Month: December 2020

Our scripture for Christmas Eve is Luke 2:1-20, taken today from the New International Version ( NIV).

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they aspread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

We know the story, we read and hear it every year at Christmas. We shake our heads sadly at the difficult journey to Bethlehem and the awful conditions they endured. We certainly would have found a better place for the Savior’s coming, or so we tell ourselves.

The story of Christ’s birth in a stable is part of our annual celebration, but do we keep the glow of the Nativity in our hearts after we put away the decorations? If it only lasts a week, we haven’t learned the lesson Jesus came to teach us. It was intended to change our lives, that we might become the people God created us to be.

Remembering the story is important but making it part of our lives is essential. Jesus came to show us the joy of a relationship with God. As we hear the words this year, may we find new meaning and seek new ways to share the blessing of Christmas in the world.

Loving Lord, our understanding is incomplete and our action is weak. Help us to know Your love and pass it on to all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the English Standard Version (ESV).

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, 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. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

God has made special promises called covenants with His people throughout history. He gave us the earth to manage in His name, but we didn’t uphold our part of the covenant and could no longer live directly in His presence. He made covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. In all of these God showed His love for us and pointed us to a future with Him.

Through Mary, God came to be with us as the baby Jesus. The people He created had turned away from Him, but He didn’t abandon us to sin and death. He came to be one of us that we might know His love and be saved.

God reaches out to each of us, making a new covenant with us personally. He has never given up on us, even when we went our own way. Hear His call on your life, feel the joy of being connected with Him, and go tell the Good News, spreading His love to everyone.

Gracious God, in Your love and mercy You came to us in order that we might know You and walk in Your way. Fill us with the Holy Spirit as we celebrate Your arrival, renew us and send us forth to proclaim Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the New King James Version (NKJV).

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

Have you ever noticed how people in scripture react to a call from God? In Exodus 3:11 Moses says “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Not exactly an enthusiastic response, but one to which we can certainly relate. It is hard to think that God wants to use us for His divine purposes.

Others called by God react similarly, some out of fear, some merely disbelieving that God would ever speak to them. Mary however, responds differently. Granted, she is surprised, but instead of listing reasons why God shouldn’t choose her, she says “Let it be with me according to Your word” (Luke 1:38).

Mary is an example for us in her acceptance of God’s task and how she reacts. She not only says yes, she thanks and praises God for choosing her. May we hear and obey His call on our lives joyfully as well.

Loving Lord, we are amazed that You ask us to be part of Your work in the world. Thank You for loving and including us in Your plan of salvation. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Mary’s song of praise has several lessons for us, all of which speak of God’s love and glory, but also our relationship with Him. She says “He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart” (v. 51) to tell us that we have accomplished nothing in our own strength, but only through God’s help. The sin of pride in what we have and do is one of our biggest stumbling blocks.

Often we see people who are not giving God the credit for success, and on the other end of the scale not asking for help when needed. Sometimes “they” are us. We must thank Him when we prosper and call on Him when we are in trouble.

God wants to provide and care for us but we must be in connection with Him for that to happen. Without a relationship we wander lost and alone. God’s love is always waiting for us to say “yes, Lord” and accept the grace and mercy He has in store for us.

Wise and wonderful God, we are thankful for Your many blessings. Help us to show our gratitude by sharing Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.

As Mary offers praise she says “He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty” (v. 53). I have always been a little confused about scripture that speaks about the rich. Does God say it is wrong to have money?

Passages such as the story of the Rich Young Man might lead us to think this. Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23). He warns us that those who have resources often look to their own strength rather than to God.

It’s not a matter of wealth, as much as how we obtained it and what we do with it. God blesses those who trust in Him, earn an honest living and help others as Jesus taught. When we use our money well, for the work of His kingdom, we are truly rich.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for all the wonderful gifts You have provided for us. Help us to be good stewards of Your blessings, using them as You intend. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

God wanted us to understand His love so much, He was willing to become human in order to reach us. Everyone expected a marvelous Messiah, a king like David who would lead them to throw off the oppression of Rome and rule in might. However, that’s not what God has in mind.

