Advent Devotional - Day 26: by Margene Wampole

READING: Luke 2:1-14
“He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2: 5-7

Luke begins the Christmas Story with a journey, then tells us of the joyous arrival of God’s gift to the world, His Son, the Messiah, long promised to herald the NEW covenant between God and man. The gift of God’s love is made flesh to dwell among us. This Babe in the manger is our Savior and our guide in loving God and one another, in accepting God’s love for us.
In a world increasingly segmented, we need to open ourselves to God’s gifts around us so we are giving, receiving and passing on God’s love. This open conduit circulates God’s love through our society so we can concentrate on what we have in common instead of dwelling on our differences. Sharing, kindness and humor, reaching out a helping hand, offering an unexpected gesture, kind word or compliment enriches us and validates our common humanity. We grow into loving people, with the same love Jesus shares with his disciples, with us.
Looking for our Lord in others makes it more likely others will see the Lord in us. The moment of seeing others as a gift of God gives value and recognition to souls behind eyes….. A moment of connection. We are not alone, we share this journey together, and the Lord God is with us every step of the way.

Christ Jesus, on this day of your birth, help us to grow into loving people with the same kind of love you show us and then guide us on how to share this love with others as we journey together with you by our side.
Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 25: by Evelyn Nasworthy

READING: Psalm 118:24

“This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24

I wake up every day and see something that amazes me………a sunrise while I am walking the dog, a beautiful red hibiscus blooming near the mail box, or children laughing at the local playground. Take a walk yourself and see for yourself. Our Lord has made it……..all of it. Praises should flow from your lips and dwell in your mind every day so that we sing those praises to others. Don’t keep them to yourself. It is your duty to proclaim God’s greatness. Be glad and share the love and happiness that is given for you……each day……..every day.

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, our Lord, We rejoice with such enthusiasm of the wonderful things that we have seen you have made. It is all around us, Lord. We are glad. See us smiling? We are rejoicing and singing your goodness. Praise to you, dear Lord.
Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 24: by Bill Nasworthy

READING: Hebrews 1:1-6

For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my son; today I have become your Father”?
Or again,
“I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Hebrews 1: 5-6

Long ago, God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets (in visions, dreams, and even face to face), telling them little by little about his plans. But now in these days he has spoken to us through his Son to whom he has given everything, and through whom he made the world and everything there is. God’s Son shines out with God’s glory, and all that God’s Son is and does marks him as God. He regulates the universe by the mighty power of his command. He is the one who died to cleanse us and clear our record of all sin, and then sat down in highest honor beside the great God of heaven. Thus he became far greater than the angels, as proved by the fact that his name “Son of God,” which was passed on to him by his Father, is far greater than the names and titles of the angels. For God never said to any angel, “You are my Son, and today I have given you the honor that goes with that name.” But God said it about Jesus. Another time he said, “I am his Father and he is my Son.” And still another time --- when his first born Son came to earth--- God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
God certainly planned for a long time for His Son to come and save us. Nothing but the best did He give for us. He brought His Son to Earth to be born and live with us and later die for us a terribly painful death, also for us. It should humble us to realize the depth to which our God reached into the universe and gathered all the good and wonderful only He could to create His Son. From this passage, it is easy to see that God was very proud of His Son, as any Father would be. God commands that the angels of God are to worship him. We can do no less!


Let us pray together: Father, thank you for the gift you gave us, Your Son. You loved Him so much, and You love us so much that you sent him to live with us. Even greater, you knew His future and yet You sent your beloved Son to earth to live among your people. Thank you for loving us and caring for us, just as you did your Son, Jesus.

Advent Devotional - Day 23: by Beth Wigert

READING: Isaiah 9:2-7

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

The Lord brings hope where there is no hope. Where there is joy He increases the joy. The Lord seeks us out to bless us. His Light shines on us. We are so thankful for our blessings. God’s strength will set us free of life’s chains and bring peace. There is no burden too heavy that can’t be carried side by side with God.

God gave us the ultimate gift, the gift of His Son, the Promise and Good News for all mankind. This gift insures that God’s blessings, protection, guidance and peace within will last forever. This gift of faith lives in the heart and soul of each one of us. God’s undying love for us gives us the undying faith that is our very Christian foundation of being…of doing…of living. Forever and ever.

Heavenly Father,
You gave us the ultimate gift of your son to save us from our sin. Keep our faith strong so that we pass the knowledge of this gift on to others throughout the world. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 22: by Anita Canteenwalla

READING: Luke 1:46-55

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.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
Luke 1: 46-49

This scripture passage is known as Mary’s song, or the Magnificat. In this poetic tribute to the glorious power of God, Mary is acknowledging that she understands what He is going to do for the world, and that she is going to be used to ensure that the Son of God fulfills that prophecy. She has shown submission to God’s will earlier in Luke 1:38 when she tells the angel Gabriel that she accepts the commission to bear His Son through a virgin birth. But in this passage, we come to understand just how faithful Mary is, and just how much she understands what she is being asked to do. Through her words, we realize that she comprehends the impact of her lowly station in life, of her precarious position of a promised, but still unmarried woman, and of the prophetic implications of this conception for Israel. As a woman, contemplating Mary’s song of tribute to God’s might and promise, I can’t help but think of the level of commitment this young woman showed to her faith. About to enter into an arranged marriage with a much older man, she is aware of the dangerous possibilities an unexplained pregnancy may entail. At the same time, she shows great strength and courage when she expresses her willingness to fulfill prophecy while fully cognizant of the risks. She knows her scriptures and she has such great faith in God’s promises. She knows that God will fulfill his promises to his people to show mercy. She not only submits to his will, but also glorifies and praises Him as she accepts his great gift in her inspirational song.

Lord Jesus Christ,
Just as Mary had the faith to believe in what you were commissioning her to do, keep us faithful to your will to spread the word to the world. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 21: by Ann Shaffer

READING: Psalm 98:1-3

“O Sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things;” Psalm 98:1

In this season of Advent, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness to us by sending Jesus to us. It is through Jesus that God has shown his love and faithfulness to us and revealed our salvation. How truly awesome is our God! Every day God is all around us working in magnificent ways. Unfortunately, we get so wrapped up in our day to day living that we fail to see the things that God is doing in our lives.

