a weary world
rejoices
"
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. REVELATION 22:20
dear fellow canadian baptists ,
The Canadian Baptist Advent Reader has become an anticipated yearly tradition for me and my church. As a CBOQ pastor, I look forward to receiving the email announcing its arrival and quickly sign up to make sure I receive my new advent reading every morning. I am excited to share the news of its arrival with my congregation and know we will be blessed as we read the devotions together as a church family. It is such a blessing to know that we are part of a larger Baptist family that is also sharing in the same journey of waiting for the coming of Christ. Immanuel. God with us. My hope and prayer is that this Advent reader will also help you and your church family prepare yourself for the coming of our Lord, both the miracle of his Incarnation and preparing for his Second Coming. This Advent let us all respond to Jesus as John did. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.� Merry Christmas and God bless,
Wayne Melnechuk Acting Executive Minister, CBOQ Cheltenham Baptist Church, Caledon
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December 2
Relocation as Incarnation
Romans 12:15-18 Paride Taban is a fascinating and compelling figure in the African church today. Formerly a Sudanese bishop, he recently received the illustrious United Nations peace prize for promoting peace in South Sudan. Throughout his many years of service as the Bishop of Torit (1983-2004), Sudan was marred and afflicted by civil war. Bishop Taban found himself displaced and homeless as he worked among his people who were likewise displaced by the violence. Despite all these challenges, he remained a tireless advocate for peace. But when peace finally came to South Sudan, instead of seeking a position of leadership and authority, Taban retired and established a new community in Kuron called the Holy Spirit Peace Village. He dreamed of a community where tribal rivalries could be set aside so that peace, cooperation and mutual respect might be the rule. He relocated to Kuron and lived in a tent as he began to share his vision and invite people of good will to join him. Families from several different tribal groups and faiths have chosen to live in this community. It has become a model of what is possible. In commenting on the Holy Spirit Peace Village, the theologian Emmanuel Katongole wrote “What Taban is driving at—or better, what is driving Taban— is ecclesiology, a vision of what the church is called to be. That is why relocation is not simply about a change in geography or location but a theological category, an essential ecclesiological mark - indeed, the very mission of the church. The church exists for mission, to be a sign of God's saving presence among God's people. This presence is not abstract but is always concrete in a particular locality.” (Emmanuel Katongole. The Sacrifice of Africa: A Political Theology for Africa). As we reflect on the incarnation at Christmas, it is a time to consider God’s missional calling on the church to be an incarnational people, to set aside our status and privileges in order to live out a vision of the Kingdom which brings peace, reconciliation and hope. Whether you live in South Sudan or Southern Ontario, we are called to have the same mindset as Christ, who emptied himself for others. Jonathan Mills Immanuel Baptist Church, Toronto
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December 3
The Secret
John 1:14, Colossians 1:27 “Do you want to know a secret?” When I hear these words my heart races a little faster, I lean in closer and my insides jump because… who doesn’t want to be told a secret? Christmas is a time for secrets. The exchange of sideways glances and bubbling giggles are everywhere. People are bursting with joy to share their secrets as they wait in anticipation to present the gifts they have chosen. I recently found out that I am part of a local secret I thought everyone knew. Our church serves breakfast three mornings a week to the children at the public school. Breakfast is free with no strings attached—just smiles, hugs and Froot Loops. There isn’t a criterion to be met except a desire to eat. This breakfast club has been openly talked about and advertised inviting all kids. One day, a mother called and said, “The secret is out. My child has discovered that you serve breakfast and she has been coming. She eats at home. Can she still come?” It was the perfect opportunity for me to explain that breakfast isn’t supposed to be a secret. It is a meal for all kids and we want them to come and eat with us. We as a group of Jesus’ disciples simply want to love our neighbours by feeding them. We want them to see the invisible God in us by our actions. Just as God wanted all his children to know that he loved them, we also want all our community kids to know God loves them. God had a gift for the entire world—a secret—that his unconditional, lavish, faithful love was for all people. He waited and waited until he couldn’t keep it any longer. Throughout the centuries he had demonstrated his love over and over again, but somehow people understood this love to be for only a select few. Through the gift of his son Jesus, that first Christmas morning, God proclaimed his secret for the entire world to know. A baby who was fully human and fully divine was the invisible God made visible for us – a gift to be embraced. God leaned down to earth and said, “This is my Son – given to you in humble, sacrificial love. Please accept him. Believe that he is for you and trust him with your whole life.” The Word has come to earth and the secret is out. Glory revealed. For all people. Tracey Bagley First Baptist Church, Kingsville
