DEVOTIONAL:
Christmas day! Presents unwrapped, Christmas dinner eaten. Grandpa snores silently on the easy-boy. Grandma fusses over the newest grandbaby. Aunts put puzzles together, while uncles watch reruns on TV. Nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, cousins all, go bowling in the basement on the Wii. Awesome are the experiences and deeds we expect and take for granted at Christmastide. The coming together of generations, whether in our families of origin or in the church or with friends and others we love, is one of the priceless gifts of Christmas!

The divisions in our nation seem many these days, and not just between political parties. “What divides Americans most,” said a recent Time magazine article, “isn’t race, gender, geography or ideology. It is the year we were born.” The biggest gap between us is the generation gap. An extensive new Pew Research Center poll found that today we have the largest generation gap since 1972. The sheer numbers of people in the middle (Baby Boomers and Gen Xers) creates a demographic chasm between the Silent Generation (0ver 65) and the Millennials (18-30 year olds). The survey revealed that the youngest and oldest generations have strikingly different views on everything from how they feel about the Internet, the government, how they’ll vote, the economy, the church, interracial or same sex marriages and so on.

By contrast, the Christmas day passage (Luke 2:22-40) reminds us that the birth of Christ ushers in strong possibilities of uniting generations across time and space. Jesus’ parents bring him to the Temple to offer a sacrifice of two young turtledoves to fulfill the law of dedication. No doubt a few of Jesus’ extended family were with them for this auspicious occasion.

It isn’t long, however, until the infant attracts others, especially two older people, Simeon and Anna. Both are awed by this unexpected visitation. Simeon immediately proclaims Jesus to be his Savior and the Savior of the world, “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, O God…a light for revelation to [all people].” Simeon can now die, happy. Then old Anna, a widowed prophet living in the Temple for years, “gave thanks to God and spoke of Jesus to everyone looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” And Mary and Joseph awed by the whole thing, “marveled at the things which were spoken” about Jesus.

What greater Christmas gift could there be to one another? What more unexpected sign of the power of Christ’s birth in our lives than the coming together across time and space, across the generations, however wide the gap? Before this season is over, if you’re of the older generation, whether you agree with them or not, reach out and embrace that youngster nearby. Tell him or her that you believe in them, care for them, love them no matter what. If you’re a part of the younger generation, make sure in this season to give the gift of your hug or kind word, or volunteer to read or do some other loving deed to an older person you know or encounter.

To all of us, Millennials, Generation Xers, Baby Boomers or the Silent Generation alike, whatever our differences, whatever the gap between us, let us all unite to sing with one voice, and not just on this Christmas day, but every day, “Christ, the Savior is born, Christ, the Savior is born!”

The post Dec. 25: Christmas for the Generations appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
This advent season, my regular activities of work and life have had a little more of a frenetic feeling underneath them than usual. As my kids get older, I find our family having to craft tight plans for all our days to get everyone to their rehearsals and Christmas parties. Weekends have been taken up with preparations for and performances in pageants, festivals and music recitals, and we’ve even been caroling with our Sunday school groups. We want all this activity to spread joy and create powerful memories of the season that remind us every year of God’s place in our lives.

So when I read today’s passage, I was struck by Mary’s response to all the excitement she witnessed around the birth of the baby Jesus. The Angel of the Lord brought “good news of great joy for all people” to the shepherds, and they “went with haste” to find Jesus. They told everyone around them about the good news – including Mary. But she didn’t jump up and down like she’d won the lottery, she didn’t high-five everyone who crowded into the stable, she didn’t burst into song or do a victory dance. She “treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.”

Our faith calls us to treasure and to ponder. Today, as you prepare for the celebration of the Lord’s coming, I pray that you will ponder the words you hear and treasure them tonight, tomorrow and all year long.

The post Dec. 24: Treasure and ponder appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
As I sat down to reflect on today’s Scripture passage, I found myself steeped in the stress of the ending semester, a time when no one seems to be able find time to get all of his or her work done, let alone stop to breathe. In the hustle and bustle of school, I compartmentalize my life, convincing myself that if I only get through each of the parts, I will survive the whole of my busy existence. But in reality this separation will not help me come out the other side in one piece, and the comfort of to-do lists can only go so far.

In the same way, God’s unexpected coming has become a part of our routine, a part of the season for many of us, but we become almost numb to the fact that Christ not only has come, but also will come again.

In sending Jesus, God not only gave us the opportunity to inherit the Kingdom of God as God’s own beloved children; more than that, God gave us a new way to enter into relationship with God. God has come, yet God continues to enter into our lives each day, and the opportunity for relationship is not a missed one. In the season of Advent, I encourage us to take a step back and revel in this gift that God—our Mother and our Father—has bestowed upon us.

God’s glory and God’s love cannot be put in a box—no matter how distracted we are—displayed occasionally and stored along with the rest of our Christmas decorations. That glory and love overcame the world on the night that Jesus was born, they are with us now, and they will be forevermore. Praise the Lord!