Jesus taught us that it is not what goes in the mouth but what comes out of the mouth that is important. The things that come out of our mouths are a direct reflection of our hearts. Let us prepare our hearts with love and thanksgiving. We should sing beautiful songs of worship to the Lord for all the good things he has done for us. Let us put the old sinful ways behind us and sing “a new song” of love, devotion and appreciation to our Lord.

Prayer: Lord, please give us the wisdom to see all the wonderful things you are doing in our lives. Thank-you for revealing our salvation and caring for us. Please let our songs of praise glorify you. Help us to share our joy with others so that they might come to know your greatness. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 20: by Anita Bergh

READING: Luke 1:39-45

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
Luke 1: 42

This passage, though brief, conveys the essence of joyous expectation. Both Mary and Elizabeth are sharing the wonder and marvel of human life, which they are privileged to bear. Mary’s response to Elizabeth, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”, carries the sheer excitement and wonder of what is happening to her.

The entire world knows about the Christian celebration of “Christmas”, but I often think it is only those who have been disciples of Christ throughout the year who can most deeply celebrate. Not that the element of spiritual uplifting doesn’t reach everybody in some way, but to “rejoice in God my Savior” all the months leading up to December is to truly feel the excitement of Christmas.

It seems that all at once the world has been plunged into an era of financial crisis. The casual, though sometimes hectic pace of life has now begun to test all of us. Suppose all the “trappings” of Christmas were stripped from December activity. Would we be able to say with fervor, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior”? Oh, yes, I think we could.

Dear Jesus, help us to sing with Mary’s song in our hearts so that it permeates all we do this Christmas season, and we can say with fervor, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

Mary’s Song: Luke 1:46-55

Advent Devotional - Day 19: by Jennifer Whalen

READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34

“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt..”
Jeremiah 31: 31-32a

Ever had a long “To Do” list? These days the lists are nearly impossible to complete. Jeremiah explains how Israel and Judah broke God’s covenant by ignoring God and His commandments. They had their own priorities, their own “To Do” lists.

Jeremiah foretells that one day God will make a New Covenant with His people. You and I have the privilege of looking back at Christ’s fulfillment of this New Covenant. Jeremiah explains that in response to this new covenant, we need to have a Christ-filled heart that responds in obedience to our Lord’s “To Do” list.

So, try not to ignore God and take your own “To Do” lists too seriously. Those interruptions in your day are your Heavenly Father’s plan for your day, His “To Do” list for you, and part of His New Covenant.

Heavenly Father, Help me to boldly accept Your plan for my day. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 18: by Joe Anderson

READING: Isaiah 40:8-11

“He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
And carries them close to his heart;
He gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11

In large measure, the book of Isaiah is a grim prophesy of pain and travail, explaining to the Jews why they were in miserable wars, first with the Assyrians and then with the Babylonians. Here in 2008 we’re in a war too, actually two of them --- with roughly the same folks. Uncanny how current scripture can be. In addition, we face a world in which land has lost its value, banks have crashed, Wall Street is in free fall and the credit card industry is facing melt down. In comparison, the ancient Jews were about to be conquered and hauled into exile. I imagine they felt a little bit like we do.

Yet nestled right in the middle of this story of utter despair, Isaiah shifts gears and shares a prophecy of great hope. Chapter 40 begins with the words “‘Comfort ye my people’ says the Lord” and ends with a phrase that literally soars, “they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not be faint.”

In the bleakest hour, God steps into the middle of our fear and transforms us; comforting us first, then putting us back on our feet and strengthening us until we rise like champions to fight our own battles and not grow weary. Our verses for today are the comfort part. They show God as the good shepherd, scooping helpless victims to his bosom, warding off all dangers with his strong right arm. If that’s all we read, this message of comfort becomes a velvet trap. It teaches us to see ourselves as permanent victims, always in need of rescue. In truth, God only allows us to be helpless for a moment. Read the rest of the chapter. It is a step by step progression of getting us back on our feet and into fighting form. The heart of the prophecy is that God will help us, but we have to have the gumption to mount up like eagles. I do love that image. God is God; which is very different than being a nanny.

Dear Lord, Let us not forget that you are always there ready to pick us up and get us back on our feet. No matter what our trials, you are there to comfort us and remind us that we are to sore like eagles in your name. AMEN.

Advent Devotional - Day 17: by Viviana Rey-Palmer

READING: John 1:19-28
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him. “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” ….. John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me…
John 1: 19-21, 26


Who are we? Who am I? If someone asked you this question how would you respond? Because we know the Lord Jesus, we should facilitate others to come to God. Through our willingness to forgive and show remorse, we serve as examples to others that eternal life can also be theirs. Is our job not to pave the way to the path that leads to God? Like John the Baptist? We need to pave the path to the Lord by showing others that all you have to do is open your heart and repent. Let your light shine to those around you and give God the glory for all things.

Heavenly Father,
Just like John the Baptist, help us pave the way and set the example for others to come to know you. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 16: by Dennis Donahue

READING: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not despise the works of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-22

When I was a boy leaving the house for school each morning, my mother would say: Remember your lunch money, don’t forget to walk with your sister, use your raincoat, etc., etc.. This passage reminds me of a “to do” list of things. Coming at the end of his short letter (lonely a three pager in my Bible), it is a “to do” list, a don’t forget list for the early church in Thessalonica that serves just as well for us.

In this Advent season of “to do” lists and tasks let us not forget God’s priorities. Keep us focused on Christ as we prepare our hearts for his birthday.

Lord Jesus Christ,
Your “to do” list is not easy to follow. Help us to remember your “to do” list, your priorities. Help to keep us focused on what is right and good. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 15: by Genon Murray

READING: Isaiah 40:1-5
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid, that she has received from
the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

Isaiah 40: 1-2

A father speaks tenderly to his child. “Don’t worry. Everything will be all right. I have taken care of everything. Get ready for a miracle. I’m going to remove every obstacle so that you and all the world will see how much I love you.”

