Advent Week 3

Hope For Those Who Are Watching

Wednesday, December 18

Someone recently told me that when life becomes overwhelming and you feel like you are drowning, you have to be very careful what you grab on to. This struck me as deeply profound. Destructive behaviors, addictions and unhealthy relationships are often the result of grabbing on to the wrong thing.

Life can be so difficult: a loss, a divorce, a cross. But it can also be surprisingly delightful and beautiful:  a birth, a marriage, a baby in a manger. At these moments we catch glimpses of hope.  May we remember this advent season during both the difficult and beautiful times, to cling to hope. 

Carol Tudor

Hope For Those Who Are Watching

Tuesday, December 17

Morning Prayers in Winter

A lonely new mother of a baby girl,

she lives in a two hundred-year-old log cabin

in the wilds of Owen County KY,

​down a gravel road, down another gravel road,

​across a creek, and up a hill.

This winter morning as usual she treks down to

​the laid-limestone rock well,

​dropping down a galvanized bucket until she feels

​the weight of the water filling it, then

​pulling it up, hand over hand,

​while watching the chickadees, purple finches, and cardinals

​chasing each other away from the feeder

​as the juncos are cleaning up the mess on the ground.

She carries more buckets inside,

​splashing cold water on her boots,

​filling white enameled wash pans,

​watching until she hears them

​groaning with heat on the woodstove.

Like her Grandma before her,

​she is scrubbing yesterday’s diapers on the same

​glass-ribbed washboard,

​creating a rhythm,

​humming a carol softly along.

The swishing, the wringing,

​the rinsing, water dripping up to her elbows,

​getting her rolled-up sleeves wet,

​the fresh smell of soap and bleach,

​watching the clean pile of wet white grow in the pan.

(So far, so good…  baby still quiet,

​not like the inconsolable colic-y cries of last night.)

Hanging them out on the line,

​her fingers freezing even with gloves.

​Stretch, snap, stretch, snap,

​one row, two rows; with each snap

​the long winter stretches on and on in her mind

​like the ice-glazed clothesline.

Back inside, chugging down the cold tea left from breakfast,

​she hears happy gurgling, baby playing in her crib.

​As she lifts little one up, kissing her baby neck,

​up under her soft cheeks,

​she glances out the window watching them—

Rows of white prayer flags, flapping in the wind,

​sending a morning blessing of hope.  ​​

​​​​​​​Jawanna Herd

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.  Lamentations 3: 21-23

Advent Week 3

Hope For Those Who are Watching

Monday, December 16

Willow Hambrick

Hope For Those Who Are Watching

Much of how we interpret life depends on how we “filter” our reality.  We are “on watch” literally every waking moment.  We observe others at drive-thru windows, we watch TV, we watch our children grow, and we watch our parents age.  We observe who sits in the pew, and who does not; who takes a radical stand for justice despite great risk, and who sits, sours, and soaks, and merely slogs through life.  We take-in the world, and then make our responses to what we see based on our own unique theological, cultural, political, geographic, sexual, gender-based, and age-based filters.  Therefore, while we are watching, we are interpreting, and judging – and that is reason why we need an infusion of help and hope mixed into all this watching.  We “watchers” inevitably become the “responders”. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr encouraged us to learn to make the most “fitting response” to life, not just our same tired, bias-stained responses.  PhilosopherUmberto Eco once said, "I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom."  Little eyes are watching.  Old eyes are watching.  We gain those scraps of wisdom, or the prejudices that bind us – through seasons of observation.  That is how we learn, and that is why we offer either light or darkness to our Jerusalems.  This Advent season, intentionally focus and repair the clarity and purity of your filters.  Doesyour life offer less than fitting responses to both friend and foe because your filters needcleaning or changing?   “Be Thou my vision oh Lord of my heart.  / Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. / Thou art my best thought by day or by night.  / Waking or sleeping, Thy presence, my light.”

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

I Corinthians 16:13

Advent Week 3

Hope For Those Who Are Watching

Sunday, December 15

It is virtually impossible to guess what was running through the minds of the Wise Men as they approached the infant Jesus that night in Bethlehem.   Why had they come?  How did they know (or think they knew) that the star was a sign of the birth of a king?  It seems logical that they had read the words of the prophets, or heard from traditions the promises of a coming king, a ruler of the world, a person who would bring peace and justice, a messiah.   Astrological speculation ran rampant, and apparently they had come to associate the advent of this messiah with the coming of celestial signs.   Still, it is hard to grasp, and we wonder.   How could these men, highly involved in astrology, have known that THIS star was THE sign?   On what authority did they make their journey?   What were they thinking?  

We will never know fully what was in the mind of these Wise Men as they approached Jesus.  But one thing seems clear:  The Magi were WATCHING and they CAME with a sense of expectancy.  They came searching for something.  Perhaps they came searching for the peace and justice that this child was promised to bring in scriptures.  Perhaps they came hoping to be a part of some major cosmic event.  Perhaps they came in search of personal meaning or reconciliation with God.  Whatever the case, these magi were watching and hoping, and hope drove the Wise Men to Jesus.  