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December 4
House of Cedar
1 Chronicles 17:6 A Prayer: Lord, give me the humility to know the difference between shepherding your people and building you a house of cedar. Search my intentions as I do both. Give me eyes to see your glory and beauty when the houses of cedar stand ever so tall around me. For you did not bring me out of Egypt only for me to be enslaved by magnificent structures. My heart is faint and requires the constant reminder of your still, small voice. My heart yearns for a focal point of worship and may you, my God, be at the centre of my devotion. For your compassion moves you to act as I wander about and yet you are the Immovable Rock I lean on. In this Advent season, regardless of the form of habitation we find ourselves in—be it a tent or a house of cedar—may your grace satisfy us and your presence be known; may our souls be filled with the expectancy of you. Let us rest with the full assurance that our hope is found in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is bigger than the tents and houses of cedar we built; who is bigger than our ability to shepherd others; who is the one to bear what we could never bear and called, and continues to call us to follow him. David Au Calvary Logos Baptist Church, Scarborough
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December 5
Peace with God
Romans 5:1-5 Peace with God. It’s something that we take for granted, isn’t it? But think of the world into which those words were spoken. The Jews were under the law—a harsh system of rules to follow that regulated everything from small things, like clothes and food, to big things, like the exclusion of disabled people, foreigners and women, who were never allowed into the inner courts of the temple. Countless animals were sacrificed in the hopes of atoning for mistakes, but even so… there were no guarantees. There was no measuring up to perfection. Worse still, some pagan religions of the time drove their devotees to sacrifice their own children in the hopes of appeasing their angry gods. This was fear of God, but not the awe, respect and adoration we normally think of. This was terror. And this is peace. We forget what it means, don’t we? Peace? It’s easy to lose sight of the sheer awesomeness of it. Our Creator is listening to us; his face is turned toward us; when we gather in his name, he is present. No blood. No fear. No death. No death at all, really, because all that was cast out by perfect love. And when we live in that love—when we absorb it into the marrow of our bones, we can face suffering. We can abide these “light and momentary troubles.” We have peace with God through Jesus. We have Jesus! We are imbued with the Holy Spirit. We will never be put to shame. It is good to have friends in high places.
Jacqueline Solomon Spring Garden Church, Toronto
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December 6
A Faithful Remnant Living Life Backwards
Malachi 3:14-20 The Old Testament is a constant cycle of sin and redemption, saturated with God’s extravagant love for a people that were constantly turning their backs on him. Resolute in their complacency, the Israelites saw faster, easier ways to get ahead without God, abandoning him for pride and idolatry. But God did not allow all of the descendants of Jacob to be consumed. A remnant gathered to worship and serve the God who had loved them through their sin, and God credited them with righteousness as they lived lives contrary to the ways of the world. This remnant lived life in a way that sought the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. They lived life focused upon God’s economy of love, mercy, grace and faith rather than the world’s economy built upon hatred, lust, anger and greed. Long before the Sermon on the Mount was preached by the very Saviour that would come to redeem humankind, these men and women were living lives that reflected the Beatitudes. They may have been poor in spirit, meek and persecuted, but God promised to remember them as they stored up treasures in heaven. When he wrote their names in a book of remembrance as those who feared the Lord and esteemed his Name, God also wrote their names in the Book of Life, promising to spare these, his children, when he comes to take them home as his treasured possession. The best part is that God still loves and saves the people who are living their lives “backwards” for the glory of his Name, despite their sin. By his grace, and in his righteousness our names can now be written in the Book of Life too.