God sends messengers in the difficult times of our lives with proclamations of comfort, redemption and hope. We are asked to make a clear path for His presence with us by preparing our hearts and lives to be open and free of the everyday clutter so that we are focused and ready for what He has planned. When we prepare a dedicated space for God in our lives, nothing can stand in the way of the wonderful things He will do for us and how they will serve as witness to the world of His amazing power and love.

In these difficult times, it is easy to get side tracked by the clutter of work, finances, world issues and busy agendas. But God promises that if we focus on Him first, none of these things are too big or too little for Him to handle. He will be there to guide and comfort us when we need Him. He is asking us to prepare for His gift of infinite love and power through His Son, Jesus. Are you ready for a miracle?

Dear Lord, help us all to prepare for the Lord’s coming, the gift of his love and the miracle of his birth. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 14: by Marcy Yates

READING: John 10: 14-15
“ I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—-- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—- and I lay down my life for the sheep.”


When I turn off the TV, phone, and all of the other distractions in my life I can recognize and see the Lord talking to me and recognize that he listens in my life and knows me. In the quiet I can see where he is leading me. When I don't listen and I follow my distractions he sometimes gently nudges me back to what he wants, sometimes he knocks me over to get my attention. The problem is I don't always take the time and find the quiet. I pray for you to always have the time to find the quiet and listen.

Dear Christ Jesus,
I pray that you will help guide me to take the time to pull myself away from the hustle and bustle of each day and find that quiet time to talk to you and then listen to what you have to say. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 13: by Lou Shives

READING: Psalm 24:7-10

“Lift up your heads, O you gates;
Lift them up, you ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty—-
He is the King of glory.”

Psalm 24:9-10

Little known by its content, Psalm 24 carries a powerful message concerning God and his relationship with each of us. David wrote Psalm 24 as the Ark of the Covenant was delivered to the city of Jerusalem. The Ark symbolized the presence of our God as King of Glory, invincible in battle, and Commander of heaven’s armies. David believed that if the gates of heaven opened wide to let the King of Glory in, they would not be closed to any who are in Christ by faith. Verses 7-10 are uplifting to those individuals who experience some of life’s disappointments or set-backs. It is hard to think negative thoughts or feel down when you sing of God’s glory and of the glorious hope that is found in His Son. Do not despair. The King of Glory wants the presence of the Messiah to be brought to the temple, that is, into your heart. Don’t hesitate to open up the doors of your heart and let the King of Glory in during this advent season.
Thank You, Loving Heavenly Father, for this special time of the year when we celebrate Your love coming down from heaven to earth. I pray that You will open my heart to receive a special gift of faith this Christmas. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 12: by Cindy McClellan

READING: Mark 13:28-31
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near……...Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”
Mark 13: 28-31

I knew very little about the fig tree until I began reading this passage more deeply and doing a bit of research. The fig tree was an important trading commodity and food source for the ancient Israelites. It blooms twice a year – in autumn and early spring, with the spring fruit being the most delicious. It is a sturdy tree, many reaching 30 feet high. It is resilient to summer frosts and its new leaves announce the beginning of spring each year. Perhaps it is then a most fitting plant to represent the birth of Jesus and His meaning in our lives.

Just as the fig tree provides food, Christ provides us with spiritual food. He is resistant to “frosts “ –forever there whenever we turn to him, even if it has been a long time between visits. Christ’s love is strong and rooted in grace. As the early fig leaves signal spring’s new beginning, Christ’s birth signals a new beginning for all people on earth. Spring has arrived. Christ has arrived. Newness and spiritual wholeness begins.

And over time, as everything else disappears – our fig tree, its leaves and its fruit – Christ and His love are ours forever.

Christ Our Savior, as a fig tree gives us food, we thank you for giving us spiritual food for life. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 11: by Peter Lund

READING: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

“Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in?......
From the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.”
2 Samuel 7:5 & 11

In this passage, God promises blessings to David for his intent to build a temple for the Lord. What I really focused on in this passage, however, is in verse 5, when God says “Are you the one who should build me a house to dwell in,” and again in verse 7, when God says “did I ever speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel… saying: ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’” Finally, in verse 11, God states that He will make a house for David (and all of Israel) to dwell in. The key to our relationship with God has nothing to do with the “house” in which we put Him – doing so only attempts to put restrictions on God, to place in him a setting to fit “our likeness.” Instead of restricting God to a certain location, the key to our relationship is to be God’s people in the world, to strive for Justice and Righteousness. Doing so fulfills God’s intended purpose, and brings us more fully into his Kingdom – which is the “house” he promises to make for us, in verse 11.

Dear Lord, help me to work for Justice in this world, and to reflect the light of your Kingdom. Help me to see your presence everywhere in the world, and not restrict your presence to the places that I see fit. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 10: by Kenny Champagne

READING: Romans 15: 5-6
“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 15: 5-6

When I was in high school I played the saxophone in the band. There was something special that happened when 100 students all with different instruments, skill levels, and ages began to play following the one conductor. When everyone played all the right notes and stayed in tempo a beautiful symphony flowed from the stage. I can remember playing through a long and powerful piece that our band played for a competition and we played it perfectly. I remember the last note vividly, when the conductor gave us the last down beat and, at the exact same time, we all played that final chord perfectly in tune, I got chills; something very special had happened!
For any of you who have experienced a group coming together with one goal in mind and working together to accomplish that goal, you know the feeling I am speaking of. It’s synergy, connectedness, many working as one. As I read what Paul writes to the Romans I am thinking of all the times in my life that I have “lived in harmony” with those around me and how that felt to be in sync. It’s an amazing feeling, and as I continue to read, Paul talks about “one voice glorifying God”. Can you imagine what it would be like to be one voice glorifying God?! The unconditional love flowing out of every soul, caring and forgiveness, acceptance and grace, love; pure one hundred percent love, no matter what, love all to glorify God. How amazing…And why not? Why shouldn’t we all live in harmony? God is (or should be) at the center of all we do, right? It’s not about us…right?! We all are to glorify God, right? So why not together?
So my Christmas wish this year, for you, for St. Stephen, and for the world is that we learn to live in harmony so that God may be glorified properly, which is all of us, democrat & republican, Muslim & Jew, Gay & Straight, Rich & Poor, Young & Old, living in harmony, loving each other with the same love Jesus showed us on the cross.