The post Dec. 23: God’s ever-present glory and love appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
In a few days, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Isaiah reminds us to loudly praise God in all we do because it’s only through God’s glory that Jesus was sent into the world as our salvation.

The passage continues to relate this salvation to a growing seed. Jesus is the soil that starts the garden. We are the seeds that need to grow. Yet, we are not “just another seed.” We each are so precious to God. As we work to find our gifts, our beauty and our voices for praise, God cradles us and holds us close like precious gems. We are not hidden in the dirt. We are not silent.

The first time I read the passage, I thought about it with a question in mind: What is God saying to me? The first paragraph comes from that, which I think is important to remember. As I continued to think about the passage, however, I also started thinking about it in the sense of God saying it to others.

So, today as you read the Scripture, I encourage you to think of God telling you how much you are loved. I also want to urge you to think further. Think about those people you’d rather not be around, think about those people who annoy you, and think about the people whom society rejects and deems “not normal.” They are also gems in God’s hands; they are just as loved and cherished, wrapped in the same salvation, the same love and the same soil.

The post Dec. 22: Salvation as a growing seed appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
As I read this passage, considering my busy semester, I asked myself, “At what times have I truly praised God lately?” I seem to be more thankful to God than anything. Yet, the times that I have praised have been wonderful and rejuvenating.

I praised God in community when I sang in the Homecoming hymn sing. As I sang in harmony with an inter-generational group of people, I felt an unexplainable joy. I had this same feeling of joy and wonder as I was walking through the woods and I saw leaves falling off of a massive oak. The leaves seemed to fall with perfect timing, and I knew that because of the complexities of nature never again would I see that exact same sight. I then praised God.

When I was a kid, during Advent my mother would have us light a candle every night and sing Christmas songs in English and Spanish. Over the years, as each one of us has gone our separate ways, this tradition was lost. But at the beginning of this month as I had supper with my family, we sang songs as we had done in the past. My favorite part of one of the songs we sang, which is in Spanish, has, of course, a talking donkey. In the song the man riding the donkey is kicking and urging it towards Bethlehem in order to go and see the Christ child as quickly as possible. The donkey tells the man that there is no need to beat him, as the donkey is as anxious as he is to go to Bethlehem.

I urge each one of you this week to praise God alongside nature, one’s family, or one’s community. Every moment is a new creation. Every moment is new life.

Praise the Creator.

The post Dec. 21: Praise the Creator appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
I have sisters-in-law who are elementary school teachers. With the start of each new school year, our family is entertained by the unusual or ridiculous names of children in their classrooms. A familiar name gets an update with a unique spelling, or a child is saddled with a long title, or, as the present trend seems to be, children are named for an object. Listed under celebrity baby names, I found Apple, Banjo, Ocean and Moon Unit.

I was named after a woman in the Bible, and my name means “companion; friend.” I like to think that I’ve become someone who resembles the person for whom I was named. An endearing nickname secured my sense of belonging among family and close friends. Names do matter.

In today’s Scripture, Isaiah predicts the birth of a child who will come with great mission and purpose. He will be as a light in the darkness, and a deliverer who causes rejoicing. He will govern, and his kingdom will have no end. A single name for this baby is too confining. He will be called:

Wonderful Counselor
Mighty God
Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace.

Jesus’ birth fulfilled this prophecy and for those of us who have received adoption into his family, we know how well these names fit him. The times I’m confused or in need of guidance, Jesus counsels me through Scripture or through other believers inspired by his words. God is mighty in creation, and in working things out for good in the messiness of my life. To call Jesus, Father, means we are family, and I belong to him. I even have the privilege of using his nickname, Abba. This Father’s care for me is lasting and forever.

When life is uncertain, when insecurity makes me anxious, when conflict brings turmoil and when worry has seized control of my mind, I run to the Prince of Peace to find refuge and help. In this place of rest, those who struggle to make peace with their given name will find Jesus calling them Loved and Chosen.

There is a glorious King above heaven and earth who came down into our world so we could be familiar with the one whose name is above all names. I am awed and filled with wonder.

The post Dec. 20: What’s in a name? appeared first on Devotions.

“I wonder if God comes to the edge of heaven each Advent
and flings the Star into the December sky,
laughing with joy as it lights the darkness of the earth;
and the angels, hearing the laughter of God,
begin to congregate in some celestial chamber
to practice their alleluias.”

So muses writer Ann Weems in the opening lines of her advent poem, “This Year.” I love the striking image the poet’s words evoke: a brilliant star startles the dark sky as divine laughter sets all the angels abuzz; God’s glory radiates throughout heaven and earth.

Our Scripture texts this week bear witness to this radiant glory of the God who saves and redeems, who comes to dwell among us, whose name is praised from all corners of the earth. But these verses also tell of longing and anticipation. The people who walked in darkness have yearned for the great light. The gray-haired Simeon and Anna have waited all their lives for the Child to be born. As the glorious light of Christ’s nativity shines brightly this week, we hear in these verses the stubborn hope of those still waiting under starless skies.

