Comfort Ye, My People: 2020 Advent Devotional Guide

Advent Devotional Guide

COMFORT YE, MY PEOPLE

FIRST BAPTIST WAYNESBORO 2020

An Advent Devotional

COMFORT YE, MY PEOPLE FIRST BAPTIST WAYNESBORO

© 2020 All of these devotions are written by members of First Baptist Waynesboro and edited by the staff and used by permission.

First Baptist Church 301 S Wayne Ave Waynesboro, Virginia 22980 www.firstbaptistwboro.org

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR This year has been harder than any in my lifetime.

From government stay-athome orders to safer-athome, to businesses closing, small jobs suffering, our world, economy, families, schools, communities, and culture have all suffered a mighty blow. People all around the world are suffering.

So what word does God have for us in the midst of this COVID-Christmas? I believe the answer comes as the same word God gave to the Israelites to end the Babylonian Captivity: Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. To help us process the grief of this year, we have compiled devotions from members of First Baptist who tell stories, offer scripture, and reflect spiritually on how God still shows up today in the midst of our grief offering comfort. These devotions are timely, and we hope they enhance your Christmas Season this year.

Peace & Joy, Rev. J. Barrett Owen

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 MORNING WORSHIP

”Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

- Isaiah 64:8, NRSV

COMFORT AND HOPE The hope found, even in grief and despair, is the same hope we need this Christmas. We haven’t always lived up to our end of God’s covenant with us, but God is still the ‘potter, and we are the clay.’ Carrying this kind of hope in the midst of the darkness is what we need this Christmas.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 64:1-9 QUESTION OF THE WEEK What do we need to lay aside to live into the hope and transformation we find in Christ?

PRAYER OF HOPE O God, help us to have the eyes to see and ears to hear, perceiving your ongoing transformation of ourselves and our church. Amen.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30 RICK KANE

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1, NRSV When asked to write in this Advent Devotion, I couldn’t come up with just one example of how God comforted me throughout my life. I have several: • There was a time that he sent a dream when we were struggling with the disappointment that the grandparents blocking the adoption of an orphaned teenager.

• There was the time at HABITAT when God led me in the location of a paint brush in a rubbish pile allowing us to finish the project on time.

• There was the time that I struggled with the depression and he sent someone to my office wearing a lapel pen that just simply said God loves you. I knew it was God. • There was the time my wife Mary was diagnosed with Lupus and we didn’t know what that would mean, and God sent people into our lives to guide us.

• There were the many times that he sent lightning-quick answers to prayers said in times of crisis for a young lady who would become a “daughter” to us. Words of comfort which I passed along. Those words were God-sent.

• There was the time God woke me up in the middle of a deep sleep to tell me my son was in trouble and to pray as I never had before. I hit my knees praying and 45 seconds later the phone

rings and my son Michael was calling to tell me he had a car accident but was OK. • There was a time when I was struggling with whether I was doing the right thing, and he sent a dream which comforted me that I was doing what he wanted me to be doing.

• There was the time when I was watching my mother struggle breathing while she was on her deathbed, and I prayed for a peaceful transition for her. A minute later she took her last breath.

• There was a time of laughter with my dad just before he took his last breath.

• There’s the time when I met a troubled young man on a street corner who asked me, “Where do you find God?” There’s just been so many times to try to isolate just one time it’s too difficult because God has comforted me. Big crisis to small inconveniences, He has always been there to comfort me.

Life Question: Looking back on your life or just even today, how many times did you feel God’s presence? If you didn’t feel it, what is preventing it? Can you spare the five minutes of reflection?

Prayer: God, thank you for Your Presence, Your Holy Spirit and Your Son. Thank you for being there in the big and the little parts of my life. Let me feel your Presence, Your Peace and Your Comfort in every part of my life. As your child, allow me to be Your Servant.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 CARLA THOMAS

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11, NRSV If you know me well, you know I like to have lots of balls in the air. In fact, I thrive on being involved in my family, church and community. It brings me tremendous joy. This has not changed during COVID, but COVID has changed me.

COVID forced me, like all of us, to slow down. Taking one day at a time is not something I have ever fancied. I like to have a plan – months in advance. I prefer to have checklists, and I am not at all spontaneous.

Many times during the last 9 months my “perfect” plan has been anything but. In those moments, I turned to God and he reminded me that we are perfect and wonderfully made. Life is perfect (not always easy), just because we are all created and loved by God. I have asked God to help me enjoy the down time. There have been moments of thanksgiving – thankful for negative test result, a beautiful sunrise/sunset that I might have missed running here and there, or an evening at home.

In the midst of COVID there have been moments when I have had to ask for my heart to be softened. When under constant attack, I get tired and weary. Many times I have turned to God seeking to have the fruits of the spirit restored in my soul.

If you are like me, I encourage you to find a power song (“Gratitude� by Nichole Nordeman), scripture passage (Jeremiah 29:11), or prayer (Serenity Prayer) that centers you. Focus on the joy and peace around you provided by our loving God, especially when the chaos becomes overwhelming. Remember that God is always present, even when life seems to get out of control.

Life Question: When have you felt chaos in this world? How did you get through it?

Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 KATHRYN CARVER

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight.” - Proverbs 3:5 God has been my source of comfort during COVID by being my strength to lean on when I could not do it alone.

The upheaval of our lives from busy and full of plans came to a screeching halt when we were forced to isolate ourselves.

Sometimes when our lives are so full of places to go and people to see, it is easy to ignore struggles.

When we were forced to slow down, focusing on our “faults” was unavoidable. This year, I have struggled with Postpartum Anxiety and have always coped by filling my days with plans and people to mask what is going on in my head.

With COVID, this was no longer an option, and the anxiety became too much to hide.

Alongside this, the worry and panic caused by the spread of COVID and the fact that school was canceled led to the increase of anxiety and mental health issues in my children as well. It is alarming as a parent to have these struggles in our children and feel unable to know what to do in order to “fix” it.

God has provided me a way during this time, though. He has given me a church family who has followed alongside us

and loved us even when we are unable to be face-to-face and even when we have not felt lovable. God has paved a way for counseling through Valley Pastoral, which was mainly for my child, but ended up being an outlet for me too.

Trusting in God, and listening to his word, is very comforting, especially during seemingly impossible times.

Just as my love for my children shows no end, God has given me His strength and knowledge that He endures forever.

Life Question: Name a time when you have struggled with anxiety or mental health issues. What did this feel like for you? Make sure you praise God for getting you through it.

Prayer: God, I praise you, and I thank you for being a steadfast presence during such an uncertain time. When times are so unstable, you are ever enduring. Thank you for providing my family with a church family who is also enduring and loves us no matter what. Amen.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 DAVID COLLIER

“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” - Isaiah 43:1 I was 49 years old. I had the perfect family, a great career, the home of our dreams and life-long friends all together in our home community. Something was wrong. Life was never intended for us to feel so “comfortable” and content. We stayed up at night talking about why we felt spiritually that there was something not quite right in our lives.

We prayed and searched for answers. We sensed God was moving us out of our “comfort” zones. This led us to take action based on faith and leave our home town and family after 49 years, and move 300 miles away.

The move resulted in the resignation from both our successful careers which resulted in calls from people who were shocked at the news. They were calling to ask if it was true and what our reasons were. Our witness was simply that God was asking us to leave our comfort zone and grow in our Christian faith. This was our opportunity to share with everyone who asked that God is the reason and that is our testimony.

During this Christmas season, the message of Isaiah could point us in the direction of considering adversity in our lives, and perhaps how we could respond. We should consider how to listen in faith.

The chosen children of God had seen 100 years of trouble in Judah, the fall of their center of faith; Jerusalem, and 70 years of exile. Even among the adversity, God moved Isaiah to express his comfort to those living the turmoil.

Isaiah spoke words of comfort which included the coming of the suffering Servant, describing his death in great detail. In the message of encouragement, Isaiah provides a description of the new heaven and earth when God’s people will be completely restored.

COVID-19 has changed everyone’s world. It has presented much adversity. Just like Isaiah proclaimed thousands of years ago, God will bring comfort. It may not even arrive in our lives here on earth, but if we maintain our trust in Jesus Christ and believe in Him, then our comfort will be our reward in Heaven.

Life Question: How have you had to step out of your comfort zone? Wasn’t God waiting for you when you did?

Prayer: “It is the still, still voice that we seek. Knowing we will not be immune to adversity, we live in faith that you, our Father will walk this dark valley with us. We thank you for the strength and reward of your promise; Isaiah 43:1: “I have summoned you by name, you are mine.” Amen.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 MATTHEW GRANDPRE

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” - Romans 12:12, NRSV Sometimes, chaos in life can bring us closer to an understanding of God. Sometimes our most painful moments are those moments when we see past ourselves and into the life of someone else. Josh Groban said this perfectly in his song “Thankful” from his last Christmas album when he encouraged us to, “Look beyond ourselves. There’s so much sorrow. It’s up to us to be the change.”

That change in my life came in the form of a young college student named Sean. I met Sean in my third year of college when we were both going through painful experiences. We were both suffering from clinical depression, but Sean was also in a wheelchair.

I volunteered to push his wheelchair and guided Sean around campus that year. Helping him gave me a purpose when I was hurting deeply inside. I came to learn that Sean was born with Spina Bifida and extreme dyslexia. He had to work so much harder than anyone else to get lunch, pass classes, or even live independently. But even though we were both were struggling, it inspired me that Sean worked so hard to make music out of the chaos in his life. Before I transferred schools, I remember Sean’s mom giving me a CD of “Amazing Grace” that Sean had sung that Christmas at the children’s hospital.

Romans 12:12 are some of Paul’s most simple and profound words to the church. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” During this time in Paul’s life, he is on his third missionary journey, writing this from Corinth, as adversaries waited to attack him in the dark. In the face of chaos, Paul chose to focus on God’s will for his life.

Sean showed me this same hope and patience in the tribulation he was facing. On December 11th, 2010, I heard that Sean had passed away. After the news, I remember sitting in my apartment and listening to that song, “Amazing Grace” that Sean had sung 7 years before, and I realized that although Sean felt that he lacked purpose in this world, Sean had changed the life of at least one person. He had changed mine.