Dear Jesus, Grant us Peace & Love so that we can ALL live in harmony with each other to your glory. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 9: by Rebecca Oeltjenbruns

READING: John 1: 6-8
“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.”
John 1:6-7

A witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about a crime or dramatic event through their senses (e.g., seeing, hearing, smelling, touching), and can help certify important considerations to the crime or event. John was the "someone" who acted as witness for Jesus as savior. John had firsthand knowledge from God that the Messiah was coming!

In this advent season, how is it that we can be a witness for Christ? What is the firsthand knowledge that we can call upon to certify that we know Jesus is Messiah? It is our firsthand knowledge that makes us compelling witnesses:
· What do we see each day that is evidence that Jesus is the Light of the world (the beauty of the world around us, the miracle of a birth)?
· What do we hear that is evidence of God's Son come to earth to redeem our sins (the sound of birds on a spring morning, of waves on the ocean)?
· What do we smell or touch that is evidence of our freedom in Him (the top of a baby's head, the soft fur of a kitten's tail)?

Dear God, help me be like John, a compelling witness to the light of the world, your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 8: by Becky Rotroff

READING: Psalm 89:1-4

“You said, ”I have made a covenant
With my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
I will establish your descendants forever,
And build your throne for all generations.”

Psalm 89: 3-4

In this beautiful Psalm, David declares to all God’s love and his faithfulness not only to us, but to all who follow … forever! What a powerful statement and the foundation of our faith – God’s love.
It’s easy to write down ten things God has done for us. For some, maybe a bit harder to write down what we have done for God. David says he will never quit telling the story of God’s love. As Lutherans, we tend not to be very good at evangelism, and, get almost scared when the subject comes up. Is that because we associate the term with knocking on our neighbors’ doors and asking them about their faith? There are so many other ways we can do this. We’ve recently completed a service project for our community. What a great way to show God’s love by giving time to help others!

As we quickly approach another Christmas, to celebrate the birth of our Lord, and then begin a New Year, 2009, what are you willing to do to “declare” God’s love to others?

Dear Lord, let us rejoice once again that we are so loved by you! Help to guide us in doing a better job of passing this love to on others. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 7: by Russ Hauck

READING: Romans 15:13
“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13

On the Advent wreath, the first candle is traditionally the candle of Expectation or Hope. An ancient Roman saying is “While there is life, there is hope!” And there is that old saying “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Most recently, the idea of hope has been at the center of the presidential political campaigns. We hope for many things, big and small, important and trivial, serious and silly. We hope for the best, store away things in “hope chests,” and cross our hearts and “hope to die.”

Hope also keeps us afloat. It’s like a life preserver hanging from a rickety old boat. We can’t help ourselves. God created us to be hopeful people and Paul’s benediction in this passage reminds us of that, not only because he prays that we will abound in hope, but also because he reminds us that we have been created in the image of God – the God of hope.

Advent gives us a reminder of the source of that hope that lies at the core of our being. Our hope – the hope of all Christians – is a “joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.” So, this isn’t a wishful hoping for the best. Even as we prepare for the birth, we can be hope-filled and confident because we know what lies ahead – we know how the story will end. We know that Christ is born, Christ is risen, and Christ indeed will come again!

Lord, in this Advent season, send your Holy Spirit so that we might be filled with peace and joy and confidence as we prepare for the coming King. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 6: by Janis Lutz

READING: Luke 1: 26-38
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.” ….. The angel said to her, “The Holy spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.”
Luke 1: 30-31, 35

As Christians, we are all called into our Lord’s service. For many of us, this means fitting our life around our faith. Mary, a young peasant woman, was willing to live her life as the Lord’s servant. How many of us would be so willing? How many of us would accept the explanation that the “power of the Most High” was responsible for the pregnancy? Would we be able to focus on who was to come and ignore the here and now with all the ridicule and gossip?
Can you imagine what a life changing experience this was for Mary? If we were asked to set aside our present life would we be ready to do that?
Christ Our Savior, Help us to remember what is means to be a follower of Christ. Make me ready to live my life for you. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 5: by Frank Raike

READING: Psalm 89:19-26
Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have energized a warrior; I have raised up a young man from the people. I have found David, my servant. With my sacred oil I have anointed him.
Psalm 89: 19-20

With the recent election freshly behind us and the elected officials taking their place as our leaders, we wonder of those promises that were made before the masses to persuade our decision to vote a particular direction. Now that they are in office, will our politicians keep their promises to make a change? Will taxes be reduced? Will there be an investment in key areas like health, clean energy, innovation and education? Will there be economic growth that helps create good jobs in America and empowers all families to achieve the American dream? Does our community believe in the likelihood of these covenants and anxiously await their occurrence?

God made a covenant to King David and to his generations to follow. From the people, a young man has been raised up, an anointed one. The Lord’s hand will support and strengthen him, giving him control over all.

The Cub Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America teach all scouts the promise:
“I promise to do my best, to do my duty, to God and my Country, to help other people and to obey the Law of the Pack.”

Cub Scouts are boys of seven years of age and older. They learn that making and keeping a promise is important. They learn that a promise is a way of life and a decision to live by. They learn to follow their leader and they will grow and prosper as scouts and as young men. However, at seven years of age, are the promises expected to be kept?

God has kept the promise that has stretched across the centuries. The covenant with King David has not been broken. From David has come the King of Kings. The promises of this Psalm made to David teach that the future seed of David, who would sit on David's throne forever, would also be the Son of God, because God is his father and he reigns forever. As we prepare in this Advent Season, do we keep our promises?

