Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
See, 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 wasteland. Isaiah 43:19 ---------- Written by Britt Hernandez 2020 was a year of deconstruction – many of us deconstructing the ideas of “normal” and “comfortable”, deconstructing the way we view connection and community, deconstructing the unconscious biases that may have prevented us from really seeing those who are hurting or disenfranchised. For me it has also been a year of deconstructing my faith and my ideas of what following God really looks like. This has not been an easy thing, but I am reminded that deconstruction is both a tearing down and a building up. Advent seems to me to be a period of deconstruction that we are invited to participate in each year. We focus our attention on the coming of a Savior, the very center of the Christian faith, and what that means for us. Our thoughts turn more easily to others and giving and gratitude-those things that Jesus focused on while here on earth. The past year is torn down and a new one awaits hopefully as we look forward to what God has in store. As we are invited to wait and wonder and seek, we find hope in what is to come. ---------- Lord, fill me with hope today as I trust your goodness. Thank you that you are at work to restore all things. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes)
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Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 ---------- Written by Tori Meeder Accepting the present for what it is. Desiring to remember how God has been at work throughout history, and Visions of the future, bright with the hope of God making all things new. Each person, filled to overflowing with God’s love. Now is the time to turn toward God: it is always the time to turn. Through a glass darkly now, but with the promise of God as the light by which we’ll see clearly. ---------- Come, Lord Jesus, as I also come to you today. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
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.” Luke 1:46-48 ---------- Written by Kelly Ponte The weary world rejoices. Every year on Christmas Eve, singing in the twinkling dark of a full room with a lit candlestick in my hands, these words always make tears leap to my eyes. The sharp pairing of weariness with joy is always so poignant, and as I tried this year to express the same sentiment in my own words, I simply couldn’t do it. The weary world… I feel so weary this year. Weary from the loss. Weary from the anxiety, the fear, the unknown, the responsibility, the changes, the flexibility required every day. Canceled birthdays, improvised gatherings, virtual (insert everything here). Actually, it may have been a mistake to list them like that, because seeing it all together is making my heart pull. And it’s not just me. It’s the whole world. …rejoices. This weary world? How? For yonder breaks a new and glorious dawn! And the dawn is not a new year or a new cure. It is the Lord’s gift to us, once and still, every day, every year: Jesus Christ, our savior. Our father knows how to ease burdens, and he holds us in his hands. His son walks alongside us, and his spirit fills our hearts. While this world may be dark, I am reminded that I am not of this world. This Advent season, I am ready to cast off my weariness and instead rejoice as I anticipate his presence in my life as well as his coming – a new and glorious dawn. ---------- Lord, open my spirit up to your joy today, even as I acknowledge my weariness. Fill me with the hope of your presence. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 ---------- Written by Jose Aviles Decisions… especially when facing the unknown. As the COVID-19 pandemic exploded and all of our lives changed drastically, we were faced with some tough decisions for everything that we had to do; do I go out to buy groceries, can I visit my family members, should I also wear a mask, who should I vote for, what should I do to protect my family and myself? As a school principal, I also had to make some tough decisions: reopening a school, designing virtual models for remote learning, asking the team members I care about to come to school and expose themselves, etc. It has been a challenging process that has exposed us to criticism and judgment. Sometimes I wished I could sit back and say, “you know what, I will not make a decision, people can make their own choices and do whatever they want”. After all, that would have saved us from lots of criticism, emails, time… and it would hopefully give us peace of mind! We have all been faced with similar situations and it makes you wonder, have we made the right choices? Are my thoughts, ideas, and beliefs correct or am I completely biased and wrong about my ways? What would Jesus think about our choice and the reasons behind it? Unfortunately, I don’t have a response to all of these questions or thoughts, but, I can share a verse from the bible to help me think about this. Philippians 4:6-7 says: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I believe that this passage helps us understand that, no matter what we decide or believe, if we pray about it and behave like Christians no matter the outcome (positive or negative), God will take control and help us benefit from any result. We will be able to change things for the better if the decision was wrong, and we will learn and obtain wisdom if we fail. And if we made the right choice, we will grow as human beings and in our trust in Jesus. Life is hard, we can’t hide that fact. But if we decide to be prepared to confront it by teaching ourselves to think, act, behave more like Jesus, and place our thoughts and actions in Him through prayer, we will be able to appreciate God’s company through every moment and get closer to reach His purpose with our lives. As the verse says, He will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. When