Claire Hurlburt Queensway Baptist Church, Brantford
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December 7
Peace in the Storm
Luke 2:1-14 At Christmas, the kids in the children’s choir clambered over each other to get a role in the nativity play as an angel, especially the angel Gabriel. I remember acting out how tired Mary and Joseph must have been, finding no room to stay in after their long journey. But later, being given a simple grace of a stable and the wonders of the angels and the shepherds, they had peace and joy and rest. Even though it was nerve-wracking and we tripped and fell and made mistakes, our parents would congratulate us and look at us as if we were as precious as the angels that we acted as. With our parents by our sides, we had happy, peaceful and joyful Christmases. As we grew up, the pictures and the stories lost their glimmer and our Christmas holidays became busier and more stressful. Some years, Christmas day would be spent completing homework or attending stressful parties with people I didn’t know. One year, the holidays were spent filling out university applications. I spent the next couple of years away for university, coming home for brief visits and trying to catch up on as much sleep as possible. I spent over 12 hours each day due to my depression, and never remembered my medication. But when I woke up, my parents cooked food for me, handed me my medication, and let me sit in quiet and calm. There was peace on earth, and I was finally ready to welcome the peace back into my life, my family and my home. Victoria Huang Flow Without Bounds Ministries, Markham Markham Chinese Baptist Church
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December 8
Experiencing Joy
Isaiah 2:2-3 Today’s circumstances may not be creating feelings of joy for you. You may be discouraged and dismayed, hurried and harried, twisted and turned. You know the Bible repeatedly calls us to joy—in both the Old and New Testaments—but you think, “No. Not me. Not today. Not in this situation.” How wonderful it is when we recognize that our joy does not need to be based on the moment we’re living in or the conditions we’re facing. The Bible doesn’t tell us to rejoice about our current state of affairs but to simply rejoice. When we pause long enough to remember God’s promises, when we take a breath and turn our spiritual eyes to our eternal future, then we can experience joy because we know that God’s temple will one day rise high above the highest mountain and we who love and follow him will have everlasting fellowship with him there. Rejoice! Ann Margret Hovsepian Temple Baptist Church, Montreal
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December 9
Christmas Lights
John 15:4-6 Once there was a beautifully designed lamp crafted in a famous artist’s workshop. This desk lamp was admired for its elegant carving and painted surface. Sitting in the gallery, visitors poured out compliments and the lamp became proud. When the artist was ready to have the electrician light the lamp, the lamp refused, confident in its own beauty. Unable to shine, the lamp was quickly discarded. In our daily self-sufficiency, we miss out in our Creator’s original purpose and settle for an uninspired life. Had the lamp been restored by an electrician, it would have experienced the electrical surge running into his core, the warmth of this power source, and the immediate glow of its surrounding. This lamp would have been transformed from a decorative piece into a source of light. Jesus invites us today, “Remain in me.” He is the source of life – nourishing our soul with his living water and providing us with the essential nutrients to help us grow spiritually. As our reading reveals, Jesus is the vine with roots deeply attached to the soil. The branch is dependent on the vine to survive. Severed from the vine, in time, the branch experiences hunger, desperation and eventually death. This Christmas, let us remain in Christ, the source of our light.
Pastor Karen Wong Montreal City Baptist Church
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December 10
Bearers of Hope
Isaiah 42:3-5 In life it is common to hear messages like "be strong," "claim your rightful power," or as the famous song goes, "the only way to the top is looking out for number one." We connect wealth, power, and strength with security and hope. Yet in this ancient reading Isaiah prophesies about the ministry of one to come. His ministry is in stark contrast to many of our 21st century ideals. He is a king who will not seek human power, rather, he will minister as a servant. Jesus took on human form and as he ministered he brought the restoration of God's right order into the world... and he is still doing the same! Our world sometimes feels dark, but in Jesus we find a deep and abiding hope—hope for those who are feeling hopeless, healing for those who are sick and justice for the oppressed. The great news is that we are called to be part of his ministry and to humbly join the act of restoring God's order by being bearers of hope and justice wherever we go. Leslie Makins Mount Hamilton Baptist Church
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December 11
Building the Temple
1 chronicles 29:10-11 the temple is not for man but for the LORD GOD and it will be great!
our wealth, honour, strength, power come from You we praise Your glorious Name
to build the temple, as king I give our nation’s treasures gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, marble, fine and precious stones— with whole heart and joy
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom: time, greatness, power, glory victory and majesty in heaven, on earth— You are all in all
over and above I give personal wealth fine gold and silver in hundreds of tons with whole heart and joy— who will match these gifts?