Lord Jesus Christ, help me to keep my promises to you always. Amen

Advent Devotional - Day 4: by Barbara Vincent

READING: Luke 2:25-32
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.”
Luke 2:26-27

Have you ever waited a really long time for something? Dreamt of a magic moment or a special gift? Simeon spent his life waiting for the promised Messiah and his last remaining years must have been filled with fear that he would never see God’s promise fulfilled. Then the Holy Ghost revealed to him that before he died, he would see the Lord’s Christ. It was in the temple when Mary and Joseph brought their child Jesus, just 40 days old, to be presented to the Lord that Simeon not only saw but actually held the Savior in his arms. He had waited a lifetime for that coming. We are as blessed as Simeon was because we share with him the promise of life eternal in the arms of our loving Lord, knowing that He will never leave us alone. We all have the assurance of salvation!

So, as you enjoy the Advent season, be patient in your anticipation of the good tidings of great joy. The waiting adds to the wonder of the Christmas celebration and the realization that Christ’s birth is indeed the greatest of gifts, filling our hearts with true and lasting joy, making the wait forever bearable. God, our Lord and Master, rewards each of us with an eternal home in heaven. The hymns, the lights, the smells – all of the beauty in our celebrations reflect our preparation for the long awaited arrival of Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Give us patience and a faith like Simeon, to wait for your promise of life eternal with you. Help us to spread these good tidings of joy to all people so they too will know of His promise of life eternal. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 3: by Kay St. Pierre

READING: Micah 5: 2-5
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are small among the clans of Judah,
Out of you will come for me
One who will be ruler over Israel,”

Micah 5: 2

This chapter of the book of Micah provides one of the clearest Old Testament prophecies of Christ’s coming. The Prophet Micah is reminding us that God truly hates sin, but loves the sinner so much that He was willing to send His Son, the Messiah to save and accept judgment in the sinner’s place. In verse two, Micah writes, “But you, Bethlehem. …. out of you will come for me one who will be ruler…”. Seven hundred years later, the religious leaders would use this verse to tell King Herod where the Messiah would be born. (Matt 2:6) The promised eternal King in David’s line, who would come to live as a man, had been alive forever – “from of old, from ancient times”. Although eternal, Christ entered human history as the man, Jesus of Nazareth. Let’s continue to prepare our minds and hearts to remember His birth in Bethlehem and to anticipate His triumphant return. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”. (John 22:20).

Heavenly Father, throughout Advent I pray we don’t loose site of the reason we celebrate now. We are the sinners and Christ was sent to save us sinners. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 2: by Julie Parker

READING: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
“… just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1: 6-9


As we again travel the journey to Bethlehem and the joyous anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we review Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Corinthians 1:3-9

Paul reminds the Corinthians, and us, that his words are as true today as they were then. We are to put our full faith in Jesus. There are so many distractions and temptations in life that keep us from remembering we are God’s children, especially created to represent him in the world. Though we are saved by grace, Jesus does have expectations that we will live our lives honorably and morally. God calls us to be faithful to Jesus, our family, and one another. If we work to inspire faith in others, we are rewarded with a deeper faith ourselves. God asks us to be bold, follow the teachings of Jesus and trust. Trust that we are loved, forgiven, and saved by grace; what greater gift is there than this? Merry Christmas.

Dear Lord God, as Paul reminds the Corinthians of the truth of his words, I pray that we will always hold on to the truth set before us and have faith in Jesus Christ, never forgetting that we are saved by grace. Amen.

Advent Devotional - Day 1: by Mike Brach

READING:
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

Commonly referred to as the "virgin birth proof text", this passage is cited as evidence from the "Old Testament" that the birth of Jesus of a virgin (Mary), as described in the New Testament, Matthew 1:23, is foretold by the Prophet Isaiah.

The prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 has a double meaning that is one for the time that the prophecy was announced and one for the future. The future fulfillment of a prophecy is always greater than the historical or immediate fulfillment. For King Ahaz of Judea it meant that the kingdoms which he feared would be soon destroyed. Unfortunately, he did not trust God and entered into an unholy alliance with Assyria. God sent Isaiah with a message for King Ahaz, that God was to give him a sign in order to gain Ahaz’s trust

The language of the Hebrew text does not read "virgin" but "young woman." Likewise the sense of the verb tense is that this young woman "has conceived and will bear a son". In other words Isaiah was pointing out a young pregnant woman standing as part of the royal entourage. For Isaiah, then, the name of her soon to be born baby, not the manner of the child's conception, is God's sign. The baby's name is to be Immanuel, "God is with us."

The normal growth and maturing of Immanuel will be a constant sign that God is with Judea; that Syria and Israel who threaten Judea will themselves be destroyed; and that the future of Judea is not secured through military alliances or diplomatic cleverness but by trusting in God's presence and faithfulness. Of that, Immanuel will be a living, breathing, growing sign to Ahaz.

Isaiah, however, presented the message of Immanuel, an alternative that is given to us not negotiated by us; a promise of God's continued presence right in the midst of being between a rock and a hard place.

Heavenly Father, Your sign to us , that of the birth of Immanuel, is a blessing and gift we can never repay. We thank you for always being there for us.
Amen.

The Advent Conspiracy

Preparations for Christmas have started in our household. The Christmas tree is up and decorations are appearing all over the house. I know…it’s just Thanksgiving today. But even when I say that to my lovely bride…Erin just looks at me in that endearing way (doubling endearing right now ‘cause she’s so great with child!) and smiles and I realize I’m not going to stop this freight train from going where it wants to go.

Sam’s in on it too. He gave us a Christmas list last week, two pages worth, on unlined paper with incredibly small print! It was mostly filled with Legos, the Star Wars kind that are so popular right now. I think Erin and I were a bit taken aback. I know we live in a culture of supersized consumerism and that advertising aimed not only at Erin and I, but at our children is every where evident. But to see it so clearly in the wishes of your children?

It was an opportunity for conversation—about Santa, about gifts, and about whose birthday we’re actually celebrating.

