be my role model in holy living?

Malachi 3:1-4

“he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.” vs. 3

When the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after their time of captivity in Babylon they began the hard work of rebuilding the temple…it wasn’t easy and took some time. When the construction was done, one thing remained…they needed uncorrupted priests and Levites to run the place. The prophet prays that the Lord would send a messenger to act as a refiner’s fire and purify those charged with offering sacrifices. It’s a story that has been repeated again and again in the history of God’s people. Just having warm-bodied persons to lead and participate in worship isn’t enough…what the Lord requires is holy hearts and hands. Consequently the Church has been in constant need of purification in every place and in every season. Advent provides the perfect setting for the meditation and repentance that brings holiness in our daily living. We’re reminded of messengers like John the Baptist who came announcing the coming of the kingdom and calling for change. Those with a yearning to live as God intends will use these days to reflect on the purity of their speech and actions…and boldly resolve to always speak the truth and do what is right.

Thought for the Day: What is the purpose of Advent?

Luke 21:29-36

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.” vss. 34-35

Jesus was talking about the much anticipated return of the Son of Man, an event eagerly awaited by his followers in the early days of the Church. They longed for an end to the pain and the suffering of those turbulent years and couldn’t wait for that Day to come. But there was still life to be lived! As they waited they continued in their jobs and went about their usual routines…and some began to live carelessly. Luke’s words were intended as a warning…if they weren’t careful that Day could take them by surprise. We tend not to take such warnings seriously. Two thousand years have passed and there has been no sign of the spectacular return pictured in scripture. Careless living has become endemic. So many give their lives over to sensual gratification or senseless accumulation and live as though there is no tomorrow. They imagine that they can delay aging and decrepitude with exercise and diet…and it’s not going to happen! Jesus was right. That Day will come and it will come to all who live on the face of the whole earth. What a blessing it is to be ever vigilant and live each day to its fullest! It is the way to abundant joy!

Thought for the Day: How does one live a vigilant life?

Luke 1:25-28

Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” vs. 28

When Luke wrote his gospel, the destruction of Jerusalem was fresh on his mind. It had been a horrible experience for both Jews and Christians. The Roman armies were brutal and they had completely destroyed the temple and killed thousands of Jewish defenders. For many of the faithful it was as though the end of the world had come and they had no idea what was coming next. The temple had been the center of their worship life for hundreds of years…it was as though their God had deserted them. Jesus had spoken of the future during his lifetime and Luke decided to write what his followers had remembered. Luke’s description matches the events that had just taken place but he directs his readers to consider those horrible times, not as an ending, but as a prelude to a glorious future. They had not been deserted by God! Indeed God had continued to watch over them and keep them safe…and soon their redemption would draw near. The armies of Rome had done their worst but God’s kingdom had survived. In fact long after Rome was destroyed the Church of Christ continued to grow and to prosper. We continue to cling to the promises of God in our uncertain times. We don’t know what calamities lie ahead, but we can be certain that in Christ there is refuge and hope.

Thought for the Day: What disasters are on the horizon in our world?