Hope continues to draw us to Jesus.  Christmas is a time of hope, not just the mundane hopes of life—hopes for the right present under the tree, or job promotions,  Christmasbonuses, or even a white Christmas.  Christmas is the time of deep hope within—hope for restored relationships, hope for joy in living, hope for peace in our world, hope for forgiveness and second chances when it comes to our own moral failures, hope for life beyond death, and hope for an ever-deepening relationship with God.  These are the hopes of Christmas.  And like the Wise Men, we watch, and we hope.   “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.”

Glenna Metcalfe

Advent Week 2

Hope For Those Who Are Weary

Saturday, December 14

I’m sure someone’s going to tell me I’m too young to be weary, but I’m going to say it anyway.

Sometimes, I am weary. Weary of school and of homework, of work, laundry, grocery shopping, and dishes, and of all the other things that eat away at my free time and my rest.

Yet Advent invites us to remember a different kind of weariness: a weariness of waiting. God had promised the Jewish people a deliverer a long time ago. These people who remembered so well the stories of the glory days of the Exodus, of David’s kingship, and of the rebuilding of Jerusalem longed for God to raise them up again and to set things right for them. And yet I can’t help but imagine that with each passing generation, the flame of hope grew fainter. I can’t help but think that with each defeat, each new government, the doubts in their hearts must have grown a little louder.

And so what lovely, reassuring words the angels speak to the shepherds in Luke: “Do not be afraid; for see -- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah.” (Luke 2:10b-11, NRSV). Scripture doesn’t tell us whether the shepherds are Jews or not, and I’m not sure it matters. Whoever they are, they certainly recognize what’s happening.  How wonderful to hear that the wait was over and to go to Bethlehem and see for themselves that God had indeed fulfilled God’s promise, not only for the sake of the Jews but for the sake of the whole world. 

I’ve always pictured “O Holy Night” set in that field where the shepherds watched over their flocks. The lines “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn,” seem to me a perfect description of what happened that night. The whole weary world received a gift from God that would change everything. May all who are weary rejoice.

Amanda Standiford

Advent Week 2

Hope For Those Who Are Weary

Friday, December 13

Hope for the Weary

​Do you ever grow weary during the Christmas season? As soon as the Thanksgiving leftovers are placed in the fridge, the hustle and bustle begins. There’s shopping & wrapping, buying & baking, and Santa Claus letters to be making. From now until the 25th, there’s seldom a “Silent Night” & I can only dream about “sleeping in heavenly peace”.

​Some days in my household we are so busy, we forget to open the doors of the advent calendar. How many times do I fail to open other doors during Christmas? Do I open my heart to those who have lost loved ones during the past year? Do I open my purse for those who may not have gifts beneath the tree? Do I open my mind to the fact that some Christians are persecuted because they worship the Prince of Peace?

​As a Christian, I need to remember that I am meant to be a light for Christ in this world. Ican call a friend in need. I can give a gift to someone in need. I can pray for missionaries and military personnel who will celebrate Christmas, miles away from home.

​Ephesians 5:8 states that “You are the light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will take the time to be a light for the Christ child. Others are seeking the light of Christ. Will they find it in you and me?

Prayer:  Father God help me this day to stop during the rush of the Advent season and look foropen doors. Let us recognize the opportunities that we have to be a light for Christ. We thank you for the gift of eternal light that we were given in a manger, so many years ago. Amen.

Advent Week 2

Hope For Those Who Are Weary

Thursday, December 12

And let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart.

Galatians 6:9 Oxford Annotated Bible

The Holiday season is upon us and we are BUSY readying for them.  We are Busy getting our homes ready for company and with decorating.  We are Busy singing in the church Christmas Cantata.  We our Busy collecting toys and food for the less fortunate.  We are simply Busy, going around “doing Good.” The verse cited here is not simply for the Holiday season, but we could do well to remember it during the Holidays.

We are admonished not to grow weary.  Weary is defined as “usingup all one's strength and energy and to be unable to continue”.  When we are admonished, it is usuallyregarding something over which we have control.  But, do we have control over when our energy and strength is gone and we cannot do one more thing?

. This verse implies that we do. But how is this?  

As it applies to doing Good in our walk with Christ, how can we prevent weariness?

1.

Weariness can come from doing every good thing you are asked to do whether or not it fits your talents or spiritual gifts.

2.

Weariness can come from accepting assignments just because you are afraid it won’t get done if you don’t do it.

3.

Weariness can come from taking on tasks that you resentbut are afraid to say “no” to.  You quickly “lose heart” for a job that you don’t want to do in the first place.

In order to not grow weary, don’t accept every task that drops in your lap or swirls around you.  Just because someone has asked you to do it, does not necessarily indicate that God is calling you to do it.  And if the task is one that God wants accomplished, he will see that it gets done. We are not indispensable to God’s work.

Be prayerful, be realistic in making your decision.  Once you have determined that the task fits your gifts, personality, and schedule, then accept it with great commitment.  

Don’t lose heart and you will reap whatever the Lord intends for you and others involved in the endeavor.  This is our hope for not growing weary.

Marolyn Dowdy