Life Question: Every one of us will go through painful experiences. How can we see through the pain to notice those hidden blessings God has put in our lives to help us get through it? How can we embrace adversity and become a positive impact on others because we understand what it is like to walk through the storm? As the song goes, you’ll “never walk alone” because God is always by your side.

Prayer: Pray for those around us who are in so much pain, that they can still see God’s perfect plan for their lives even in the midst of crisis. Pray for us to find God’s will in any time or season we are experiencing in our own lives. Thank God for the many blessings he puts in our lives and asks God to help us have eyes to see them and not take any moment for granted.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 BRUCE HENDERSON

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.�

Isaiah 40:1, NRSV The day was March 20th 1971, 4 days before my 12th birthday. My mother had suffered from chronic pain for years. The doctors treated her with no success and decided to send her to UVA. It took only a few days for them to diagnose the issue. They believed she had a heart blockage which restricted blood flow and caused the pain.

They decided to conduct a coronary angiogram. During the test she had a massive heart attack and died. If I ever needed the comfort of God it was then.

My mother always had a strong faith and she instilled in me that God would be there when I needed Him the most, and God was.

I was sitting that day and heard a phone ring and realized that an update was given on my mother, and it was not good news. Only, there was no call. It was God preparing me for the news and already offering His comfort.

The thing about comfort is that you have to take it, and I was too busy being brave. I spent twenty years being miserable because I never mourned, never asked why and never let God comfort me the way only God can. I began to

believe that I could never be loved and never be truly happy again. But God never gave up. He never quit loving me.

One of God’s greatest gifts was my wife and her family. It wasn’t long after we started dating that Marlaine’s grandmother died. She and her mother showed me how to grieve, how to mourn and how to ask why.

When I finally grieved my mother’s death, I felt God’s comfort, the same comfort He showed twenty years before.

God’s comfort is so real and so great. He healed a heart that was broken for twenty years and all it took was for me to let it in, to let God comfort and love me.

In this time of pandemic we need the comfort of God more than ever. Trust in the knowledge that His comfort and love is there, all we have to do is let it in.

Life Question: When has grief led to comfort for you? How willing were you to accept that comfort?

Prayer: Dear God, may we always be willing to accept the comfort and love you so freely give and let us lower the barricades in our lives that blocks that comfort.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 MORNING WORSHIP

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1, NRSV

COMFORT AND PEACE The comfort we need this Christmas is one of peace. We need peace of mind, peace of spirit, and peace on earth. We can rightfully assume this peace will not be contrived of by human hands. We need the peace that surpasses understanding. We need the peace of God that comes with God-sized comfort.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 40:1-11 QUESTION OF THE WEEK What does an empowered peace look like to you?

PRAYER OF PEACE God of peace, nurture our lives so that we may infuse our community, church, and family with your everlasting peace.

Amen.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 ANNE MOORE

“Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clary, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” - Isaiah 64:8, NRSV One of my favorite hymns has always been “Have Thine Own Way.” It goes like this: Have Thy Own Way, Lord, Have Thine Own Way Thou art the Potter, I am the clay Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still I have collected pottery for many years - – local, handmade pottery, pottery from other states and from other countries. Each piece is hand-made, signed, original and unique. It tells its own story of the local clay, the potter and the talent displayed in forming it.

I have always thought I was the clay and that God was trying to mold me into something better each day. The “waiting, yielded and still” part is a bit more of a challenge for me. Not being blessed with an abundance of patience, I

sometimes wanted God to work quicker in my life than he deemed necessary. It’s all part of being a Type A personality, but age also has convinced me that fast in anything is not always the best path.

The COVID virus has certainly stretched the patience of many and continues to do so. As this is being written, the COVID numbers are increasing. Many summer activities (i.e., gardening) that helped to fill our days will soon no longer be feasible.

So, the challenge now is how to find meaningful ways to move forward, realizing there will be times of angst and maybe even depression. Evenings that are longer and darker may also prove a challenge for some.

My solution is reaching out to others; making phone calls, writing notes and letters, sending cards and sharing on social media. Everyone can share in some way without physically touching or being in close contact with a person.

Like the pottery I collect, we are all unique and original and have special talents to share with others. I urge everyone to use their special talents and share with each other during this stressful and sometimes lonely time.

Life Question: Who can you reach out to today? What special talent do you have that can help someone who is waiting and yielding still?

Prayer: God of Peace, give us the patience to wait for you knowing you are the potter, and you are making something new. Amen.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 BARBARA MCCLUNG

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1, NRSV I can’t remember the number of times the Lord has provided the comfort I needed, whether it be through the loss of a loved one, a medical problem, or one of life’s situations.

My open heart surgery in 2019 brought to light the many ways that God provided the comfort and peace that I prayed for. My adventure started with God leading me to the competent doctors who tested and discovered my problem that eventually led to my surgery.

God was with my loving children as they supported and gave the comfort that their anxious mother needed. God’s comfort was felt in the love and support of my family, especially my sister, who changed her plans to help me.

God provided the comfort I needed through the nurses and aides who took care of my physical needs. God provided comfort through church staff, prayers, and friends who visited and sent get-well cards.

