Luke 1:76-79

“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

Waiting is one of the central themes of Advent, and it’s what most people are doing right now. We’re waiting to see what happens next. Some have a sense of optimism. They think that the future is bright for America and that very soon greatness will be restored. Others are more pessimistic and have deep fears about coming calamities. But none are in control–all we can do is watch and wait. People of faith are neither optimists or pessimists, but they are hopeful. Like Zechariah they trust that the God of tender mercies is in control, and that a new day will break upon us, and that the light from on high will guide us in the way of peace. No matter how dark and foreboding it may seem, such believers know that the sun will rise again, and there will be a new day. That kind of trust is a rich and beautiful gift as we wait, and it allows us to greet each new day with joy and anticipation. We will expect to see glimpses of the Divine Presence as life unfolds around us. Perhaps a baby will be born, a couple will marry, or we’ll get a smile or a hug from a friend…and in those precious moments the darkness disappears. 

Thought for the Day: How will I find delight in this day?

Luke 1:68-75

“He has raised up a mighty saviour for us in the house of his servant David… that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” vss. 69, 71

Zechariah’s song of praise, as recounted by Luke, reflects the conviction of early disciples that the ministry of John the Baptizer was no accident of history, but was indicative of God’s continued care for the descendants of Abraham. The Jews had had some rough years. They’d been rounded up and deported, somehow survived and returned, and then were roughed up again by the Greeks and Romans. But through it all their prophets had urged them to keep on hoping, and that one day a saviour would come, and they would be rescued again. Well, that Savior did come and in him countless millions of people have found their salvation. But somehow there’s still a sense of uneasiness, as though all the good things that have happened could be snatched away. Some even worry that the days of deportation could return. Luke would understand our concerns. He too lived in a time of great turmoil and distress–but he also knew that the God of our ancestors will never desert us. We too have sons and daughters who will spark change in our world and who will work to restore its brokenness. And they won’t have to invent anything new–our Savior continues to be present–and in him our children will be the hope of the world.

Thought for the Day: How are our children bringing healing?

Malachi 3:1-4

“But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…” vs. 2 

True prophets, and Malachi was certainly one of them, have always had the sense that this good world is broken, and that something needed to happen to restore its goodness. For Malachi that something was nothing less than the coming of the Lord into the world. He believed that there would be a Messenger sent to prepare the way for that coming and that people would do well to pay attention. We’re familiar with that sort of prophetic talk. In some congregations such warnings are a regular part of nearly every sermon. One day soon the Lord is coming, and when the Lord comes there’s going to be a house-cleaning. Now that’s obviously a message that comes from scripture, but it’s often presented in a way that strikes fear in our hearts, rather than hope. For most ears it’s a word of law and condemnation, and we picture the Lord riding into town on a horse, guns blazing, and doing away with evil-doers. But what if the coming of the Lord is a grace moment, a time in which our sins are washed away and we are given a deep cleansing? That’s much more in line with the Jesus of the gospels and his message of restoration. And that’s a word of grace we can rally around through the whole of Advent.

Thought for the Day: How would I describe my cleansing?

Luke 21:34-36

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap.” vss. 34-35a

When the future is uncertain and we can’t be sure how world events are going to play out, feelings of fear are not unusual, and we can begin to wonder how our families are going to be affected. In those situations temptations abound and some people look for ways to dull anxiety and free their minds from worry. And of course the culture provides a myriad of distractions and a multitude of addictions. Jesus told his disciples to be on guard against those mind-numbing alternatives lest they miss the coming peaceable kingdom. We can easily apply his words to our day and say that he’s advising us to be mindful and not mindless as we move into our uncertain future. Advent is a good time to practice that kind of living as we count the days until Christmas. Instead of focusing on the terrors that seem to be on the way, perhaps it would be more beneficial to look for signs of the kingdom popping up in our congregations and neighborhoods. Since Christ is in our world we should expect to see signs of his presence every single day. We don’t have to follow the world into the deadends and rabbit holes of the internet. Love and joy are in our world to stay and, just when we’re losing hope, they come to pay us a visit!

Thought for the Day: Where do I look for consolation and peace?

Luke 21:25-33

“People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” vs. 26

During the last month or so it’s not been unusual for people to express concern about what is coming next for our world. Some would even say that we’re living in apocalyptic times. Nations are streamlining their supplies of atomic weapons and developing even more sophisticated means of delivering them. Incredible advances have been made in AI and even those involved in its development are expressing concerns about what could happen if advancements continue without controls. And even as climate scientists are raising alarms about the disasters that could occur if the temperatures continue to rise, folks in our congress don’t even act concerned. It seems that the potential of massive profits is driving most of our decisions. And most of us are powerless to do anything but wait to see what is going to happen. Are the doomsayers right? Or is the future bright for planet Earth? As Luke recounted the words of Jesus regarding an uncertain future, he urged his readers to hang on to hope. “The kingdom of God is near,” he said, and sought to bring them comfort. Perhaps it would be well for us to hang on to those words and hold them close as we move into the season of Advent. We don’t know what is going to happen! But as we wait and watch, there’s nothing to keep us from hoping.

Thought for the Day: What does Advent mean to me?

