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Meditations for Advent 2006
God wants us to follow him into his loving embrace. We are loved and cherished. We follow the star into Bethlehem. On bended knee, we worship God's son, come to us as a baby.
Jesus calls us to be disciples for God. We are ambassadors, spreading God's love and mercy to everyone we meet. It's not always easy following God. We stumble and fall along the way. God is always waiting for us to turn our eyes and heart towards his love and mercy.
God's grace is open to all who seek the daily presence of God in their lives. We must humble ourselves and be the arms, legs and heart of God. When we turn over our life to God, we are empowered.
Hallelujah! Christ is born! Now is the time to open our hearts to God's love and mercy. Ask the Holy Spirit to enter your heart and make you more like Jesus. Let your light shine and God's love will spread to everyone you meet. What a wonderful world that would be. God loves you, pass it on.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
"Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6 (KJV)It really shouldn't be so hard. It's a very simple plan. We need to just follow our Lord. We will always have God to protect us. It is so wonderful to know that only goodness and kindness will follow us if we follow God.
In my life I have been extremely blessed by the goodness of others and the kindness that they have brought to me. I think about all the wonderful people that have been a part of my life. Some have been life long friends. I have one friend who I have known since third grade. We often do not see each other for months or years, but when I see her or talk to her on the phone, it is almost like we have never been a day apart. I have known other kind and generous people for only a short period of time but they have greatly enriched my life.
I thank God for all that God gives to me each day as I pray that I will continue to follow him all the days of my life.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: Psalm 63
"My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth thee."
Psalm 63:8 (KJV)I find that when I don't seek God's presence, my life is gray and bleak. Sometimes I stumble and fall. I forget to ask for God's guidance. There's an old saying, "If you don't feel close to God - guess who moved?
When I am praying and reading the Bible daily, I can feel God reaching out to me. I can feel his presence. When I am quiet, I can hear his voice. God is waiting for me to choose him. He is waiting for me to seek his presence and choose him over the world.
I need to feel God's presence in my life daily. I thirst for his love and mercy and forgiveness. God loves me no matter what. I am a child of the King. I am precious in his sight. He yearns for me to spread his love to everyone. We are ambassadors of his love.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me unconditionally. May I be an example of your love to others. I choose to seek your presence in my life daily. I reach out and grab your love and spread it around.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:26-42
"And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.."
-- Matthew 10:38 (KJV)Christians must be prepared with offensive and defensive weapons. We use our defensive words and actions to defend our faith in Christ and what he has taught us to say and do. We use our offensive words, when we witness to others.
When Paul says that God commends us in every way - "dying, and yet we live on." I recently lost a very dear friend. She had a fatal heart attack at age 59. Her legacy lives on - she always did so many loving and caring acts of kindness - little bags of candy hung on doors early in the morning or late at night - just when someone needed an extra little "pick-me-up". When I moved to Texas, she bought me a tea kettle that was in the shape of a cow. She said, "you can't live in Texas and not have a cow." So I now have a cow on my stove that reminds me everyday of Beth's caring and loving heart. She sent me an e-mail just hours before her last breath. She ended her note with, "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." Several hours later, she was with our Heavenly Father. I now use her words as my salutation on all e-mails that I send out. It reminds me that in Dying yet she lives and it is the same with Christ - In his death on the cross, yet he lives on forever.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: John 8:12-32
"Then Jesus spake again unto them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 8:12 (KJV)Jesus is the light of the world. Wow! I can be filled with God's light and love. All I need to do is walk towards God. God will meet me halfway. He will carry me when my steps falter.
There is darkness all around me in the world. What a wonderful feeling to know that I can have the light of God's love in my life. I am walking towards God and his love.
At night, I try to take time out of my day to watch the sunset. I feel peaceful as I watch the beautiful colors fade into the nighttime sky. As I look at the stars, I am amazed at the beauty of God's love and mercy.
I open my heart and listen for God's voice. We forget to listen for God. He is reaching out to us. Let us acknowledge and walk towards God's love. I will follow God and spread his love to all who need to feel it. I choose God's love to live in my heart.
Dear God,
I am a child of the living God. Help me to always seek the light of your love. May I help others to find their way into your loving embrace. - Amen.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: John 10:1-29
"My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me."
-- John 10:27God is always with us at the hardest times. No matter where we are, Jesus is close by to guide us like sheep.
Jesus is like a shepherd. He hears us when we call on Him in our great hour of need, He hears us. He comes to us. He knows what we need to say and puts words in our mouth, and tells us what to say.
One time I was having problems at work. I called on Jesus and He heard me. He told me what to say. When I finished talking, the problem was resolved. I realized that Jesus was a good shepherd to me. He was at my side and helped me.
Life is filled with problems, but we can always depend on the Good Shepherd. He will never fail us.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:10-16
"Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."