God’s comfort was felt through my time of healing. His loving arms were felt as he wrapped them around my tired body. Lastly, but equally as special, I felt God’s love and

comfort through a Black Lab mix with a mean bark and a protective personality, named Freddie.

Remember, God’s comfort comes in many ways. Stop and think of all the situations where God has brought you comfort. May we always seek and feel his love!

Life Question: Remember, God’s comfort comes in many ways. Stop and think of all the situations where God has brought you comfort. Which was the most meaningful for you?

Prayer: Thank you God for showing up and bringing comfort into my life. Help me see how I can be a presence of comfort for others. Amen.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 GAIL MANN

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, which, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:7 There she lay, her head totally wrapped in bandages except for the hole the allowed her to breathe and sip through a straw. Just hours earlier she found out that there had been a terrible accident, she had been thrown through the windshield, and Suzanne, her 18-month-old child was fine, but her husband, Al Beech, and their unborn child had both died.

Now she was asleep. Gil and I had just arrived from Virginia and sensing our presence, my twin sister Gwen groggily woke up, and eventually managed to say, “It’s too much. I’ve passed the ball to God. I am fine.” God had comforted her immediately.

The idea of “passing the ball to God” made perfect sense to our family of sports fans. Our family normally spent Sunday mornings in church, ate lunch, and spent Sunday afternoons playing whatever kind of “ball” was in season. So we understood perfectly what Gwen had said.

However, for avid ball players who always want to win.....especially when they are pretty darn sure that victory is possible, but only if they keep control of the ball…passing the ball to anyone can be difficult, even if it is God! Ready and waiting to catch the pass!

Although we liked to win, we knew, this time, we were about to tackle areas of doubt and pain in this situation that were way out of our League! We needed God to comfort our humbled hearts.

We were all devastated to the point that we quickly found ourselves “passing the ball” to God as we wept, questioned, fervently prayed, and searched the Scriptures for even the tiniest shred of understanding of comfort. And, sure enough, we eventually found comfort and peace.

We found peace in the countless acts of love and compassion from friends and family.

We found peace in the memories of all that we’d enjoyed and learned from Al and his family and still enjoy to this day for the blessings of nature each new season that brought delight to our senses, and comforted our weary souls.

We found peace in every ounce of understanding and courage and strength that God sent and continually sends our way We found peace from pastors that listened and helped us understand how God had been loving and teaching and comforting us all along, even when we insisted that we knew best how to “carry the ball.”

We found peace from wonderful hymns and all music that teaches us about Jesus and allows God to pour Truth Love and Faithfulness into the reservoir of our hearts.

And most of all, we found peace in the way God speaks his Love, and keeps working in our hearts through Scripture so that His Truths become more helpful, more true, more comforting, and more wonderful every single day.

Life Question: Where have you found God’s peace?

Prayer: Grant me the peace that surpasses understanding God. Amen.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10 CAROL FILLMORE

“Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, do not be far from me;” - Psalm 38:21, NRSV “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

- Deuteronomy 31:8, NRSV A challenging time in my life where I needed God’s comfort (and God showed up) was recently when I underwent replacement arthritis surgery for the third time in two years. Each time, leading up to surgery, I have encountered feelings of inability to cope with the thought of another surgery. Additionally, thinking of weeks of pain and physical therapy during recovery overwhelmed me with fear. Daily, and following surgery, I prayed, Loving God, I pray you will comfort me and renew my strength. Stay with me, don’t leave me. Amen.

I believe God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. But despite this promise, it still feels like, at times, he’s not there.

Throughout life, we can experience hard times that we didn’t think possible. We think, “Is God really with me?” Problems in life are normal; thinking that God is not with us is not normal.

In the midst of uncertainty and personal change, we need to know that God is, in fact, with us. His word stands true for eternity.

He will never leave nor forsake us.

Deep down, I know God is faithful. This is why I place my hope and confidence in him. After weeks of dedicated physical therapy, I now feel my strength is being restored which reminds me that life is a source of great lessons. This physical recovery has been a spiritual awakening for me that has reminded me (yet again) that God is working in my life.

I hope my thoughts have delivered a bit of light in understanding His great love for you too.

Life Question: God are you there? Are you with me? Maybe you are wondering if God is present in your pain. God wants us to turn to him when we need strength.

Prayer: God, thank you for always being there for me.

Thank you for bringing me hope thru even the tough times, strengthening my faith. Thank you for your mercy and grace.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 DOUG MARECHAL

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28, NRSV God has truly been our source of comfort during COVID by bringing us through it without serious and prolonged illness.

That’s right, my wife and I had COVID. We were exposed October 1 by visiting our son in South Carolina. He unknowingly had been exposed by two of his office staff, and about five days later, our symptoms arrived: Chills, low grade fever, body aches, cough, lack of smell or taste, and a complete loss of energy. God blessed us with mild symptoms, and we fully recovered by the end of October.

For many years, I have had an essential hand tremor which limits my ability to take communion, eat soup, button my shirts, and safely shave. I have managed this fairly well without meds. During the stress of COVID, though, my tremor got really bad. I could not even hold a glass to drink or feed myself. Bless Signe for coming to my help.

I was in total despair and could only turn to God for relief.

