United Methodist Church of Kent Advent Devotional 2018 WHAT IS ADVENT? Advent—from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”—is the church season comprising four weeks prior to Christmas. For centuries, Christians have used this period to reflect about the promise to ancient Israel of the coming of the Messiah, and to become open to how Christ would come into our lives today. Advent this year begins on Sunday, December 2, and continues until Christmas Eve. This Advent devotional book contains reflections from many members of the United Methodist Church of Kent. It begins with a four-part series by Dr. David Palmer, senior pastor, based on his college experiences with the musical, Godspell, and how they relate to the themes of Advent. There follows a great variety of devotions on many themes of this season. Please use this book to guide your own reflections in the coming days, so that these weeks may be not just a “shopping season” but a spiritual season of experiencing the good news of Christ afresh.
December 2 PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”’” Matthew 3:1–3, King James Version When I was in college, I was involved in a Wittenberg Theatre production of Godspell, in which the opening number involves the chorus repeatedly singing, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” This of course was the message of John the Baptist, who was echoing the message of Isaiah, and this is a central theme of Advent – it is a time to prepare ourselves for the entrance of Christ into our world and into our lives. We engage in all sorts of preparations during this season. We decorate the house, buy gifts, and make all kinds of special food. Do we make a similar effort to prepare our hearts, to “make a way for the Lord” to enter in?
This Advent book is a wonderful tool to engage in that kind of spiritual preparation. The devotions for each day are written by members of our church, and provide a daily source of inspiration. In the Godspell musical, the cast appears as very humble and ordinary people, typically costumed in hippie-like attire. They don’t look like much. But the point is that it was precisely among the ordinary that Jesus was powerfully at work, and it is ordinary people who can “sing God’s song.” All of us in the church may be ordinary folk, but we can each tell the story of how God is at work today! May this Advent book help you to prepare for the coming of Christ into your own life, and may we all continue to tell the story of God’s grace. Thought for the Day: The most important preparation to do in these coming weeks is to “prepare the way of the Lord.” Prayer: Inspire us, O Lord, to prepare our hearts, that in this season we may hear Your Word, receive the touch of Your grace, and be empowered to share the good news of Your salvation. David Palmer, senior pastor
December 3 REPENT In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”’” Matthew 3:1–3, King James Version The call from the prophet was to “prepare the way of the Lord.” But what exactly must one do to prepare? John the Baptist said that the most essential step is to repent. The root meaning of repent is to “turn around”—to turn from sin and the foolish ways of this world, and to turn toward God. It is the spiritual movement of directing one’s devotion anew toward God. The Godspell musical had a song about repentance in which some of the words are these: Turn back, o man, forswear thy foolish ways Old now is earth, and none may count her days . . . Earth might be fair, and all men, glad and wise Age after age their tragic empires rise
Built while they dream and in that dreaming weep Would man but wake from out his haunted sleep . . . The song builds on a Biblical theme that repentance involves an awakening—an opening of one’s eyes to God, and an opening of the heart to God. This also is a major theme of Advent—to be spiritually awake and thus receptive to the touch of God. Wake up!—and turn to God in faith. This is the call of the Advent season. Thought for the Day: Come awake to God’s presence, and turn afresh toward God’s grace. Prayer: Help us, O Lord, to be spiritually alert, and attuned to how You are at work today. David Palmer, senior pastor
December 4 GOD DOES NEW THINGS Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 When the Wittenberg cast and crew of Godspell took the show on a road tour (in the mid-1970s), we were met in one town with the news that some fundamentalists had denounced us beforehand, declaring Godspell to be blasphemy. I was mystified. Many of us in the show had experienced it as a powerful and creative proclamation of the gospel. The male lead – playing the part of Jesus – was a devout Christian; and one young woman in the cast had actually come to Christian faith as a direct consequence of the play. I concluded that the fundamentalists were playing the part of the Pharisees – rigid in their legalisms, unreceptive to the “new thing” that God was doing among them. The “new thing” that erupted in Judea when Jesus appeared met a good deal of resistance. Jesus did not fit the mold of how many people imagined that God must work. God was breaking new ground; and thus Isaiah’s question – Do you not perceive it? – was quite pertinent. People were being drawn past their old perspectives into a new vision of God’s saving action. Advent is a time to be open to the “new things” that God will do in our lives today! God is at work in fresh ways to touch us with God’s grace.