-- Philippians 3:12 (KJV)We press towards the goal of Christ's spirit. God knows our imperfections. He remains our constant guide and resource of strength.
We are surely aware of the pain that we create through thoughts and actions that lie apart from the will of God.
We pray for all His children. May he give us all understanding of how we ought to act toward others.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:3-18
"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."
-- 2 Peter 1:16 (KJV)Follow God - what a challenge!
If we accept it - we will embark upon a journey of awe, wonder, and excitement.
First, look at your body. Such a miracle, working constantly and well, PERFECT - the image of God.
Next, go outside. Look at the heavens with the myriads of stars, planets, comets, and the sun and the moon.
Now, consider the natural world of animals, vegetation, and oceans. The largest animal on the planet -- the blue whale, weighing upwards of 150 tons - is kept alive and well by the tiny krill and small fish. All marine life is interfaced; every species has its special place - each dependent on the other.
Finally, consider the many gifts God showers upon us: thought, knowledge, imagination, the ability to envision and produce things, to create art and music, and the greatest of all - to LOVE.
Is it possible to thank God for all His wondrous creations? All we can do is follow Him with our whole hearts.
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days and let them flow in ceaseless praise. - Amen.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-16
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him."
-- Matthew 5:1 (KJV)When I was a young person just starting out I had to live in apartments rather than owning my own home as I do now. In low-end apartments the walls are very thin and you can easily hear what is going on in the other apartments.
One couple was very noisy. They had serious problems and they fought and argued frequently. He sometimes went out drinking in the evening and came home intoxicated at late hours. Sometimes he hit her and she screamed.
Sometimes my neighbors pounded on the walls, floors, and ceilings. Sometimes the police were called in to quiet them down. They were turned into our landlord and threatened with eviction.
But one couple tried to be helpful. They spoke to the noisy couple and tried to understand their problems. They invited the noisy couple to their church, their minister came out for visits, church collections were taken up and the situation improved.
Dear Lord, let us all try to be disciples of Christ like the couple that actively helped the noisy couple.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:5-24
"The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord."
-- Matthew 10:24 (KJV)Life nowadays can be very demanding and complex. It always simplifies the problems of each day to remember obedience to Christ's message to "do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God." And to maintain the "peace that passeth understanding" within.
Dear Lord,
Help me to be obedient in spite of all the disruptions and distractions and to bring glory and honor to your name.
--Amen
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 13:36-43
"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him saying, "Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field."
-- Matthew 13:36 (KJV)Who are the weeds of the field, and for that matter, who am I? as a member of the Church, I am commissioned to be a disciple of Christ, a student of the Word, a teacher, and an example of Christ's love, and, even more importantly, of God's mercy.
The weed is that person, within or outside the Church, who rejects Christ's love and God's mercy, perhaps because he is under Satan's influence. God's mercy dictates that I strive to love all people, weeds and good seed alike. It is not my job to judge and exclude those whom I believe to be weeds. However, it is my job to reduce the influence of Satan by being confident in God's final judgment of evil and allowing the Spirit to produce in me the fruits of righteousness.
During Advent I must recommit to the most challenging task of extending love, relationship and reconciliation to everyone, not just the "churched" and those I consider to be righteous.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Mark 8:34-38
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me."
-- Mark 8:34 (KJV)Sometime the Gospel message is a hard sell in our modern world. It is difficult to interest people in a message that speaks about giving up, giving away, self denial, losing, and forfeiting their life. Yet those are the words of Jesus. That, is the course he calls us to take. How unconventional can you get? How unpopular could you become?
Yet it is exactly that call, the call to deny ourselves, to give of our selves, to follow Jesus Christ, and not the popular culture, which has so motivate and inspired millions over the centuries. It was that call to deny my own personal safety, to give up comfort, to care for those who are being drafted in to a war they did not choose, that led me volunteer to become a US Army chaplain in the height of the Vietnam War.
When I was challenged by a young man from the congregation in which I was serving, to stop "hiding behind my clerical collar and go with him to serve the young men like himself who had to go," I felt I was following the call of my master.
And true to His promise, in giving of my life, I found Life, and in losing some of my selfish ambitions, I found my freedom to speak about Jesus to many who had never heard the gospel before and Jesus was always with me!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Luke 6:20-38
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, "Blessed be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
-- Luke 6:20 (KJV)It's hard to think in terms of being meek and lowly. We tend to puff ourselves up and think we are so important. I think God put us on earth for another reason. We were sent to help others in need. How can we see the needs of others if we cannot see past our own selfish desires?
When we ask God to be present in our life, the Holy Spirit starts to work in our hearts. God puts love in our hearts. We are blessed, knowing that God loves us. He is always there for us. Not everyone has God in their life.