making tough decisions, we don’t only ask for wisdom to make the right choice, but we also pray for self-control to hear other’s perspectives, patience to understand our strengths, weaknesses, biases, and prejudices, and guidance to manage the consequences of your decisions. I believe that when we do this, the Lord will hear our prayer and help us, not only make the right choices but learn how to be at peace with our actions, thoughts, and emotions after our decision has been made. I am not too familiar with the Advent season and significance since it was not a part of my Christian background. But I have learned that it is a season of anticipation and expectation for what God can do in our lives. That being said, and reflecting on what has been shared in this short text about decisions, could we then decide to ask Jesus for wisdom in understanding our decisions and those of people around us in a way that we can act according to His will? Be blessed brothers and sisters! ---------- Lord, guide my decisions and my perspective today, so that I might live with inner peace and outward compassion. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25 ---------- Written by Doug Miller I’m a Boston Celtics fan, and I still remember the glory days with the Big Three- Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. In 2007, they brought home the NBA title. Scripture also has its own Big Three- faith, hope, and love. Faith and love often get the headlines, but it seems to me that Advent is all about hope. I define hope as 'believing that a perceived longing has the possibility of being fulfilled'. Consider Romans 8:25- "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Hope is all about waiting, but HOW we wait matters. I define patience as 'coming to grips with time'. Time has never been our enemy- even though our fast-paced world tends to convince us otherwise. Time is a tool- a tool for healing and transformation. But time can only accomplish its purpose if we hope patiently. It’s interesting that the Chief Priests and Pharisees remembered that Jesus said he would rise in 3 days. So they got permission to 'seal' the tomb. I have a hard time believing THEY remembered but the disciples forgot. More likely, the disciples remembered, but fear and the unexpected turn of events caused the disciples to lose hope. That's what happens when fear replaces patience during the waiting period. Fear destroys faith, and faith is what keeps hope alive. Dealing with the pain/discomfort of total knee replacement, watching political polarization fracture the body of Christ, and redefining community in ways that avoid touch and in-person interaction has made life difficult these past months for me. But these months have also reminded me that our hope is in God. As I hope patiently and learn to appreciate the value of time, God transforms me in ways that open my eyes to the opportunities for good that were present all along. And that’s a really good thing to remember this Advent season. ---------- Jesus, we confess how challenging it is to be patient, rather than giving in to fear or the despair that comes from pain. Through refreshed hope, transform my spirit. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. John 1:46 ---------- Written by Bill Heider Phil Jones and his kids came over for lunch one day a while ago. The plan was to get the fire pit going for outdoor cooking. So, we went into my garage to get a few things to get started. One of his daughters (I can’t remember which) slowly looked around with a puzzled look for a few moments. Then she asked, “Dad, why is there so much old stuff in here?” Ha! It’s true. My house is old, yes. So, I have doorknobs and windows and other hardware that are over a century old. But I wish that were the only reason. The older I get, the older my stuff gets! My garage is filled with tools I’ve acquired since my teens. Some of them are getting quite, let’s face it, old. I told my sons when they bought their houses, “When you buy tools, buy good ones. Chances are those are the tools you’ll have the rest of your life.” What amazes me about old garages with a cacophonous collection of old tools is the cool stuff that can come out of them. My son got married in October. So back in the summer he asked if I would build an arbor for the ceremony. “Of course!” So out of my old garage filled with old stuff came the structure under which my son and daughter-in-law would unite their lives together. That request serendipitously turned into a side hustle of a wedding rental business for my wife, Kristen. Out of my garage filled with old stuff! In 2020! (You can see other cool stuff that has come out of my garage since then at her website vintagerentalsatfairhill.com). What’s all this have to do with Advent? BEAUTY can come out of the most unexpected places! When Jesus began his ministry, Philip (not Phil Jones, another Philip) would look for his brother to tell him what was going on. In John 1:45,46 the conversation goes like this: Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. Beauty and goodness from strange places. It was just as unexpected then as it is today. Can anything good come from there? From that? From him? From her? From this? From 2020? The connection to this year’s challenges are clear. Can anything good come? We are waiting to see. But it’s not just COVID. It’s much bigger. I find that many of us are facing chaotic turmoil individually in the midst of the collective chaos of this year. It’s been garbage on garbage. At least it feels that way. Can anything good come? Advent teaches us to come…wait…with curious hope and expectation…and see. ---------- Lord, we look to You for beautiful things, redeemed things brought forth from all of the old stuff, the broken stuff, the stuff we thought was no good. We choose to come to You and see the good! Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
This hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Romans 5:5-6 ---------- Written by Eric Cebrat I would like to tell you all about an experience I had in elementary school that helped explain to me what God’s Grace is like. One day the teacher called out sick and we got a substitute. And with substitutes comes busy work. We had to do some weird type of word search where you look for the same word over and over and it could be spelled diagonal and backwards. The assignment was completed when all the words are linked together in a pattern. Word searches are my kryptonite on a regular day. This one was just beyond me. I kept circling the wrong group of letters and then had to erase. But erasing only works so many times. If you try and erase too much you are left with this gray smudge of failure reminding you of all the times you wrote something wrong. It never looks like it did when you started. And if you keep on erasing you get this weird crinkle hole in the middle of your paper. So now you feel completely defeated because not only do you not know the answer but your paper is full of smudges and it is not a complete piece of paper anymore. I broke down and cried and that was really unusual for me even as a kid. The substitute asked me what was wrong and I showed her my paper. Before I tell you what her reaction was let me start with what she didn’t say. She didn’t react negatively and say “Stop your crying and get back to work” She didn’t react apathetically and say “Just keep trying until you get it” She didn’t even react educationally and say “Let me show you how you could do better” What she did was amazing. She told me it was no big deal, smoothed my paper out and did the assignment for me. In perfect teacher pen she quickly made the pattern and gave the paper back to me. She then told the class that Eric had the right answers on his paper and if they were stuck and needed a hint that they could come see me. It was just so completely above and beyond anything I could have ever dared expect. I was unable to do my assignment, ruined my paper, broke down, handed my paper to my teacher who did the work for me and then used me as a teaching tool for the rest of the class. And that is what I think of when I think of Grace. When we have completely messed everything up and are unable to help ourselves, God comes down and helps us out. God gives us help when we are completely unable to help ourselves. ---------- Lord and Savior, how much we need you. We are so often completely unable, but You offer hope and salvation that will not disappoint us. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. Psalm 16:11 ---------- Written by Chase Herman Is joy a common experience? I usually conceptualize joy in grand terms, like a host of angels joyously announcing Christ’s birth. Yet that may be an incomplete picture. Perhaps joy isn’t only reserved for the most extraordinary of circumstances. After all, joy is a fruit of the Spirit – a characteristic of God’s nature. Doesn’t that imply it’s an essential part of what it means to be human? I confess I don’t routinely experience joy, but I’m starting to believe it’s possible. Although trite, I’m growing to appreciate the simple aspects of life which COVID disrupted. I ran across some middle-school-aged boys a few weeks ago. They were horsing around, playing a pick-up game of basketball. It was an everyday experience pre-COVID, an anomaly now. I can’t explain it, but somehow just seeing those boys reminded me: there is so much hope in this world. And it filled me with joy. It can be anything – a fun conversation with my roommate, a video clip from my brother’s talent show performance. It doesn’t matter how simple. The interaction is what counts. It reminds me how precious life is. I know I’m going to lose it all one day, so I’m trying to learn how to enjoy it now. I’m trying to learn how to see and appreciate ordinary joy. ---------- Open our eyes to notice and our hearts to celebrate joy in Your presence in new ways today, Jesus. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6 ---------- Written by Rob Seward My friend enters into my soul and walks with me there; and I into his. We learn to nourish and purify our two hearts, while we talk about faith and these somber times. My faith in love is manifest in my friend: I have to love a world from which one like him can spring. ---------- Lord Jesus, may our love for You and for one another grow deep, rich, and extravagant as we walk with one another. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)
God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. Psalm 68:6 ---------- Written by Sean Ponte If you have not seen the 2018 version of “The Grinch,” you really should. There is an interaction between Cindy Lou Who and the Grinch that reminds me of Jesus. The scene goes like this: Cindy Lou: “I just came to invite you to our house for Christmas dinner.” Grinch: “What? Me? But I took your gifts.” Cindy Lou: “Yeah, I know.” Grinch: “And your trees.” Cindy Lou: “Yup.” Grinch: “I stole your whole Christmas.” Cindy Lou: “I know you did, but we’re inviting you anyway!” Grinch: “But, why?” Cindy Lou: “Cause you’ve been alone long enough.” Advent is a time to look with hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus. We are sinners who haven’t earned this, but Jesus invites us to come to His table because “we’ve been alone long enough.” This Advent season, I will look to Immanuel, God with us, the one who looks past my shame and my wrong and says, “I know what you did, but I’m inviting you anyway!” He is the one who breaks the chains of sin and shame and gives us new life. ---------- Thank You for adopting us as your children, for placing us in Your family, Father God. May we welcome with sincere love and grace others who have been alone long enough. Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes) |
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