You see because Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. Not mine. Not Sam’s. Not Erin’s. Not yours. No doubt that if we could, we would all give those closest to us the desires of their hearts…even the world if they asked for it and we could deliver. And that’s just very natural and very human.
But the reality is that somewhere in the glitter and glow, in the ceaseless playing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time!), ELF, White Christmas, and a Christmas Carol, Jesus has been lost. In the flow of television adds, billboards, bulk emailings, texts, and mass mailings all trying to entice us to buy the wares they are promulgating, Jesus has been lost.

Jesus has been lost. No, the truth is that the Lord of creation can’t actually get lost. But we can certainly lose sight of him…especially in this season where the reason has been co-opted by our consumeristic expectations.

So churches all over USAmerica have been starting a countercultural revolution. It’s called The Advent Conspiracy and you can check it out at www.adventconspiracy.com. It’s principles are basic and go like this:

1. Worship Fully
2. Spend Less
3. Give More
4. Love All


From the website...

Christmas can [sill] change the world.

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.
So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?

What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?

Welcome to Advent Conspiracy.

Worship Fully
Spend Less
Give More
Love All

Welcome to the Advent Conspiracy. So here’s my question to you St. Stephen: When was the last time you participated in a really good conspiracy?

That’s what I thought. It’s time to press the societal reset button and give Jesus the biggest gift we can. Ourselves. Our worship. Our resources given for the sake of the poor of the world. Jesus gave himself to the world, both in life and death, that ALL might have life. So this Christmas, whether it’s in a large way or a small way, give your family the gift of finding someway to help those who are struggling with life find life through you, and through your generosity…the kind that points to Jesus.

Happy Advent!

Pastor Nathan

Day 40 -- It all ends in a party...

Tonight we celebrated the culmination of our 40 days journey with a party. Our plates were full of food, our tables filled with people, and our hearts growing...all signs of new community taking shape around us. It was terrific to hear Dennis Donahue say, "This was a fantastic evening, and the best part was that I only knew half the people in the room!"

Yeah we're growing and connecting in deeper, more profound ways. Just the acts of journeying together in small groups, gathering together, centered in Jesus and his life altering work, connecting in prayer, and engaging life together in service transform us for the Christian walk we're called to. And the result? A party. Life tonight. Like the future.

God likes parties. The Holy Scriptures drip with them. Jesus begins his ministry with the biggest sort of party in his day: a wedding. And in the book of Revelation creation is redeemed and fulfilled as the heavenly Jerusalem comes to this earth...the meeting, literally, of heaven and earth in a celebration that never ends. A party.

You can't have a party without community. And if you have a joy-filled community, then there will always be a party. It's just how our communal life works. Together we are better than we are apart. Together in Jesus, we are the body of Christ and life flows through us, giving us life and life to those we touch on the journey of our lives.

And the result? Celebration. Look to the party Saints. It's where Jesus and his action are!

Grace and peace as we continue the journey of community!

Pastor Nathan

Day 39 -- Finding Life with THE Sacred Cow: MONEY

All of this conversation about COMMUNITY. You'd think we'd be able to get through 40 days of conversation on its distinctly Christian warp and woof and leave all of our pocket books well enough alone! But no. It doesn't work like that.

You'd think we'd all get a pass because the stock markets look like they do and because we see plunging pension accounts, bank accounts, and rising consumer prices! But no. It doesn't work like that.

You'd think we'd all get a pass because so many of our homes are in foreclosure or because so many of us are losing our jobs or see shaky employment ahead! But no. It doesn't work like that.

You'd think that we'd be able to sell ourselves on the age old addage: "I worked for it! It's mine." But no. It certainly doesn't work like that.

It doesn't work like that because we are community centered on Jesus...the same Jesus that spent the majority of his time talking about stewardship, where it is that you and I are investing the resources (read MONEY) of our lives.

It doesn't work like that because we are community formed around a generous God. He gives all life, nourishes and sustains, and provides in all circumstances. As his community we take on the characteristics of the One (God) that we serve. Because we serve a generous God, we are called to be his generous people. No doubt none of us will ever be able to out give God...but our generosity, especially marks us as his. Because generosity isn't natural for most of us. Generosity calls us to give, even when it is not apparently beneficial to do so. It calls us to give even when our family's balance sheet reads deficits. It calls us to give because the Scriptures are all unanimous on this point: when we are generous, we find a depth of life we never thought we could have.

Mostly this is because generosity frees us from the illusion of self protection. As we give generously financially, we are freed from the illusion that our lives need to revolve around our pocketbook, the false gods of security that we all erect in our lives.

I know that there are many ways to give. But there is no way that given the Scriptural witness and the words of Jesus (that where your treasure is there your heart will be also) that we can get away from the need to give money, at some level, to the work of God's kingdom.

In Christian community, and what Rick Warren is driving at, we take our generosity of resources and pieces that may seem like a little come to form A LOT. It's amazing how when we begin to offer the money resources of our lives to our King, how that same King multiplies that little and leverages the increase for the transformation of people. It's just how it works.

We're not talking about duty. We could talk about it at that level...because there is a conversation to be had about duty. But God really wants us giving, financially, together, in community, from hearts of joy and gratitude. As St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7, "Each person should give what they have decided in their hearts to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

The surest way to spiritual transformation? Giving. Straight up. Where your money goes, there goes your heart. You want your heart to be with God? Give to him. You want your heart to reside where his heart resides? Give to him. You want your life to reflect his generosity? Give to him. It's that simple. It's not rocket science. It's just a matter of budgeting...of making giving to God first a priority for your lives and then investing, diligently, consistently, from the resources that God gives you.

I know that there are situations that may make giving an impossibility. But I think even the Scriptures deconstruct this. Jesus' model for generosity is the widow who takes and puts her very last bit of money in the temple treasury. All she had. Blown not on food, but on God.

I have to believe, from the way that Jesus highlights her and lifts her up, that she was fed that day and the day after. That God honored her life because she so clearly honored his. He loved her anyway. But how much more so because even in her lack, her little bit of treasure communicated LOUDLY exactly where her heart was.

Where's your heart? What percentage of your income are you intentionally putting in the service of the King? Are you on the journey? If you're not? Why not? What's preventing you?