God can do what seems unlikely – bringing about “streams in the desert.” We are called to move past our limited vision of God to be receptive to God’s creative power. Thought for the Day: God continually does new things, opening up, by means of Christ, a way of saving grace through our human wilderness. Prayer: Let me be receptive, O God, to the new things you will do in me, through the grace and power of Jesus Christ. David Palmer, senior pastor
December 5 MAKE A HIGHWAY FOR GOD Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3 The conclusion of Godspell was always somewhat controversial, because although the crucifixion is depicted, there is no clear depiction of the resurrection. The show ends with the cast carrying the body of Jesus above their heads through the audience. Although some interpret this as symbolizing the resurrection, the original intention of the show was to put the final emphasis not on what happens to Jesus but on what happens to his followers. As they go forth, lifting Jesus high, they sing, once again, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” In other words, it is our calling to continually prepare the way of the Lord—by lifting Jesus up, by remembering and declaring His words, and by living out His commandment to love one another. Isaiah declares the unusual image of “making straight in the desert a highway for God.” Does God really need a highway, and are we the ones to build it? Although God does not in fact “need” anything from us, the image makes plain that God intends for us to play a key role in God’s saving plan. We are to be at work in the world to “build the road” by which God’s truth and grace will come to human lives. This is what we are doing in the church! We are answering the prophet’s call to prepare the way of the Lord in our own time. Thought for the Day: Words from the hymn, Heralds of Christ— “Heralds of Christ, who bear the King’s commands, immoral tidings in your mortal hands, pass on a carry swift the news you bring; make straight, make straight the highway of the King.”
Prayer: Empower us, O Lord, to continually prepare the way by which Your Spirit will come to bless human lives. David Palmer, senior pastor
December 6 “But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” Micah 5:2 NRSV In a little town a little baby boy was born; a baby boy who would grow to be our Savior. I have heard and told the story of Jesus’ birth in the little town of Bethlehem hundreds of times. Each time the story seems fresh and I love it even more. Micah 5:2 reminds me that some of the smallest gifts can bring light and blessings to us all. These gifts can be in the form of a phone call from an old friend, the sighting of a bird that you have rarely seen before high in a tree, a smile or hug from a child, a moment of quiet meditation in a favorite place. Each person has his or her own small gifts that remind them every day of God’s Creation and the love that came to earth that Christmas so long ago. We don’t need extravagant, mountain top events to remind us that we are a part of the love and light that came to us on that blessed night. We also don’t need to feel that we have to take on enormous tasks to be worthy. It is the small things we do throughout the year that make a difference in our lives and in other people’s lives. Simple things like smiling at a stranger, not losing patience with a cashier, taking the time to notice how God touches your life with light and sharing that light with others. Very often the smallest thing can bring more joy and blessing than any grandiose plan or experience. Enjoy your blessings and share them with others during this festive season and all through the year! May “God bless us everyone! Judith Nedel, Certified Lay Servant, Retired Production Specialist, Gramme
December 7 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 Often times, we can feel like the world is overwhelming. It can be difficult to find the strength to continue when all you can see are the many problems you have yet to face. In my experience, it is one thing after another, trying to knock us down without an end in sight. It may seem impossible to handle all of the things on your plate. In times like this, it is very easy to lose sight of what is really important. We need to remember that we are the children of God, and therefore we are the children of royalty. While trials and tribulations are not easy, our God would never give us more than He knew we could handle. Whenever we feel like we can’t go on, it’s important to cast our worries to God and remember that the righteous will never be shaken. Our God is gracious and caring, and when we need His help, He will be there to pick us up and dust us off and set us on the right track. He knows we have the ability to handle whatever He may throw at us. Taylor Gray, youth intern
December 8 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 I recently chose the word “faith” as My One Word (myoneword.org) for the year. I have done this for the past three years and have found it helpful and insightful for maintaining a focus for the Lord for the year. In selecting the word faith as my focal point for the year, I did a lot of research about its meaning and praying about its impact for my life. From Hebrews 11: 1 we learn that faith is the assurance of things hoped for , and the conviction of things not seen (NIV). The rest of chapter 11 goes on to point out example after example of people of faith from the old testament who maintained their hope in the promises of God through difficult times and trials. It even goes so far as to list people Paul doesn’t have time to describe in the letter. Remember, the letter is being written to people whose faith was faltering and were in need of