You test our hearts claim them for Your throne keep us faithful-we thank You, LORD
chiefs, princes, captains, rulers give gold, silver, bronze, iron with whole hearts and joy the people give precious stones with whole hearts and joy O LORD, who am I? who are my people? we give what comes from Your hand we are strangers and trekkers our days are shadows You own all, rule all
J. E. Buttery, CBOQ Green Ridge Baptist Church, Lennoxville, QC 13
December 12
Scattered Sheep
2 peter 1:3-7 Our Christmas Eve service last year saw several children in costumes presenting, in a fresh way, the story of Jesus, born as a baby in Bethlehem. At the end, when leaving the front, a number of those who were sheep were scrambling around the platform in all directions and the shepherds were rounding them up. Each year during Advent, we can recognize again the significance of what God accomplished by sending Jesus Christ into our world. As II Peter 1:3 maintains, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” All of us, like the scattered sheep, have a tendency to run around in all directions. It is only as we receive the divine power of God that, “in Christ,” we are rounded up and find our purpose, our calling. We are given “everything we need” to access and to live the surrendered lives God promises and intends for us. Prayer: Thank you grace-filled God that you have arranged for us to be rounded up by our loving Shepherd, your son Jesus Christ
Rev. Lola Mather-Dyer, CBOQ Springford Baptist Church
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December 13
A Covenant of Peace
Ezekiel 37:26-28 What a wonderful gift! A covenant of peace between God and man to have a sanctuary for evermore. A covenant to be His people, loved, interceded for by Jesus and guided by the indwelling Spirit. Peace is a product of reconciliation—reconciliation with God first—opening the door for reconciliation with our fellow man. Knowing the greatest PeaceGiver permits us to become true peacemakers, making peace on earth. The gift of Christmas is the only hope for peace in our souls and therefore extends to the world another covenant between us and our fellow man to the glory of God the Father. Prayer: Thank you Lord for this covenant of peace between you and those who so choose to stop their hostilities with you, forsaking worldly temptations, in order to accept your gift of peace in the birth of a Saviour, Jesus Christ. We thank you for revealing yourself to us, that we may strive to put aside the fruits of our human nature and concentrate on producing the fruits of your Spirit. With your abundant grace and might, free us from the sin that hinders our faith, that we may receive your promises. Stir our hearts, Lord, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming, nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace. Amen. Margaret Bellamy Tincombe Kipling Baptist Church
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December 14
All Nations Blessed
Luke 2:28-38 This story of Jesus Christ, our Saviour in the Temple, is like a summary of a story you are about to enjoy. It reminds me of precious moments captured forever in a child’s baby book. This infant inspires Simeon, who understands that the baby held in his arms will reveal the innermost motives. What an accurate prediction! People conceal thoughts and emotions. Simeon foresees the day when “all nations” will be blessed with peace because of God’s “salvation”. Jerusalem, downtrodden by Roman soldiers and governed by cranky, selfish kings and governors, could not be imagined as a source of salvation … to anyone! His words, “a light for the revelation to the Gentiles”, speak of God’s world-wide Kingdom, about to be revealed. What great expectations! Anna, daughter of Penuel, rejoiced in “the redemption of Jerusalem”: God’s plan is to bring back his city’s people to Himself. All around Simeon and Anna is the hustle and bustle of people entering and leaving the Temple, perhaps like Christmas shoppers rushing about today. Yet, in the presence of this Divine Child, they have peace and tranquility, freedom, peace and hope. The earliest glimpse we have of our Saviour shows him about to bring in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Rev. David and Cathie Phillips Heron Park Baptist Church, Scarborough
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December 15
What's in it for me?
Mark 14:72 What a wonderful gift! What’s in it for me? This question can creep in when I’m about to make a decision or commitment. How much does this assignment pay? What will I have to give up if I take on that responsibility at church? How will responding to that friend’s needs drain me? How difficult will it be to make that change in my life? These are normal questions and yet they work against the transformation God wants to bring about in my soul. He wants to make me more like him and that means replacing my selfishness and pride with the kind of love that does not wait for the other person to somehow earn it. One way to keep God’s commands is to choose to love at any cost, just as Jesus Christ did when He gave up the glory of heaven to walk on this earth and then gave up His life to give us eternal life. A better question to ask is: Who am I in Christ? If I am God’s child, made in his image and called to obey him, then I must love those he brings into my life, whether or not there is ultimately any benefit to me. With Christ living in me, that burden becomes a privilege!