I normally pray for others but now I was begging God to come to me to give me help and relief. Signe, realizing my

dilemma, contacted our GP for any help. A new med was sent and with the first dose a miracle took place.

I can now easily feed myself. I can even eat soup, button shirts, safely shave, and many more. I know it was an answered prayer and a gift from God to receive this medicine.

During our sickness, we could only rest, read, and watch First Baptist and various other church ministries on tv. I turned to my Bible to further explore Romans 8-10 which have been the center of my men’s Bible Study. In those verses, Paul reminds us, “That in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Many more of Paul’s wonderful writings in these chapters helped us too.

While sick, I also reflected on my Christian faith and how I am striving to make Jesus Christ the center of my heart, mind, and soul. My wellness a month later is truly a gift from God and has made my faith even stronger. I don't wish this virus on anyone, but if you do get it, rely on God and our fine health care system and it should get you through it.

I know the health I’m currently experiencing is an answered prayer and truly a gift from God.

Life Question: What does an answered prayer look like to you?

Prayer: God of comfort and peace, give us the eyes to see how you continually intersect in our lives bringing peace that surpasses understanding.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 VELMA HANGER

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

- Matthew 11:28, NRSV On Thursday morning, November 14, 2019, I helped Raymond to the car to head to an eye appointment. I put him in the backseat and realized I left something in the house. I ran inside for just a second, and when I returned to the car, he had died.

I did not think I could live a day without Raymond. He was my rock, my best friend, and the counterpart to who I am in the world. Seeing him at peace sent me into chaos.

The days and months to follow were terribly hard. I cried in the mornings at the smell of his clothes hanging in the closet, when I looked in our children’s eyes, and in the evenings when I started to say something to him only to realize yet again that he wasn't there. Raymond was my everything, and now he was gone.

It has been a year since that terrible day, and I would just like to say, “I am still here, and I’m making it.” Every day brings discomfort and sadness, but it also brings hope, peace,

and joy. Thanks to my friends, family, and faith, I am finding new and renewed strength to keep going beyond where I thought I could.

So to the people in my life who keep showing up, offering me the comfort of their time, I want you to know that you have helped heal me. To my friends and family, thank you for being my comfort in the midst of chaos.

Losing a loved one is terrible. It rips out a piece of us that we never get back. But, over time, the piece of our heart that is lost, that space gets replaced and healed with the love of God, family, and friends.

Life Question: When have you felt like you cannot go another day? How did you find the strength to keep going?

Prayer: God, scripture reminds us that strength rises when we wait upon you. Help us to experience that strength. Give us the courage to wait upon your presence. Amen.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 MORNING WORSHIP

“Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’”

- Luke 1:38, NRSV

COMFORT AND JOY Sermon Overview Marys is comforted by an angel of the Lord telling her she will bear a son. She’s afraid at first, but then she internalizes the depth of what is being asked of her and finds deep in her soul . . . joy. The joy she has for the role she’s asked to play brings comfort to us all.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE Luke 1:26-38 QUESTION OF THE WEEK Where do you find joy in your life?

PRAYER OF JOY God of infinite joy, help me to find a way to bring joy to another person today. Amen.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 RICK KANE

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:25, NRSV My wife, Mary and I made a bucket list trip to New England in the Fall 2016. It was much needed get away after Mary's diagnosis of Lupus in June. We had somewhat adjusted to the news and felt we just needed to get back to living life. Our good friends, Dr. C. Alan Melton, current Executive Director of Valley Pastoral Counseling Center and Dr. Steven Scoggin, a former Executive Director of VPCC, both were instrumental in helping us cope with the transition.

The trip included a stay in Boston where we got up early to see the sunrise over the harbor and sightseeing. One of the most emotionally moving sites was the Holocaust Memorial Walk. It consisted of six glass towers with six million numbers etched in the glass surfaces so tiny it was hard to even make out the numbers. Steam rose from the metal grate floor. The walk between each tower was filled with various quotes of famous and infamous leaders and captives. It was very moving and reminded us how cruel life can be and how important our faith and our freedoms are.

We walked from there to across the street and up the stairs to the "Garden of Hope.” There we felt the Peace and Joy of God. The overwhelming gratitude for the blessings he has granted us each day. We felt the Hope and Joy of Life. We felt we can continue living a good life, coping and adjusting just as sails needing adjustment to the current winds. Most of all, we felt that HOPE and JOY is always there, hidden in the shadows of life. Just as CHRIST sometimes feels hidden, HOPE and JOY are always there, we just have to look into the deepest shadows.

Life Question: Where do you find JOY? Prayer: God of endless joy, help us to experience your love anew. Amen.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 REV. NOELLE OWEN

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” - John 1:5, NRSV For as long as I can remember, the holiday season has been my favorite time of the year. The decorations and lights bring cheer as the days get colder. We get to host parties and attend gatherings with friends and family. I celebrate my birthday around Thanksgiving and my son’s on Christmas. I can unabashedly engage my nostalgic streak with a myriad of traditions and reminisces of holidays past.

As I have gotten older, the magic of Christmas has not diminished. Rather, it’s become more meaningful as I see magic of the season reflected in my children’s eyes. I enjoy thinking of each friend and family member as I address Christmas cards and shop for gifts. I look forward to dressing up in Christmas outfits and singing carols at church. This season, though, the usual traditions are a bit different.