reminders and encouragement to remain faithful to God in a time that was very difficult to do so. During the advent season when we anticipate and celebrate the birth of Christ, our Savior, we are reminded that for a thousand years people hoped for the promised messiah. For the second thousand years, people have struggled with the belief and reality that Christ died for us and that through his sacrifice God’s grace was realized and gifted to us. We have struggled through wars, natural disasters, political turmoil and personal difficulties. Life today is no different than it was in biblical times, people in general are no better (or worse) than we have ever been. BUT . . . we can be inspired to renew our faith . . . our assurance of things hoped for , and the conviction of things not seen. We can pray for leaders. We can serve our church and community. We can encourage the sick and struggling. We can commit to a time of daily personal devotion. We can choose to be an instrument of good in the world around us. We can choose to exercise our faith by walking humbly with God. Thought for the Day: It is easy for us to become discouraged the news and disasters in the world. But we can remain faithful to God, focus on his promises, and be the instrument of good in our corner of the world. Prayer: Heavenly and Gracious Father, Thank-you for your precious son and the gift of grace that you so freely offer us. Help us to faithfully focus on you as we walk humbly through our days here on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen Carol Pozuc, woman of renewed faith
December 9 BORN TO RULE May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service. For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight. Psalm 72:11–14 Especially now, this season of Advent calls to mind the qualities of the Messiah. The Jewish people at the time of Jesus’ birth longed for the appearance of the Messiah. Their oppression at the hands of the Romans and the occupation of their lands weighed heavily on them. They anxiously awaited the arrival of the conquering King of the Jews! But what form did God take to bring them deliverance? A small baby born to a poor family in the humblest of circumstances. This was not a warrior king, but a philosopher, a rabbi, who could ultimately lead the entire world back to a connection with God. And his beginning foreshadows his ministry. Kindness, fairness, generosity, and love are the tenets he preached. He certainly did not advocate for war, violence, and selfishness. But sadly, we see too much of that in our world today. This season of Advent, let’s all try to remember the type of leader Jesus was, and follow his example, leading our world on the path of love. Thought for the Day: Strength and violence may have the power to protect, but they do not have the power to save. Only love has this ability. Prayer: Dear Lord, let us recognize your love in our lives, and let us help others to recognize your love in their own. Amen Patti Alderson
December 10 LIFE’S LITTLE (AND BIG) BURDENS Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11: 28–29 It is hard to believe that by taking on another person’s problems/troubles as your own load will be lightened. Common sense tells us that by taking on additional responsibilities the weight on your own shoulders will increase. But that doesn’t seem to be what these verses are telling us. It is true. Think about this—how often have you stretched out your hand to help someone and when the job is complete, your own burdens don’t seem to be as heavy. If we think about the Bible and Jesus, we know he was born for a very specific purpose. At one point he did ask the father to release him, but in the end, he continued down the road he was born to complete. Jesus, the man we know as the Christ returned home to be with God, in his house of many mansions, and his soul found rest. Thought for the Day: Take on another’s burden and find your own load lightened. Prayer: Dear God, give us the courage to come to you, when we are weary, and accept the rest that you have promised our souls. Judy Smith, daughter, mother, grandma and so much more
December 11 GOD’S GIFT OF TIME For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. From Ecclesiastes 3:1–15 In this holiday season of celebration and gift giving, we tend to feel as though there is too little time to do everything we need and want to do. We scurry to shop; wrap gifts; decorate; and attend school and office parties, family gatherings, celebrations and much more. At other times we may feel that we have too much time available and are not sure how best to fill up the hours. Too seldom do we stop to realize that it is not the amount of time we have but how we choose to use the time that matters most. Time is one of God’s greatest gifts to all of humankind. It is given equally to each of us—86,400 seconds every day. However, it is not something that we can save. It is an expendable treasure. The Bible passage in Ecclesiastes reminds us that there are appropriate times when certain things are to be. How often do we reflect on the appropriateness of how we are spending our time? Is it as God would want us to use his gift to us? Thought for the Day: Am I spending my time as God would want me to? Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the precious gift of time, which you give to each of us every day. Help us to wisely use our time. Davina J. Gosnell, retired educator