Many of us know all too well what it is to walk in darkness. After a sudden decline into the final stages of dementia, my 84-year-old grandfather passed away early last month. His final weeks brought dark moments, as spells of delirium thrust him into frightening realms of his imagination. But there was something else in those last days. Not usually one to boldly announce his quiet faith, Grandpa could be heard reciting hymns and offering spontaneous prayers of thanksgiving, praise and hope. In the week leading up to his departure, he spoke of a new day dawning on earth that would bring healing to racial conflict, mercy to immigrants, release for prisoners and medicine for the sick. Grandpa’s last days glowed with the light of God’s glory anticipated and revealed, a light shining brightly in heaven and on earth.

In her poem, Ann Weems imagines the angels’ response to the brilliant display of God’s glory each Advent. Perhaps when the star appears, she concludes, perhaps the angels all come.

“Perhaps they come,
winging through the winds of time
full of expectancy
full of hope
that this year
perhaps this year
(perhaps)
the earth will fall to its knees
in a whisper of ‘Peace.’”

With Simeon and Anna and all souls who have walked in darkness, on earth and in heaven, we too lift our hopeful eyes to behold the star. May it be so.

The post Dec. 19: His glory is above earth and heaven appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
I can’t imagine what Mary would have felt when she received Gabriel’s message that she would be the mother of Jesus. Mary found herself in circumstances she could not explain. The social ramifications of her pregnancy were daunting, and she must have experienced moments of fear and uncertainty. Part of me likes to think that Mary didn’t accept Gabriel’s message as easily as Luke portrays — that she tried to rationalize with Gabriel, or was even angry with God.

What is so striking about Mary in this story is the way she responded to her situation. Mary chose to glorify God for the gift of a child. Mary is often depicted as being one-dimensional – she is quiet, meek, and acquiescent. However, I think she is a powerful character that warrants our attention; I prefer to think that Mary’s serene responses to Gabriel indicate deep strength rather than mere submission.

Mary is a powerful example of faith. Often, like Mary, we find ourselves in circumstances we did not choose. As Christians our powerful witness to the world lies in how we choose to react to situations. This posture of grace, perseverance and joy in the face of difficulty does not come easily — it comes from unwavering faith in God, and it must be practiced.

Mary is also an example of patience. Advent is a time of waiting as we anticipate the coming of Christ. Mary, perhaps more than anyone, knows what it means to wait, as she spent nine months anticipating the birth of Jesus. Like Mary, we wait for clarity in our difficult situations and anticipate the hope and joy that Jesus brings to our lives.

Peace to you as you wait.

The post Dec. 16: Learning from Mary’s strength and patience appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
Those of us who live the North American lifestyle tend to live planned, non-mysterious and time-centric lives. Everything that matters can be easily explained and whatever cannot may be ignored or neglected. Often this even extends into our faith.

It is in the proclamation of Jesus Christ and his message in which Christians hold steadfast and find eternal salvation. Paul expresses this as the mystery that God revealed to the Gentiles, to bring about obedient faith in the one true God.

This is a solid foundation on which to build one’s faith.

God’s great mystery of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ has been revealed to us, though we must not become too comfortable in our faith. We cannot close our souls, minds and hearts to the Word of God, messages from the Holy Spirit, or to the many mysteries that yet surround us. We must find ways to engage the mystery of the natural world, or the mystery of purpose, the mystery of life, the mystery of why.

Prayer:

God, you have made known the great mystery to all: eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. Help us to live in the glory of Your revealed mystery. Let us take up an active, obedient faith as we engage and question the mysteries around us. Help us seek out the mysteries of Your world and our faith in You.

To the God of mysteries revealed and mysteries yet unknown be all the glory.
Mystery abounds around us.

Amen.

The post Dec. 15: God of mysteries appeared first on Devotions.

DEVOTIONAL:
This is an exciting time. Waiting in joyful hope, preparing for the coming of Jesus and all the rituals, meals and gatherings that come with it.

I find it easy to become engrossed with activities during the holiday season, trying to ensure that everything is just right. My desire to make the holiday time special and help take the burden of busyness of others begins to take over. If I’m not careful, I become a doing-machine with grandiose ideas working at a pace that is not sustainable.

In this Sripture passage, David wakes up with a brilliant idea – build the ark of God a house of cedar and replace the tent that had served as God’s dwelling for many years.

The desire I have to create the most special holiday for my family and David’s exuberant desire to please God both have something very crucial in common – neither are asked for or expected. Frankly, God has already outdone my efforts and David’s by preparing a place for us on this Earth and at the heavenly banquet.

The desire to go to great extremes to please others, or God, reminds me of a favorite prayer of mine. In this prayer Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk and prolific spiritual writer says, “The fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.”

The challenge I offer us today is rather than make promises to God, let us remember the promises God has made to us.

The post Dec. 14: Remembering God’s promises appeared first on Devotions.