Comments on: Dec. 15: A time of lament http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/ Advent and Lenten devotions by Goshen College students, faculty and staff Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:56:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Douglas E. Sawyer, MD http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1246 Douglas E. Sawyer, MD Thu, 16 Dec 2010 01:05:18 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1246 I lament my selfishness and easily distracted ways. May I: --be ever mindful of Your Spirit, shed my selfish desires and distractions and be a reflection of your Spirit of grace and love in every thought, speech and action. --humbly accept Your forgiveness for being less that perfectly attentive to the opportunities and restrictions You present. --provide Joy and Solace to others through personal presence and prayer. --personally spread Christ’s message of forgiveness and love to our community and beyond. God will gift the Holy Spirit. I lament my selfishness and easily distracted ways.
May I:
–be ever mindful of Your Spirit, shed my selfish desires and distractions and be a reflection of your Spirit of grace and love in every thought, speech and action.
–humbly accept Your forgiveness for being less that perfectly attentive to the opportunities and restrictions You present.
–provide Joy and Solace to others through personal presence and prayer.
–personally spread Christ’s message of forgiveness and love to our community and beyond. God will gift the Holy Spirit.

]]> By: sally http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1245 sally Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:00:03 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1245 Marshal, thank you for that voice of rational thought. Many have laments in this season and the advent of Hope is the light on our path. Having the Psalms to read into is a saving grace. It is not only cold weather and wet that brings forth the laments and the depressions that bring them at this time of year. You bring a voice of reason and hope amidst what some consider a dark time. Marshal, thank you for that voice of rational thought. Many have laments in this season and the advent of Hope is the light on our path. Having the Psalms to read into is a saving grace. It is not only cold weather and wet that brings forth the laments and the depressions that bring them at this time of year. You bring a voice of reason and hope amidst what some consider a dark time.

]]> By: shirley Yoder http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1244 shirley Yoder Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:01:55 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1244 Your complaint about snow reminded me of somethiing I read yesterday."Miracles are the ordinary revealed in their simple splendor." Pirke Avot as quoted in "Raw Faith,"by John Kirvan So to are snowflakes. Your complaint about snow reminded me of somethiing I read yesterday.”Miracles are the ordinary revealed in their simple splendor.” Pirke Avot as quoted in “Raw Faith,”by John Kirvan

So to are snowflakes.

]]> By: Amy Swartz http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1243 Amy Swartz Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:59:43 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1243 Thanks for the reminder that we dont have to be happy every day of the Christmas season. God can handle our laments... Thanks for the reminder that we dont have to be happy every day of the Christmas season. God can handle our laments…

]]> By: Devotions editors http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1242 Devotions editors Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:57:18 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1242 Thank you John for being so attentive! We accidentally forgot to include verses 17-19 of the Scripture, so they have now been added. Thank you John for being so attentive! We accidentally forgot to include verses 17-19 of the Scripture, so they have now been added.

]]> By: Nancy Heishman http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1241 Nancy Heishman Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:23:28 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1241 Thanks for this meditation. My husband and I just moved back to the US (WV) from Santo Domingo on Monday after 7 years of living in the Caribbean. It's tempting to begin already complaining about the drastic change in climate and temperatures and forget all God's rich blessings and benefits, as Psalm 103 reminds us. May God's beauty and presence shine forth in the midst of the bleak winter! Thanks for this meditation. My husband and I just moved back to the US (WV) from Santo Domingo on Monday after 7 years of living in the Caribbean. It’s tempting to begin already complaining about the drastic change in climate and temperatures and forget all God’s rich blessings and benefits, as Psalm 103 reminds us. May God’s beauty and presence shine forth in the midst of the bleak winter!

]]> By: Jenny http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1240 Jenny Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:46:46 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1240 Thank you for this devotion...this time of year finds me complaining a lot, also - mostly for how consumerism has affected my extended family's celebrating of Advent. I appreciate the reminder that if I share my complaints (rather than grumbling to myself) with God there lies a huge possibility that in the end I will be praising God and my spirit will be uplifted. Thank you for this devotion…this time of year finds me complaining a lot, also – mostly for how consumerism has affected my extended family’s celebrating of Advent. I appreciate the reminder that if I share my complaints (rather than grumbling to myself) with God there lies a huge possibility that in the end I will be praising God and my spirit will be uplifted.

]]> By: Sue http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1239 Sue Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:34:37 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1239 I loved today's devotion. When I was at the lowest point of my life, I confided to a friend that I couldn't read or relate to the Bible any more. My friend told me to read Psalms -- and because David laments before praising God, I could relate. I reconnected to God in prayer -- mostly complaining prayers -- but just because I was praying, I soon ended up praising God at the end of my complaining. And that helped me to eventually leave the pit of despair I was mired in. I loved today’s devotion. When I was at the lowest point of my life, I confided to a friend that I couldn’t read or relate to the Bible any more. My friend told me to read Psalms — and because David laments before praising God, I could relate. I reconnected to God in prayer — mostly complaining prayers — but just because I was praying, I soon ended up praising God at the end of my complaining. And that helped me to eventually leave the pit of despair I was mired in.

]]> By: Jon Byler http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1238 Jon Byler Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:58:52 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1238 Helpful commentary comparing lament and advent. Thank you! Helpful commentary comparing lament and advent. Thank you!

]]> By: John Hackman http://www.goshen.edu/devotions/dec-15-a-time-of-lament/#comment-1237 John Hackman Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:58:13 +0000 http://blog.goshen.edu/devotions/?p=869#comment-1237 Where is the praise following this lament in this Psalm?; recognizing our inner faith in a God of hosts who has the power to restore us and save us? Where is the praise following this lament in this Psalm?; recognizing our inner faith in a God of hosts who has the power to restore us and save us?

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