We are experiencing a different sort of holiday season this year, without the gatherings and the busting stores and the full calendars. The magic of Christmas is alive and well perhaps even more so – when the trappings of Christmas are stripped away.

I find comfort in clinging to the truths of this season: God is with us in our past, present, and future. God showed up over two thousand years ago in a baby who would grow up to change the world. God shows up in our own lives. God is going to show up again even when, especially when, the days are long and dark.

Life Question: What am I waiting for? How is God present in the midst of that waiting?

Prayer: Holy Lord, You give us the gift of your presence. In times of waiting, we can be comforted in the truth that you are good. Help our hearts to find solace in you. Amen.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16 SHERI HICKS

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

- Proverbs 3:5, NRSV Life does not always work out as we plan, but it always works out the way God knows is best for us.

I learned this important lesson with the birth of my daughter. Preston and I were so excited that we were going to have a baby. Everything went well until my eighth month check-up, when Dr. Talbert told me that the baby was breech and that if the baby didn’t turn, I would have to have a Caesarean section.

For the next month I prayed crying to God to turn the baby so that I could have a natural childbirth.

She didn’t turn, but what I thought was an unanswered prayer was a blessing. Our daughter was born with hip displacement, and if she had been born naturally, it would have been much worse. God

did answer our prayers! It just did not come in the way we planed.

The beautiful thing about God is that the more we need Him, the closer He is. I learned to trust in the Lord through this experience. Now when I pray, if I don’t get the answer I am hoping for, I know God has a better plan. This trust gives me a sense of joy and peace.

May God’s blessings bring you hope and peace this Christmas and in the years to come.

Life Question: What, in your life, did you think was an unanswered prayer that turned out to be better than you originally thought?

Prayer: God who knows what’s best, give us the peace of mind that helps us remember you are with us, even when we forget. Amen.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 DR. AND MRS. KENNETH STANLEY

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

- Philippians 4:13, NRSV On November 1, 1979, when I was an elementary school principal in Vance County, North Carolina, a teacher’s aide came to my office. She was crying and in tears. She told of taking her children and a grandchild out Trick-or-Treating the night before on Halloween when a tragic accident occurred.

Her grandchild ran across the street to the next house ahead of her children and was hit by a car resulting in a severe injury. Most of the bones in one of her legs were pulverized. She was rushed to Duke University Hospital. The doctors told her and the child’s parents that the shattered bones were unlikely to heal and would need to be removed and replaced with artificial bones, and these artificial bones would need to be replaced several times as the child grew to adulthood. The injured girl was a student in my school. She was scheduled for surgery a couple of days later that week.

I suggested bringing a couple of men from the men’s group of my church that night to her relative’s house for prayer with the parents and child. Later that evening, about 7pm, we arrived at the home. The father of the child left when he heard we were coming to their home. We prayed for

our Lord’s healing of the child’s injuries after asking the mother and girl if they thought that Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, could heal the child’s injuries after prayer.

They both agreed with the men I had brought with me to pray that our Lord Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, could and would heal the child, and afterward, we departed from the home.

The following morning, the child’s parents returned their daughter to Duke University Hospital in Durham for surgery.

After re-examining the child prior to surgery, the medical doctors at Duke saw some healing in the small girl’s leg bones that they had not seen during the first visit. The decided to hold off on surgery for a couple of weeks.

During that time, they saw further healing of the child’s injuries and finally decided not to operate. Later the small girl was dismissed from the hospital and sent home to heal.

She returned to school for her classes and lessons a couple months later, and before the end of the school year, her injured leg was completely healed and she was back to regular walking. She did not need any additional surgery after the prayers at her home some months earlier.

Praise God from who all blessings flow. The Holy Spirit was here in this situation when he was needed to provide help, healing, and comfort to this child and family.

Life Question: What unexplainable event have you witnessed or been a part of?

Payer: God of infinite possibility, give us the eyes to see where you are at work in the world and participate. Amen.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 DR. AND MRS. KENNETH STANLEY

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1, NRSV A chaotic time in my life where I needed God’s comfort (and God showed up) was September 25, 2020, followed by the month of October. I had adjourned to my back yard that morning to complete some yard work, including trimming the lawn and sawing down two small tress not needed any longer. Suddenly, it seemed I no longer had strength to complete any yard work and I suddenly had trouble breathing, even small breaths of air.

My condition became more serious overnight. By morning, I told my wife we needed to go see a doctor within the next hour because I could hardly breathe. We rushed to Fishersville to see my doctor, but he was busy with another patient and would not be able to see me for another week.

I told the nurses taking appointments that I needed to see a doctor within the hour. She said one doctor had just had a previous appointment to cancel, and I said I would see him.

Within ten minutes I was in his office.

I told him my symptoms. He immediately gave me an EKG test, then told me to wait in his office. Within minutes it

seemed a rescue squad and ambulance arrived at his office.

He told me to go with the rescue squad to the hospital.

Within ten minutes, I was checked into August Health then taken immediately to the operating room and put to sleep. Within an hour-and-a-half, I had an operation to install a heart pace-maker, then was checked into an overnight room at the hospital.