When we look past ourselves and see others, we see God. The footprint of God is love. God puts us each on a path for his greater good. We might not always see the outcome, but God does. The more love we spread, the better the world will be. When we reach out to others in love, it is contagious. Love spreads from person to person. What a wonderful place this world would be if we loved our neighbors and spread it to everyone we meet.
Dear God,
Thank you for inviting us to be your disciples. May we show others of your love through our words and actions. Help us to be your shining examples of love to the world. - Amen
Friday, December 15, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-35
"And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."
-- Luke 14:27 (KJV)To be a disciple of Christ we have to understand what he did for us. Remember how Jesus suffered and died on the cross. It makes a difference whether or not we believe in God and are truly trusting him and walking with him. When we know Christ we have an inner resource to help us through difficult times. It is better to face problems with God than alone. The Bible says I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Don't let anything, your pride, your self reliance, your sins, anything that keeps you from Christ. Instead, reach out in faith and commit your life to him.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Theme: Disciples of Christ
Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-16
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
-- John 15:8 (KJV)In this chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus is reminding his disciples that they are like a branch on a vine. The purpose of the vine is to bear fruit. If there is no fruit, then the branch withers and dies and is lost. By itself the branch has no life. Only when it draws its life from the vine can it yield fruit.
It is not easy to be a follower of Jesus, to remain faithful to him in an age when the world constantly tries to tell us that to follow Jesus is not realistic. We are told that the important thing is to make a lot of money or strive to become powerful. Many times in my life I have had to decide whether to follow Jesus or face the scorn of the world..
When we truly give ourselves to Jesus our lives will produce fruit. But the glory will not be ours. God will receive the glory.
Prayer: Dear Lord, use our lives to produce fruit for your kingdom. We know that fruit will come from our efforts. We rejoice that you will be glorified if we are faithful. Amen.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: Psalm 84
"For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."
-- Psalm 84:11 (KJV)For tried for years I tried to live without God. I tried to walk uprightly separated from God. I made many poor decisions for which I am still paying.
The best decision of my life was to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. God welcomed my return and His Grace and Glory bless me. Peace comes from victory over sin. All I can say is to let go and let God. And let Him bring Peace into your life.
God Bless,
Monday, December 18, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: Romans 12
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
-- Romans 12:3 (KJV)What a relief! When I stopped judging myself through the false expectations of this world and evaluated myself, considering the gifts and abilities God has given me, I no longer had to feel larger than or smaller than anyone else. I could feel right sized in the eyes of the Lord. I was able to feel the love and grace God has for me. I could see the role God has planned for my life. I can live my life according to His plans, and demonstrate His grace to my neighbor.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-17
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. But let everyman take heed how he buildeth thereupon." -- 1 Corinthians 3:10 (KJV)What a beautiful word is GRACE.
It has several different meanings according to the dictionary:
- Effortless beauty or charm
- A prayer of blessing or thanksgiving.
- Divine love and protection freely bestowed upon mankind by the favor of God.
What a lovely word! What a blessing it is! Truly unmerited but truly given by our Lord!
Dear Father, may our lives reflect thy glory and grace. - Amen.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Theme: Follow God
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10
"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain."
-- 2 Corinthians 6:1 (KJV)We are reminded that now is the time for God's favor. We should receive God's grace and think about what it means and can mean to each one of us and to those who watch our words and actions. We hear God's message but we need to think about what it really means to us and what we can do to share the grace with others. We must let God's word affect what we say and do - our actions do in fact speak louder than our words. How many times does God's word reach us in vain? Do we meditate on what we hear on Sunday morning - do we open up our hearts to what the message can mean to us and how we can win other's over to Christ? Do we quietly listen and meditate?
God's favor is salvation for all of us. Many people put off a decision for Christ till a later time or a more convenient time, but they could easily miss their opportunity altogether. Many of us have been a Christian for many years but we can always renew our decision and dedication to Christ and his teachings. Don't let anyone or anything hold you from dedicating your life to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with your Father in Heaven.
We should also consider what our actions show others about ourselves. Actions do speak louder than words. In the course of daily work and activities, non-Christians observe us and we must show how God's Grace is living through us. As a child, we were asked in Sunday School class how we could preach a sermon. I said, "I can not preach, I'm only a little girl." My Sunday school teacher asked if I carried my Bible to church. I said, "Yes." She said, "How far did you walk?" I said, "It is 4 blocks from my house to church." She said, "You have just preached a 4 block sermon." I've thought of that many times throughout the years. Some of us are timid and shy about speaking the Word, but our actions speak for us.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
-- 2 Corinthians 8:9 (KJV)As the New Year nears, we look to January 1st as a chance to begin anew, to do the things we always wanted to do. Reading this passage from 2 Corinthians will remind us all that the goals we set for ourselves need not be big or world changing, but rather that it is the effort we place behind the goal. A person does not need to set out to cure cancer or find a way to end world hunger. It can be something as simple as saying hello to everyone who walks in the door and in the eagerness and spirit of attaining your goal, you remember then it is acceptable to the Lord.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:1-14
"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
Ephesians 1:6 (KJV)This passage declares God's love for all his children, who have faith in Jesus Christ, and tells us we are destined for adoption!