He came as a human child, born into a poor family in a backwater village. There was no special provision made for Him. He needed the love and care of those around Him and by that experience taught us to love and care for others.

Jesus comes to us as one of us, not a superhuman but a plain, everyday, just like us person. He wants us to see that we are all special to God and He loves each of us eternally. Take this love and make it part of you, that through your life others may know the joy of God with us.

Loving Lord, we are grateful that You are willing to be with us, teaching and guiding us. Help us to share Your love with all the world, that everyone may be blessed. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the Common English Bible (CEB).

Mary said, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior. He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name. He shows mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors him as God. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations. He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.

What does it mean to be blessed? If it is the gift of good things according to human standards, Mary has certainly received a mixed blessing – a young unmarried pregnant woman in that society would not be “highly favored” as she says. It would be a difficult situation.

Yet Mary praises God for what He has done. Earlier in Luke’s account, when the angel Gabriel tells Mary what is to happen, she replies “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said” (Luke 1:38). Mary understood that this blessing was not really for her, but for the whole world, and she accepts the responsibility that requires.

God blesses us to be a blessing to others as well. We are given gifts to be shared with all His children. May we respond with acceptance and praise as Mary did.

Gracious God, we often forget our responsibility to You and to our brothers and sisters here. Help us to see the needs of the world and use the blessings You have given us to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 1:46-55, taken today from the New International Version (NIV).

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary offers praise to God for the blessing and responsibility she has been given. She is the first to say “yes” to the Lord coming to be with us. She understands that it won’t be easy but that wasn’t part of the promise.

Jesus comes into our lives to teach us the joy of a connection with God the Father. He leads us to understand the depth of His love and the obligation we take on when we say “yes”. Accepting Jesus as our Savior means accepting a call to share His love and nurture each other in faith.

Just as Mary was chosen for her task, God chooses us to continue His saving work here. Ask Him to guide you and give you strength to go into the world in His name. Show others that God is with us and wants us to be His children.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the gift of Jesus as our teacher and example. Help us to be faithful to the path He showed us, sharing the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is John 1:1-14, taken today from the English Standard Version (ESV).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Does it seem that we live in a dark time? The virus we try to avoid and tame, political, economic and social issues, all of these seem ready to overwhelm us at any time. Our inclination might be to give up in desperation, feeling we are powerless against these things.

We are powerless in our own strength but through Christ all things are possible. The Apostle Paul writes “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:36-37). Faith in the Lord and His promise to be with us always gives us the courage to face adversity.

The trials we must endure may be hard but they are no match for the power of the Lord, for we know how the story ends: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (v. 5). Jesus came to save us from our sin and show us how to live. Put your trust in Him and He will give you strength to meet the challenges of life and the blessing of life everlasting.

Wise and wonderful God, we are weak without You. Send us Your light and love that we may be the people You intend, sharing the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is John 1:1-14, taken today from the New King James Version (NKJV).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

There are many scripture passages that make me pause and feel the weight of human failure. John 1:11 is one – “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” What an enormously sad statement, the Creator of all things came to be with us and we that He created didn’t receive Him.

In His never ending love for us, God came to be one of us, part of the humanity He made, to show us how we were intended to be. Our sin had separated us from a connection with Him, but He was willing to come to us to repair it. All we need to do is believe and obey, and we may be made whole again, in relationship with God who gave us life.

The joy of this is that God never stops. He is always waiting for us to turn from our selfish ways and live as He calls us, to love Him and each other and care for His creation. The “true Light which gives light to every man” (v. 9) is there to show us the way to salvation.

Living Love, we are amazed that You would seek us out, to bring us back through Your sacrifice and mercy. Help us to seek others who are lost, that through Your light all may follow the path You show us. Amen.