December 12 Regarding the gift of wisdom. . . “My gifts are better than the purest gold or sterling silver! My paths are those of justice and right. Those who love and follow me are indeed wealthy. I fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:19–21, The Living Bible The holiday season seems to be a frantic search for the perfect gift. . . We are encouraged to jump on board in search of the tangible gift we can lovingly give. Merchants have us in a frenzy . . . BLACK FRIDAY, catalogs and bright advertisements, festive songs blaring in the stores, dazzling ornaments, calling us to spend our time and money. The pure gift of giving seems to have some beginning in the story of the Wise Men. They knew Someone Special had been born and wanted to honor Him. And then, the story of the Little Drummer Boy comes to mind. . . his gift of love and action was an example of pure delight in giving what he could. That Babe in the Manger, Jesus Christ, gave the greatest gift of all to each of us. First, his teachings of wisdom, then his example of goodness as he humbly treated the lowly as his brother, and ultimately, he gave his life, God gave his son to save each of us. So, what gift will please our Lord? Using the wisdom of our Savior’s teachings. . . live a life of love, kindness and generosity to our fellow humans. No ribbons nor gift bags are needed to honor our Savior. Using the gifts of wisdom that he taught us through the Scriptures is the only shopping list we need. Use time to help others. Use money to help less fortunate. Use your gift of peace to pass on God’s love to all you encounter. Thought for the Day: How can I turn this holiday frenzy into a gift of peace and love to honor my Savior? Prayer: My precious Lord, Thank you for the gifts you have shared. Help me continue to focus on and share the gifts of love and kindness in your honor. Amen Karen Beck, Retired teacher
December 13 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. Acts 26:6 The part of the Old Testament prophecy Paul refers to is the coming of the Savior to the Jews, God’s chosen people. At the time this as written, Paul was on trial for claiming and testifying to his belief that the Jewish prophecy had been fulfilled with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul was taking the good news of Jesus’ teachings to the Gentiles when he was arrested. Christians today are tried and tested daily on their beliefs in Christ and His teachings. Fortunately, we live in a country and at a time when we will not be put in jail or on trial for testifying to our Christian beliefs. Today, during this season of Advent, how might you show through your words and actions that you believe in the teaching of Christ? How would you share the “Good News” and promises of God to someone you don’t know? At this time of year we prepare to reach out in Christian love to our close friends and family, but have we thought to reach out to those we don’t know so well to tell them about the teachings of Jesus and the promise of God’s love? Whom do you know who could benefit from out beliefs, hopes, and good works? Invite them to celebrate this joyful season with you. Thought for the Day: Oh, I am so glad that God’s promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Messiah. The coming birth of our Savior is the reason we celebrate this Advent season. Prayer: Lord, lead me to someone today whom I can help to understand God’s promise of peace, love, and hope through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen Roger and Donna Stiller
December 14 AN EVENING PRAYER As I settle myself to rest, I reflect on the blessings you have brought me today. Thank you for the beautiful day you have sent. It may be snowy outside, but your presence fills my life with warmth. The days are short and the nights are long. Darkness teaches me to treasure the light of your love. You have taught me that difficulties I encounter are opportunities for you to show your strength. When I am weak, you empower me. I know you are with me in all circumstances. I have confidence your loving hand is guiding me every step of the day. It is such a privilege to have you in control of my life. I hope I have touched someone today with your love. You shower me with blessings. All I have to do is look for the daylight. So, once again, thank you for this day. Sarah Derrit
December 15 FOR GOD SO LOVE THE WORLD For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world order might be saved through him. John 3:16–17 The above verse is probably the most quoted verse from the Bible. We hear it throughout the year, and many would say it is the core of the Christian faith. However, at Christmas time we focus on so many other things that we forget that the point of Christmas is that it is through the birth of Christ that this event takes place. As is so often true, we need to focus on the real message: that it is through the gift that God gave at Christmas that we are redeemed. Thought for the Day: God so loved the world that he sent the world his only son to redeem us. Prayer: Dear Father, help us at this festive time of the year to remember the gift that you gave us. Amen Mark Lewis, Mathematics Professor Husband and Father
December 16 COURAGE AND FAITH When they had gone and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Matthew 2:13 Reading this passage and the passages which come before it boggles my mind at times. When you think about the things Joesph and Mary were asked to do, the fact that they did them is remarkable. These were very ordinary people asked to do extraordinary things. The courage it took for Joseph and Mary to do all that they did is amazing. I do not thing that courage is blindly going into a situation with no doubt or no fear assuming that success will happen or everything will be alright. I think the true measure of courage is going into a situation WITH doubt and WITH fear, but doing it anyway because it is the right thing to do: and the right thing to do is often not the easy thing to do. None of what Mary and Joseph were asked to do was easy. We all face situations in everyday life which require courage, and undoubtedly we have doubts and fears. As Christians, however, we do have a “little” assistance. Our faith in God and belief in the promise of Jesus can help us. Because Mary and Joseph had faith, they found the courage. We have the opportunity to find courage through our faith. Thought for the Day: With faith comes courage. Use your faith to find your courage. Prayer: Heavenly Father, grant me the courage to face the situations I will encounter today. Help me use my faith to open myself to Your will. Amen Mark Ryland, father, husband, instructor