Ann Margret Hovsepian Temple Baptist Church, Montreal
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December 16
The Zeal of the Lord
Isaiah 9:6-7 Mary sings, “from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:48-49, ESV). Let all the people call you blessed for to you, a son is given who establishes a kingdom of peace, justice, and righteousness. How absurd and awesome it is that your life will never be the same because of a child! Meditate on how it is the zeal of the Lord alone that chose once—and continues to choose every day—to restore you from overwhelming darkness to light. The same creative power that hovered over the face of the deep bestowed upon an exiled people hope. It seems so much easier to brace myself for disappointment than it is for me to hope. We close our eyes to shield ourselves from the blinding darkness around us. We pinch our noses tightly so that we do not drown in our loneliness. Enslaved to our isolation and embittered by our circumstances, we cower away from the threat of hope. Indeed, we are a despondent and exiled people. And yet, this evening we remember that the child born to us is our Everlasting Father, the Mighty God giving himself to us as our Wonderful Counsellor that we may have peace from this time forth and forevermore. "The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this" – Isaiah 9:7b
Grace John Montreal Chinese Baptist Church
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December 17
All Shall be Well
1 Corinthians 2:8-10 I pity the Romans. In Abraham Maslow’s words: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” And the Jews were little different. At least, the ones in power. And there’s the dividing line. The powers that be rarely seem to get it. And when there are glimmers of truth, they are quick to deny them, or find a way to snuff them out. It’s the small ones, the ones with nothing to lose, who seem to get it. And so there is a wisdom of God in “good news to the poor.” The Spirit of truth prefers a humble house. Are we small enough to receive? Are we small enough to be loved? It takes simplicity of spirit to enter the kingdom. The waiting is worth it. And so, as Dame Julian of Norwich put it, “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” God comes to us in weakness and vulnerability. That’s the way of love. Like lightning to the children eased With explanation kind, The truth must dazzle gradually, Or every man be blind. – Emily Dickinson
Len Hjalmarson, First Baptist Church, Thunder Bay
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December 18
Transcendent Joy
Luke 1:39-45 Two women. Two pregnancies. Both unexpected. Mary, unwed and pregnant, may have wondered how she would be received by her cousin Elizabeth. But when Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, she recognizes the Messiah in Mary’s womb and exclaims in joy. The baby in her womb leaps for joy and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Both women rejoice with the anticipation of God’s promise to give a saviour. Even Elizabeth’s baby recognizes the indwelling presence of the Messiah. Joy is found in the presence of God, not in life’s circumstances. I have marvelled at the joy and resilience of people in desperate circumstances who still sing and dance for joy in the Lord’s presence: women victims of the war in the Congo who have lived through unspeakable trauma; people in the poorest slums in Nairobi who gather in churches to sing and worship with great joy, confident that God is present even in their dire circumstances. I marvel because I am not sure I could be that strong, or that happy. But joy in the midst of circumstances transcends happiness. Joy doesn’t have much to do with what is going on, whether it is health, grief, finances, war, or possessions. The only condition for joy is recognizing the presence of God; a by-product of living in that presence. Do we recognize the Messiah among us?
Brenda Halk Strategic Associate, CBM
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December 19
Waiting with Joy
Luke 2:10 Can we wait with joy? Have you ever had to wait in line to pay for something in a store? Waiting in line can be so frustrating. Anyone shopping, particularly at Christmas time, may find themselves praying for discernment before choosing which line to join at the checkout. The truth is we don’t like to wait for anything. When we have instant access to food, news, travel and conversation; waiting can feel like a delay on our happiness. Therefore, giving time to celebrate Advent and what it means to wait is definitely not something that sits well in a world that demands instant happiness. It is for this reason that I’m glad that when the angel appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:10) it was not to let them know that the good news would bring them great happiness. Why? Because happiness is based on happenstance. It is predicated on what is happening to us. Some people will never be happy, because they are waiting for something to happen to them to make them happy and contentment may always be out of reach. Take a look again at what the angel actually says; ‘I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people.’ Joy is strikingly different to happiness. Joy is not based on circumstances but on something that is occurring within us. It is one of the evidences (Galatians 5:22) that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. No wonder we are exhorted to ‘count it all as joy’ (James 1:2) because we are growing in harmony with Spirit-inspired joy. As we wait expectantly this advent season, let us do so embracing the good news with great joy.
Cid Latty Congregational Development Associate, CBOQ
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December 20
How can I be sure this will happen?
Luke 1:18, 34 Both Zechariah and Mary ask this question of the angel sent to usher them into the unfolding of God’s plan to woo and redeem his people. Joseph probably considered some variation of the question. It’s interesting that their questions precipitate or bracket a season of fasting. Zechariah fasts from speaking after he asks the question; silenced until his son is born. Elizabeth, his wife, goes into seclusion for five months after becoming pregnant—she fasts from community and companionship. Mary and Joseph fast from marital relations until Jesus is born. Anna recognizes the baby boy Joseph and Mary present at the Temple. Anna’s old now—84, a widow who’d never left the Temple, day and night, worshipping God with fasting and prayer. She recognizes that baby as Jesus—the Messiah. Fasting is a key part of the Christmas narrative. Theologian Scot McKnight posits that fasting is our whole-body, natural response to life’s sacred moments— moments that will change the course of our history; moments that lead us to ask, “How can this happen? How can we be sure?”; moments that lead us to wait in expectancy before God himself… because we know the answers to our questions will bring spiritual transformation deeper than anything we’ve ever experienced. This Advent, may fasting be one of our responses to that sacred moment of Jesus’ birth 2,000 years ago. We cannot recognize, far less receive, the compassionate freedom that His birth signified unless we prepare ourselves to do so. Renee James Communications Director, CBWOQ
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December 21
How low can you go?