1 Thessalonians 3:5-13

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.” vs. 12

Black Friday is not a religious or a national holiday, yet most people, at least those not in retail businesses, have it off. We’ve got another day to spend with family members or have one of the best leftover meals ever. We might even spend part of today checking for internet bargains as we start working on our Christmas shopping lists. Now there’s nothing wrong with this. Prudent folks are always looking for bargains, and it gives joy to find a good buy. But an even better use of the day might be to meditate a bit on Paul’s wish for the Thessalonians. He’s writing to them after a long absence and giving thanks for their continued faithfulness to the gospel. He tells them that his strongest desire is that the Lord would make them increase and abound in love, not only for each other, but for all. We can disagree with a lot of things in Paul’s writings, but there’s no doubt that his teachings were steeped in love. He hadn’t met Jesus face to face, and never heard him speak, but by the power of the Spirit he knew that Jesus was all about love. And if any of us have any desire at all to walk in the way of Jesus, the very first step is to love God and neighbor. It’s a way to even make Black Friday holy!

Thought for the Day: What’s on my Black Friday shopping list?

Matthew 6:30-33

“But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” vs. 33

While the term “Black Friday” has been around for some time, occasionally with negative connotations, it swept into the nation’s consciousness with a vengeance during the 1980’s. Retailers have discovered that they can sell loads of merchandise by offering heavily discounted items in stores and on-line. While in the beginning the sales were offered only on the Friday after Thanksgiving, we can now get the deals over the entire 4 day holiday weekend. Black Friday has truly become a shopping frenzy! In some families the traditional Thanksgiving meal has lost its leisurely component as gluttony is threatened by greed in a full-scale battle of mortal sins. And Jesus tells us that all that hungering and thirsting is pointless for those who yearn to be his followers. He says that it’s the Gentiles who get all hot and bothered about stuffing their bellies and getting more stuff. Disciples, on the other hand, will strive first for the righteousness of the peaceable kingdom. They know that God will see that we get our daily bread, the things we need for daily living, and we don’t need to spend one second obsessing about the latest bargains and deals. And today’s a great day to settle back and give God thanks for all the stuff we already have!

Thought for the Day: How have I been affected by Black Friday?

Matthew 6:25-29

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” vs. 25

When Thanksgiving was established as a holiday in our country, it was intended to be an end of the year celebration during which participants could give thanks to God for the bounty of the harvest. Many times it was also a time for remembrance of the Pilgrims and the difficult time they had even surviving that first year in the Plymouth colony. Such times of thanksgiving are not unusual for the people of God. Jews and Christians alike have recognized that all good things come from our Creator and that we have a duty to regularly offer praise and thanks for all that has been given to us. Sadly, like many of our well-intentioned holidays, Thanksgiving has lost some of its original purpose. Nowadays we’re not so much interested in giving thanks as we are in gorging! We seem to have an obsession with food and seeing how much we can eat of turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, and all the fixings, including apple pie! In some families there might not even be a time for prayer, which would really be sad, since it’s the perfect opportunity to take at least a moment for family members to reflect on the goodness of God and the bounty of creation. And as Jesus said, life is certainly more than food!

Thought for the Day: For what will I be giving thanks tomorrow?

Psalm 25:1-10

“Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.” vs. 5

The psalmist didn’t have the convenience of artificial intelligence or social media, so when he wanted to know the truth he turned to the Lord. The question is, if we wanted to do the same thing, where would we go and what would we do? Would we pore over scripture? Since many of us have been taught to regard the bible as God’s word, that might appear to be our best option. But when we try that, we’re overwhelmed by all the different seemingly contradictory guidance. The bible has been used by people to support every kind of nonsense imaginable. There has to be a better way–and there is! The gospel of John teaches us that the Word of God, the Truth of God, became flesh in the person of Jesus. That means that his words and actions, his life, is the very best guide to the Way of the Lord. So if we’re interested in the truth of God, and we really do want direction for our lives, we can do no better than to turn to the clear message of Jesus. And what does that life look like? He summed it up clearly, “Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Everything Jesus said and did is tied to that basic teaching. There is no better guide to life than the way of unconditional love and sacrificial service!

Thought for the Day: Why did I decide to walk in the way of Jesus?

Jeremiah 33:14-16

“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” vs. 15

These days we have heard a lot of talk about the future of our country. Some are saying that as soon as the new cabinet is chosen and new people are in charge, justice will be executed and righteousness will fill the land. On the surface that sounds like what Jeremiah had in mind for Israel. Of course there’s one big difference. Jeremiah believed that the Lord would be the one in control, and in our country we’re putting our hope in politicians. You’d think we’d be smarter than that. Never in the history of any country has a new administration been responsible for the establishment of justice or the triumph of righteousness. It makes no difference what political party we’re talking about. And yet we keep hoping! We keep thinking there will be some new messiah who will solve all our problems and offer a path to a glorious future. And the truth is that this messiah has already come and his peaceable kingdom has already been established! All around the world faith communities are continuing his mission of love and mercy. The poor and the needy are being taken care of. The hungry are being fed. And sadly, politicians generally aren’t the ones doing his work. Thank God for the people of faith who are making a difference for good in our broken world.

Thought for the Day: Why do people put such trust in politicians?