I know that this money conversation is a Sacred Cow, but I don't know anyway to deconstruct the Sacred Cow without just talking about it. And here's the thing I know for sure about every good Sacred Cow. They make the BEST gourmet burgers!

Sizzle-sizzle folks. That's the sound and smell of a community full of individuals and households coming to terms with their own scarcity thinking and self-serving practices with regards to their finances.

Give it all to God. See what happens. And don't be surprised if you find life: ABUNDANT, RICH, AND OVERFLOWING.

From the old gray leather coach in the Swenson-Reinhold family room,

Pastor Nathan

Day 38 -- Syncing Spirits

I think prayer is one of those things that mystifies. We know we need to do it and so we do it and in doing so treat God as some sort of divine Pez dispenser and then are confused when the results come back mixed. As a pastor I encounter people all the time who confess to me their great disappointment with prayer. The frustration and faith deflation of not having our hearts' greatest needs answered is beyond discouraging. And so we cease the conversation with our God.

Prayer. Praying together. What's it all about? If praying isn't about getting what we think we need for daily life, then what's the point?

I made the shift to digital time management back in the Fall of 2002 with my Handspring Visor PDA. I love it. Broke that one and bought another. Broke that one too, and then bought a third all within the space of a year. A year later they came out with color screens and costs really began to drop. So I purchased another one. Really, PDA's, especially if your a technophile, are wonderful things.

But the coolest thing about them is that they "sync." You can hook them up to your computer and manage your information either on the PDA or on your desktop, sync the devices, and your information is stored redundantly, a very handy thing if you're like me and you tend to break your technology. All it takes is a press of a button and the synced devices are on the same page. But if you don't do it regularly, the information begins to wander. You make changes to one or the other of the devices and there's an information shift and pretty soon the reality between your PDA and your desktop no longer matches. In situations like this, one or the other of your interfaces isn't current, which means you're not current, which means "you are out of sync."

Somehow in the life of faith we came to believe that prayer was about fire retardation or fire control...managing the tragedies, real and potential, on our doorsteps. Again, the idea is that when we need God, we go to him, make our request, and if we're good little boys and girls we get our divine request.

But this isn't a very mature way of approaching God, conversation with him, and communion with he and his body. Because prayer isn't primarily about me, or you, getting our needs met. No, prayer is about syncing our human spirits, as individuals and in community, with God's Spirit. Prayer then is not a narcisstic endeavor, regardless of how dire our circumstances may be. It's an act of alignment, bringing our consciousness and lives and stories in accord with that of the mind, life, and story of the God that raises the dead.

This sort of prayer, in community, matures us. It calls us into a consciousness and hope and life that's so much greater than our own, that sees our temporal circumstances from vantage points way more expansive than the myopic one we each share as individuals.

The truth is, we NEED to sync our spirits, as individuals and community, with the Spirit of God...asking to see and discern God's heart, God's will, God's life, God's hope. When we do, the vision we'll be given is so much greater and life giving, and life maturing than anything we could have ever had before.

So my prayer for you, syncing my spirit with God's Spirit, is that we might all move from superficial pray-ers to profoundly consistent spirit sync-ers...that our lives might be aligned with the story and the life of the Resurrecting God.

Syncing spirit with you...

Pastor Nathan

Day 37 -- Preparing for Worship: Becoming an Empty Cup

Sometimes the most profound ideas come in the simplist of images. I've always loved Buddhist (Zen) wisdom as well as that of the Toaists. There are times I hear Jesus loudly speak in places where we wouldn't typically expect to find him.

Buddhist addage: In order to fill your cup, you must first empty your cup.

This is the core of what I believe lies behind the idea of preparing our hearts for worship. We are so filled up with the stuff of the world, it's hard if not impossible to receive Christ's alternative vision of the kingdom. We have MSNBC, FoxNews, CNN, the papers, web news, and the radio screaming at us a thousand different reasons that we should be afraid, should act self-protectively, and she either run and cower or take up arms and fight insane wars.

We are anxious and afraid. Perhaps that's the reason Jesus' most frequently invoked command is "Fear not!" The human condition is an anxious one. We are always precariously poised between a past we cannot change and a future we have so little control over. So we live anxiously.

Preparing ourselves for worship is about making space for a different story. It doesn't cause fear. It creates faith. It doesn't incite in us despair. It blossoms forth hope. It doesn't drive us towards death. It creates in us life. It doesn't incite us to act self-protectively. It incites us to live selflessly from the abundance and power of the God that raises the dead.

I'm aware, as a pastor, that all too often I don't do the sort of preparation I need to do to hear the message of worship either. I enter the space of worship harried, concerned, frantic, distracted, and ruffled.

But there is a more excellent way, both for life and for worship (because our whole existences are ultimately supposed to be WORSHIP). It involves intentionally creating space for the story of the Risen Christ to works it way into our DNA, changing our minds, hearts, and lives from the inside out.

Emptying my cup with you to receive the ancient transforming story...

Pastor Nathan

Day 36 - The Worship that Makes Sense of Haiti

Haiti is broken. It's so poor...it's government so ineffective...it's arable land so depleted. It just looks hopeless. Throw in conversation about the damage of hurricanes, already destitute people now entirely homeless, nominal crops wiped out, and dirt cookies being sold on the streets. I saw those dirt cookies.

Poverty.

You know, Jesus prefers some people over others. It's the church's "dirty" little secret. We don't like to talk about it especially in suburban affluent USAmerica. Jesus makes it very clear in his gospels that it is the poor he stands with.

Mary the mother of Jesus proclaims before Jesus is born, "He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:51b-53).

In Luke 6 Jesus says that the poor are blessed and will inherit the kingdom of God. In Luke 9 Jesus refuses to turn a crowd of thousands away hungry. In Luke 14 the litmus test for true discipleship is the surrender of all possessions.

What do you think Jesus is getting at? Is poverty "preferred" in the kingdom of God?