Philippians 2:5-7 "How low can you go? How low can you go?" These words usually accompany a limbo pole as participants try to get closer to the ground while passing under the pole without upsetting it. The limbo is not a traditional Christmas dance‌ but maybe it should be. Philippians 2 is a powerful hymn that describes the process of Jesus laying down any right he had to power to be born as a human baby. Christmas has many traditions and moments connected to it as we stop to celebrate the birth of Jesus with friends and family. These moments can be beautiful as they seek to worship a God who would entrust himself with his creation. The beauty of these moments can cause us to lose sight of the true magnificence of the season. Jesus came to earth not dressed in the exaltation that he deserved. Instead, he came to earth to get low down to his creation. How low did he go? Low enough to be the saviour of those who do not have friends and family to celebrate with. How low did he go? Even lower. Low enough to meet those who have been forgotten and cast out of society. How low did he go? Lower still. Low enough to see eye to eye with those who are enslaved in this world. How low did Jesus go? As low as the earth needed him to in order to set it free and transform it. Karen Lowe Clergy Care Associate, CBOQ
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December 22
Liked by God
1 Timothy 1:15 Perhaps, like me, you know that God desires to be at the centre of our lives. Yet, it is easy for me to think that I am not good enough to be in God’s presence. True, I know that God loves me. I read it in the pages of the Bible. I hear it from my pastor. I sing about it in church and hum along the songs from my CDs. However, to think that God likes me? That is a different story. The Accuser is good at pointing fingers at my inadequacies. He constantly reminds me how weak my commitment is in following God. Can I possibly be good enough for God to like me? The words of Paul to Timothy sting me. Yes, God does like me. That is why the first Christmas happened. He came through Jesus to save me from the Accuser. I have come to realise that to believe the Accuser’s words is sinful. It creates a gap between God and me. This leads me to believe that Jesus did not really come to save me, a sinner. Christmas and Easter tell me otherwise. God not only loves me. He likes me. Why else would he have given his throne in heaven and come to die for me? As you journey though Advent, remember this: Jesus loves you. He even likes you!
Marc Potvin Pastoral Leaders Development Associate, CBOQ
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December 23
Bethlehem Star
Matthew 2:9-10 Star gazing on a crisp, clear autumn night, for me, is very special. It often reminds me of the chorus from a favourite carol: "O star of wonder, star of light, Star of royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light." We read in Matthew 2: 9-10 how the Magi “went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” During this time of expectant, reflective waiting, I encourage you to prayerfully consider the power that the coming child, the Light that leads us, can have in our lives. For he goes ahead of us to guide us, just as the Bethlehem Star brought the Magi to a place bathed in the light of God’s love. Do you have the conviction of the Magi to set out on a journey whose specific destination is unknown? Are you willing to follow the light of God’s love to places yet seen, to adventures unimagined, to people not yet known? Imagine how your life might change if you truly aligned yourself with his light in 2019. Please join your Canadian Baptist brothers and sisters as we undertake this glorious faith journey together, surrounded in the beautiful, bright light of his love.
Cheryl Peck, Past President of CBWOQ Lakefield Baptist Church
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December 24
God With Us
Matthew 1:23 Christmas is a season where we celebrate family and friends with presents and a generous amount of food. These are all gifts from God but we must not forget that we are being invited into a larger story. God with us is the central theme of the story. We could easily look at the whole Bible through the lens: God with us. God created this world and decided to live with us. In our sin, God no longer lives with us. It is the saddest day in history! The Lord established a nation by which the primary identifier of this community is that God is with them. God is traveling with them in the wilderness. God resides with them in the temple. In the Christmas story, God revealed His desire and plan to be with us comes to fruition. The story of the Christ child is no ordinary child. This child born of the virgin Mary is “Immanuel� God with us. God has come into the world to be with us! In what ways is God calling you to enjoy His presence in this season? How is God inviting you to be present to others in the same way that God is present to you?
Paul Lam Church Life and Leadership Associate, CBOQ
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For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. – LUKE 2:30-32 27
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