December 17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” John 3:16 As the scripture says: God so loved the world, that he sent his only son to us. . . Oh my gosh, he sent his only son to us. He sent His son, so that we would not perish, but have everlasting life. He had confidence in us that we would pay attention to His son and learn from Him how best to live in this world and to make this life better for each other. It is easy to get caught up in news stories, our own sometimes gossipy lives and feeling disappointed or like we are victims. The busyness and divisiveness of the world can easily make us become Grinchlike instead of Christlike. We lose our patience and become centered on ourselves. We forget to care about others. Mr. or Ms. Anonymous has a solution. THIS CHRISTMAS Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Write a love letter. Share some treasure. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Keep a promise. Find the time. Forgive an enemy. Listen. Apologize if you were wrong. Think first of someone else. Be kind and gentle. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love. Speak it again. Speak it still once more. By Anonymous Prayer: Dear Lord; Help us to remember that you are counting on us to make life better for others. It is not the expensive gifts, but the comfort, the sharing, the understanding, the time and the love that you expect us to share with each other. Your gift to us was your son. Help us to honor that. Amen Andrea Denton, Retired teacher and mental health worker
December 18 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 It is a remarkable thing to consider, even though we celebrate it each year. God takes the form of His creation in the person of Jesus. I often think of this event as a humbling experience, as it would be for any of us to take a lowly position for a short time and experience life from a different perspective. It is only recently, however, that I have begun to look at it as an exercise in trust. As a parent, the weight of responsibility descends as soon as you hear your child cry out and you know that a human life relies on you for its defense and sustenance. In these words from Isaiah 30:19: “Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you.” We rely constantly on God, our heavenly Father, for love and support. But imagine the act of trust that it must take to give Yourself in mortal form over to Your beloved creation: to take on that vulnerability that requires total reliance on another. As the infant Jesus, God placed His mortal flesh in the hands of a sinful humanity. We must use that act as an example of the love and devotion we show back to God. We must strive to give ourselves over in trust to His love and mercy. Thought for the Day: What aspects in your life are you keeping from God? How can you give yourself over more fully to trust and love? Prayer: Dear Lord, please fill me with the trust and love You showed me in the miracle of Christmas. Help me to give myself over to You, safe in the knowledge that Your power and mercy are everlasting. Amen Adam C. Alderson, church business manager, choral director
December 19 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 This exercise works to reflect on the meaning of God during this holiday season. Consider on the following statements: God:
is awesome is a blessing is Christ is decisive is eternal is faithful is good is holy is immortal is just
is noble is original is perfect is quintessential is redeemer is savior and spirit is the trinity is unity is victorious is the Word in the world has x-ray vision of our is King of Kings  souls is life is Yahweh is merciful is the zenith of our lives This is my list, but I encourage you to not only contemplate these statements, but to also make a list of your own. Prayer: Knock God’s call open my heart to do Your will with the discipline of silence I listen, God speaks testify my faith Your will Grace Amen Georgia Foster
December 20 THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen your and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 How many times have you heard someone say, “I can only imagine. . .?” It’s true: Mary and Joseph had first-hand information from an Angel of the Lord as to what happened to them and what they were to do about it. Mary was expecting a baby; “. . . great with child. . .” as the scripture states. They had until the end of the year to travel the distance of about 65 miles to register as a family. That’s the way the census worked then. Imagine having to travel from Kent to Mansfield on a dirt road. Imagine this rather difficult set of circumstances. I presume Joseph had asked directions for the journey! There were no trains, buses, or automobiles with GPS. They would have to ride a donkey! I can hear Joseph telling Mary, “I think we can make the trip to Bethlehem before our son is born, don’t you, Mary?” He might have added, “And I am sure we can find a place to stay along the way.” Fortunately, you know the rest of the story. What we know now, and Mary and Joseph could only imagine, is that their son’s birthday would become the celebration we call Christmas—a joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth. This year, spend more time with your family, reread the Christmas story to your children and grandchildren, help the less fortunate, and attend all worship services. This year, more than ever before, join Christians around the world to renew our effort to keep Christ in Christmas! Thought for the Day: Courage is not misplaced confidence in your own strength, but well-placed confidence in God’s strength. Prayer: O Lord, our Lord, let all those who put their trust in You rejoice. If it be your will, unite and strengthen us in our love for the church and for one another as we reach out with a common purpose of strengthening the home and family throughout the coming year. Amen Nelson Madden LTM (long-time Methodist)