The following morning near lunchtime, I was dismissed to go home. Although I was weak at this time, I was able to breathe and dress myself and go home.

Over the next two weeks, I regained most of the essential functions I had previously lost, including regular energy levels and the ability to breathe fully and completely. I am no back to my usual functional level.

The Holy Spirit is my source of comfort and strength. He is always near and dependable to call up when I need HIS help. Our Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit have always proved to be dependable and available to call upon when needed and to provide comfort and strength.

Life Question: In what ways have you seen someone (or have been yourself) in need of medical care? Where did you experience God in the midst of that circumstance?

Prayer: God of great healing, we thank you for your provided comfort and strength in the midst of pain and illness. Amen.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 DR. AND MRS. KENNETH STANLEY

“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.” - John 1:12, NRSV It was August 1980, my wife and I relocated to Patrick County, Virginia, from North Carolina to assume new positions in public education; she as an elementary school teacher, and I to head the county-wide K-12 Special Education Program for handicapped and impaired youth, with placements and children services in all the county’s elementary, middle, and secondary schools.

During this time, not all Patrick County schools or educational programs were in full compliance with state of Virginia Educational Programs and Standards for handicapped youth. Over a period of ten years, 1980-1990, all these programs received state honors and recognition.

Day-to-day guidance regarding all these programs to help handicapped youth was provided, becoming stronger each year as principals and teachers became more accustomed to serving students with both regular and handicapped abilities and conditions, helped with a range of teachers hired and

entering the school system with more updated training in working with diverse student groups.

A combination of prayer and employees with a wider range of training and experience helped the total educational program and services to students. Prayer and the Holy Spirit provide the help and comfort continually as educational services were delivered to students, and teacher attitudes changed to favor students of all abilities. As our Lord’s sheep, it continued to be our duty to help, love, notice, and serve the “least of these.”

Life Question: When have you seen someone go above and beyond to serve the least of these?

Prayer: God who meets us out on the margins, grant us the patience and the willingness to help bring love and acceptance to all of God’s children. Amen.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 MORNING WORSHIP

”The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.” - Isaiah 61:1, NRSV

COMFORT AND LOVE Sermon Overview In one of the most famous Old Testament passages there is as well as the text Jesus chooses to quote when announcing his earthly ministry in Luke 4, we’re introduced to what the Love of God looks like. God’s love comes in the form of release.

The release God’s love brings rescues us from earthly and spiritual bondage, sickness, fear, enslavement, and hopelessness. Christmas offers the same comfort and love for us. Isaiah’s words ring true even today as we move closer and closer to Christmas.

SUNDAY SCRIPTURE Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 QUESTION OF THE WEEK What does it mean to be God’s Beloved?

PRAYER OF LOVE God of endless love, root me deeply in your love that I may bear the good news of belovedness to others in the world. Amen.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 REV. BARRETT OWEN

“Look, the young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” - Matthew 1:23, NRSV

I remember like it was yesterday. I was tired, kind of sick, and ready to be home. We’d just finished high school basketball practice, and I had gotten in my car and pulled to the end of the parking lot. I shuffled through radio stations before pulling out onto Kilgore Trace.

While looking down I started turning my wheel left slowly merging onto the road. I didn’t realize it at the time but I had turned too sharply and was rolling in the left lane. After finding my radio station, I looked up and laughed noticing I was in the wrong lane. I remember thinking, “What an idiot!

Luckily nobody ever travels down this road.”

And as if it were God’s intention for me to make this mistake, a car flies by in the right lane. My heart stops. I panic, pull the car over, and think how lucky I am not to be hurt or even worse.

I’ve never forgotten this story. I think about it from time to time when I pull onto country roads. Was God involved in me not paying attention? What would have happened if I had been driving carefully and in the right lane? Would the car have hit me? Would I have died?

I didn’t do anything to deserve being in the left lane that day – yet God intervened. Mary and Joseph didn’t do anything worth being picked to be the parents of Jesus – yet God intervened. We haven’t done anything to earn Jesus’ love – yet God intervenes every day, and we see this most clearly in the birth of Jesus.

In these rare, yet unforgettable, moments, we understand with a little more clarity what Emmanuel really means — “God with us.” We could paraphrase this by saying, “God intervenes.”

Life Question: What have you been given by God that you didn’t earn? How has it changed your life for the better?

Prayer: Everlasting Grace, thank you for intervening in our lives. Thank you for showing up. Help us understand the power of the Incarnation. Amen.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22 REV. BARRETT OWEN

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.” - Philippians 4:1, NRSV Once upon a time I was fired for something I preached. I was serving in Ecuador with a team for a Southern Baptist camp, and I was the camp pastor for the hundreds of kids who came from the USA for an international, mission experience.My job was to lead a mission group as well as preach nightly in worship. And I was fired.

Because of a lot of Baptist bureaucracy as well as a poorly developed theological assertion about scripture, I was put on an airplane and sent home. I was even told in a private meeting, sitting alone with the Baptist missionary, that I was “unfit for Christian ministry, and I should go home and rethink my calling.”