Perhaps only those who could not have children of their own can know the awesome pleasure of finally being able to have a child to raise. And perhaps only those children who had no family to raise them can understand the joy of having a family to call their own at last. Adoption is the act of freely taking in another person to cherish as one's own.
This is the gift that God is offering to all who believe in His Son. Because of the good pleasure of his will, God is reaching down to us, not as Lord to servant, but as Father to children.
We understand this gift. We adopted our first child 38-years ago and received him two days before Christmas! He had been called "David" in the foster home, which was located in a town named "Bethlehem' (Pennsylvania)! He was my perfect little son, and that Christmas was one of the happiest of my entire life.
Prayer: As we draw closer to Christmas, Heavenly Father, we pray that we will feel surrounded by your love. In spite of our faults, you accept us and our sometimes faltering faith in Jesus. Thank you that You have destined us for adoption, for forgiveness, and for redemption. Our hope is in Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Theme: Grace
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:6
"Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."
-- Ephesians 6:24 (KJV)
Just as Paul ends this letter to the Ephesians with a blessing of Grace, so did he start and end many of his letters. God's gift of Grace to all who accept it is so amazing, so difficult to explain, and yet so profound. The gift begins at Christmas with the birth of the child Jesus. And it is fulfilled with his resurrection at Easter. Through this wonderful act of love, God reconciles a sinful people to himself and grants them His Grace. I think Paul is constantly reminded of this marvelous gift and wants to be sure it is shared with all who love Christ.
God's gift of Grace frees us to live in a loving relationship with Him. To call on Him in stressful times. To trust that He is in control. And to live in peace that through our Lord Jesus Christ we are forgiven. I too personally feel this Grace. It is what allows me to continue and strive to do better, to be more Christ-like. Especially at times when I am the least Christ-like.
At this time of Christmas, as we share gifts with loved ones, let us remember the true gift we celebrate is the gift of Grace from God. It is truly a gift, for nothing I have done has made me worthy to receive it. Only the love of Christ has made me worthy.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Theme: Christ is Born
Matthew 1:23 (KJV)
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."Christ is born! Alleluia! We come to the altar of God's love on bended knee. We kneel before the grace of God with hope in our hearts.
God is hope. God is love. Love came down to us in the form of a baby. We do not always know why God does things, but he does. I need to trust God and his plan for my life. The hardest thing for me is handing over the reins of my life to God. I like to feel in control.
I find that when I seek God's presence, my life runs smoother. I am not as stressed, and my heart is filled with peace and love.
The Holy Spirit can fill our hearts with love, joy, and peace. We must first seek his presence. I walk towards God's light and his loving embrace. I am a child of the king. I will spread his love to everyone I meet.
Dear Loving Father,
Thank you for loving me, even when I forget to seek your presence. Help me to be a beacon of your love to others who need to feel it in their lives.-Amen
Monday, December 25, 2006
Theme: Christ is Born
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:1-20
"And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.."
-- Luke 2:7 (KJV)On this Christmas day, we celebrate the most precious gifts we have ever received, the gift of God's son.
How can we possibly justify our worthiness to receive such an unselfish addition to our life? Our worthiness can be justified if we sacrifice any sinful ways or ask for forgiveness.
During the Christmas season, we must not get wrapped up in the superficial trapping of the material world, but must choose symbols that truly represent our faith and the Christmas season. God's son will be welcomed in a more meaningful way.
Heavenly Father,
Our gratitude to you is as unending as our faith. May your precious son's birth bring meaning and religious focus back into our lives at this holiday season and all through the year. -Amen
Acknowledgments
We wish to acknowledge and thank all of the people who contributed their time, talent and insight to the making of this booklet. Special thanks foes to the Sunday School class for making the beautiful covers. As you read the writings contained within, may the Lord speak to your heart. May God bless you and your loved ones this holiday season. The following people contributed time, talent and insight making this the best Advent Booklet yet.
Jan Anderson Dorothy Dobbs Alyce Downer Kay Dunn Heidi Von Gruenigen Norman Griffin Dave Gustafson Jenny Gustafson Ethan Huffman Marilyn Ibey Charlie Jones Pastor Ralph Ludwig Pastor Sandy Ludwig Paul Olson Lance Shuh Ben Schwartz Kathryn Stribley Diane Stribley Art Von Gruenigen Derelys Sweet John Von Gruenigen
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