December 21 PRINCE OF PEACE Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) As we think about this familiar verse, let’s consider three areas—past, present, and future of the last name of our Messiah—The Prince of Peace. First, at the time of Christ’s birth there existed a sense of order and relative stability called PAX ROMANA. Into this scene, Jesus entered our earth in the little town of Bethlehem. How fitting that He should bring peace not only between Jews and Gentiles, but also offer reconciliation between sinners like us and God. “Peace on Earth.” Second, today we recognize the Prince of Peace in our personal lives as a calm and soothing Messiah. Even the most devout Christians sometimes are afflicted with despair, discord, and division. We need Him to rescue us from our own lives. All around the world, He offers Himself as a comforting presence for people caught up in persecution, migration, and wars. For graphic details, just listen to the news or read the paper— not much “Peace on Earth.” Third, at an unknown time, but certain future, we look forward to a day when the Prince of Peace will rule with justice and righteousness over all the nations of the earth as He will sit on the throne of David. There will be no more curse of wards or weapons of destruction—only lasting “Peace on Earth.” Thought for the Day: How blessed and serene we would be if we would invite the Prince of Peace into our hearts this Advent season. When things go terribly wrong, when disappointments come, or when people hurt or irritate us, we would remember our dear Lord as the source of true peace. Prayer: Precious Prince of Peace, surround us with your presence like a warm blanket on a cold winter night. May your peace fill our hurting hearts and suffering souls in this sacred season. Amen Joanne Senyek, Retired Teacher
December 22 “Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1: 5) “Hope is not a feeling, it is a decision.” “Hope is not based on optimism but faith.” These words by Jim Wallis, from a column in Sojourners, (December 2018) suggest how we can celebrate our faith during this Advent season. As followers of Christ, we are given the gift of vision, persistence, consistency. Hope enables us to sustain such perseverance. This is real stuff, not just some fancy-sounding words. Hope is real. It is something we put into practice, not just dream about. If we “decide” to hope, conflict and polarization and division will not deter us. It will affect our personal relationships. It will help us address differences in our community. It will cause us to find what we have in common with citizens in our nation and world. Just think of that little baby born in a stable 2000 years ago. His life was threatened by a king who could not stand the idea of such an insignificant infant being better and stronger than he. Just think of that little baby immigrating to another country for safety. Just think of that little baby growing into one who became known as the Saviour of the world! Just think, God can lead us through adversity too. There really is hope for you and me ! Wallis concludes his column with, “Even in the face of seemingly hopeless odds, we should nevertheless always remember that the ‘light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’”. Prayer: O God, may your Light burn within us. May Your light show us the way. May Your light shine through us as we reach out to others who may feel all is hopeless. Amen Douglas Denton, visitation minister
December 23 WERE YOU THERE ON THAT CHRISTMAS NIGHT? Natalie Sleeth’s classic Christmas anthem asks the question, “Were you there on that first Christmas night?” Since that piece became the cornerstone for this Christmas work, I’ve thought a great deal about the question. Obviously, time and location remove any of us from actually being present on the night of Christ’s birth. Yet, in the mystery of God’s holy ways, all of us in a sense were there. God chose ordinary people, Joseph and Mary, as the vessels for fulfilling the incarnation plan—God becoming human. God also chose to reveal the fulfillment of that plan after Christ’s birth to shepherds (the most common of people) and to Magi (sophisticated and educated individuals). One can only speculate about the fullest meaning of that strategy, but I believe it was to convey to us that the Messiah was a gift for all people, regardless of where we reside on the socio-economic scale. And I believe that the inclusion of Joseph and Mary in such a significant role underscores the importance that each of us have a vehicles for sharing the message of Christ’s birth to our world. I think the answer to Natalie Sleeth’s question is, “Yes, I was there.” And so were you! The eternal and timeless nature of God places us in Bethlehem on that Christmas night as we experience anew its joy through the eyes of children, aged saints, enduring carols, and holy scripture: Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Lloyd Larson, composer of the New Spirit cantata
December 24
United Methodist Church of Kent 1435 E. Main St. Kent, OH 44240 www.kentmethodist.org