This is one of my most painful shock points, and it altered my trajectory and career forever. At the time, I was devastated. The camp that I grew up attending was now the camp that shunned me. I didn’t realize how dangerous I seemed to them for asking a different set of questions from the Bible than what they assumed. My faith was moving me

in a different direction, and I became a threat to the camp that hired me, so I was fired for it. The weeks and months following were haunting.

Now when I look back on this experience (which there’s a lot I’m not telling you and a lot that I’ve processed that I no longer feel like I need to share because it doesn’t have power over my emotions nor am I tethered to that institution anymore), I can gladly say I have since forgiven that institution as well as myself.

I’m definitely not mad. If anything, I’m thankful to that institution for helping me continue to discover deep truths about myself and to allow me to be free to continue growing beyond where they could take me.

Healing came for me because I didn’t repress these feelings. I spent time processing this pain in counseling, with professors, friends, and family. And thanks to a special mentor of mine who walked beside me, through my sorrow . . . I was able to find God amidst the pain. And what has come of this journey I now count as joy.

My sorrow led me to God. It was more painful and more humbling than than what I would have wanted, but what has proceeded from this sorrow I now count as joy.

Life Question: What difficult thing have you worked through emotionally and now see as joy?

Prayer: God of great joy, help us find you in the midst of our pain knowing you lead us out of it and not further into it.

Amen.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23 REV. BARRETT OWEN

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see —I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:” - Luke 2:10, NRSV New Testament scholars differ widely on almost every issue in the Bible except this one: shepherds are nobodies. They are the lowest of the working class and some of the most useless when it comes to agrarian sustainability. They are given the job of looking after animals that need very little supervision.

The skillset required is having sight and a little bit of gumption to keep the animals from getting agitated. A child could do this work properly. As a matter of fact, scholars believe this is exactly who was in the field the night the angels appeared—teenagers.

For heavenly beings to show up to children, and for scripture to give such real estate to these nobodies from nowhere, says something about what God is intending.

The birth of Jesus is not just for the priestly and the wealthy classes. Who is born this day in the city of David is a savior, a messiah, a lord, for all people . . . shepherds included.

I often imagine the fear of these young kids coupled with the awe they experience when the angel speaks. I imagine it changes their lives forever. I imagine the stories and tales they tell for the rest of their lives and the generations they impact because the God of the universe took time on a busy Christmas morning to bring good news even to them.

By the way, God still does this today. I have often felt like a nobody. My position and title in the community rarely makes me invisible, but at the same time, I have carried thoughts of insignificance and wondered, just as the shepherds did, if I am really even known by others.

Deep down I know people love me, but even deeper down, I’ve experienced several lonely nights wondering if anyone was truly there. These thoughts effect all of us. We all know the dark, lonely nights of watching after something that seems insignificant wondering if what we’re doing even matters to someone else.

And I can confidently say, each time I get to one of these low points, I’m brought back to reality by a jolt, a light, a reminder from the heavenly realm that I do matter. I do belong. And God comes to me even when it feels no one else does. And my faith believes this is true for you too.

Life Question: What does it mean for God to be for “all people”?

Prayer: Gracious God, Let us circumvent the barriers that we build and let us see that you are a God that shows no partiality—you are a God that is for everyone. Let us accept others as you accept us.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 REV. BARRETT OWEN

“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” Isaiah 40:1, NRSV Handel’s Messiah opens with these words: “Comfort ye, Comfort ye, My People, saith your God.” He’s quoting Isaiah 40:1-4 in the opening lines . . . and I think this matters.

Arguably one of the most impressive scores, musical pieces, and orchestra arrangements ever . . . especially at Christmas, Handel tells the story from Jesus’ birth to death. It is where we get pieces like the Hallelujah Chorus, and the whole work begins with “Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People, Saith Your God.” I wonder if Handel knew that these words are the opening lines to what scholars call Second Isaiah? Isaiah is written in three different time periods. First Isaiah was written during Assyrian rule in the 8th century and includes chapters 1-39. Second Isaiah opens in Isaiah 40 with the Babylonian Empire in full swing and goes through chapter 55. Third Isaiah is written during the Persian Rule with Cyrus the Great ending the Israelite Exile and goes to the end of the book.

I am guessing Handel did not know his words were the first words from God to the captive, exiled Israelites during the Babylonian reign. But this is just how the Spirit works.

Handel opens his score with Isaiah 40:1-4, and it hits us (the listeners) in the same way it does Israel — comfort in the midst of chaos.

I know we’re not held captive by foreign adversaries, but right now we are exiled from our normal rhythms and habits.

The coronavirus is still here. We’re still transmitting the disease on a global scale. We’re still in need of a God who says, “Comfort ye, my people.”

May we, this Christmas Eve, open our souls to hear God’s abiding words to us all: “Comfort, O comfort my people.”

These words might just capture the majesty and message of Christmas in its entirety for us this year.

Life Question: Where I have felt God this holiday season comforting me?

Prayer: God of all comfort, open my eyes to the majesty of this holiday season and your love for me. Amen.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

Š 2020 All of these devotions are written by members of First Baptist Waynesboro and edited by the staff and used by permission.

We are grateful for their reflections and spiritual guidance during this season of hope.

First Baptist Church 301 S Wayne Ave Waynesboro, Virginia 22980 www.firstbaptistwboro.org