St. Lawrence was a deacon in the early church in the 4th century. He's remembered as the first church treasurer because he was asked to give an accounting of the church's assets by the Emperor. Lawrence new that the ruler's motives were wrong...and that the counting of assets wasn't being done for the sake of the kingdom but for the pilaging of the church. So on the day that he was due to give his report, he filled the palace courtyards with the poor and widows and down trodden among whom he'd divided the church's liquid assets. The ruler asked him, "What is this? I asked you to give me an accounting of the church's assets?" To this Lawrence replied, "THESE people ARE the wealth of the church."

He was martyred just a short time after--burned to death on a gridiron.

I do not believe that poverty is a more blessed state of being. I think that when you have nothing you have something that people who are immersed in stuff often have difficult finding: open hearts towards God. And I think God values that openness towards him...that state of acceptance that our lives are never fully complete, can never actually be complete, without that reliance on Him entirely.

In addition, God is a protective God, and he loves us all...but especially those who are the victims of systemic and social evil, of the hoarding and greed of those with power, and who find themselves expendable fodder for the comfort of another. Our God is a God of justice. And one of the most frequent refrains of scripture is his insistence on justice for those without power and means...whose situation and station strip them of their God given human dignity and value.

My heart is still aching. More so after this second trip than my first. There is poverty and need all over the world, but I can do something about this small corner. In fact, God mandates that I do.

The week made sense and came together for me on the last day when our traveling group, pilgrims from five different North American Lutheran congregations came together to share worship and communion last Saturday morning. I knew I was going to be a basket case as we began to pass the bread. And I was. In the Eucharist the pain of the world, my pain, your pain, and the pain of Haiti becomes an artifact of history and not an eternal reality. In the Eucharist, you can touch the healing in the promise.

Isaiah writes, "On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of well-aged wine strained clear. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken."

We worship because life and hope in the midst of so much that is wrong in life only makes sense in light of the God who raises the dead, who draws all nations to himself, who promises to swallow up all death forever, and who promises to wipe tears from all faces. This is the God who refuses to turn away the hungry, and who instead draws the hungering thirsting nations to himself and to his life.

I may look at Haiti with my human eyes and see no hope. But when I see Haiti and her children through the lens of God's promises I know for Haiti what I know for me and for you. We belong to God. The children of Haiti do too. And just as he refuses to let us go, he refuses to let them go.

So may God find us standing with those he stands with today, tomorrow, and on our journey to his holy mountain.

Praying blessings overflowing on your lives today.

Pastor Nathan

Day 35 -- Haiti

We're here and we made it safe and sound. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us.

Perhaps you're wondering how this all came about? I'm a board member for an organization called the Haitian Timoun Foundation. It invests in and builds relationships with grass roots organizations that are working at eradicating poverty here. Pretty phenomenal stuff. Life giving and hopeful.

I've been hoping to gift St. Stephen with this organization. So I shared that I was going on this trip with the council and watched for eyes to light up. Lot's did, but three in particular stepped up pretty immediately. They are: Gail Seeram (our immigration lawyer), Dennis Donahue (the resident urologist), Neil Lund (our friendly actuary), and Danielle Reno. Danielle heard me talk about Haiti on the mission trip earlier this summer on the mission trip and asked if she could go.

So here we are...soaking up a 5th world nation and watching how kingdom mindedness seeks to build human beings even in the most impoverished environments.

We're blessed friends: so incredibly blessed.

I'll do my best to post again...but connections are shaky here and unreliable even when they are present. So check in if you can, and I'll do my best to post when possible.

God loves you all, and I do too!

Pastor Nathan

Day 34 -- SACRIFICE

It's been awhile since I blogged. Between a conference in Atlanta, preparations and the reality of the 35th Anniversary of the congregation, and this trip to Haiti...the firehose I drink from has been larger than usual.

Here's my reflection on sacrifice for Day 34: I've been reflecting on Jesus, whose own sacrifice is a phenomenal thing to behold. I personally have trouble with the typical sacrificial atonement theory for the crucifixion...that Christ died for our sins to appease an angry God's need for justice. This sort of theology moves to easily into a divinely sanctioned form of child abuse/child sacrifice.

And yet, there was a real choice to embrace the cross by Jesus...and the reasoned sense in him that what he was doing in the cross was FOR "many." The powerful thing about this is that the "many" was full of people who hated and reviled him or were simply indifferent to him. We'd expect Jesus to offer himself up for those he (and by extension God) easily love. That's how we tend to love, or would like to imagine that we do. But Jesus, the one who bids us "love your enemies" loved his too. And it is this fact that makes his choice genuinely signifcant and powerful. His choice was "for" us even when ours was "against" him. His words on the cross stand out powerfully as a back drop to the violence he endured that day. "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do."

We are his people. We are a cross-shaped people. Jesus' life is cruciform. Our lives are called to be cruciform. Jesus' life is consciously sacrificial. The call on our lives, in waters of baptism, is no less signficant.

So it is that we talk about sacrifice in the life of the body. Inside the body this means that we are willing to "sacrifice" our anger and resentment at those who have done us wrong (real or perceived) in a movement of Christ empowered forgiveness. Outside the body, the expectation is no less the same.

So the question for the day is this: What sort of sacrifice is before you in the life of this body of Christ?

Praying life in the midst of sacrifice for you today...

Pastor Nathan

Day 33 -- The Shape of RESONANCE: Where Gifts and Passion Come Together

I was in the 7th grade when I heard Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" for the first time. It was an achingly beautiful song I thought...and as it played it stopped me dead in my tracks. I remember the sounds, smells, and location of that moment. I was standing in a gas station on Tucson's east side waiting for a ride. At the time I was selling the Tucson Daily Star to afternoon rush hour drivers on their way home from work.

It was an experience of RESONANCE. This song connected with me...and it was a thing of beauty. It probably won't connect with you the same way...but there is something that you have experience that has caused you to take pause. When we behold things of beauty they literally strike us, like a guitarist plucking a string. If I play an E on my guitar loudly enough and there are other guitars around, all the other E strings will resonate to that sound.

It is a beautiful thing when the gifts God has placed inside us connect with our passions (those things we love to do) and the ways in which God is calling us to serve in the world. If you've ever beheld someone doing exactly what God's designed them to do, you pause and are instantly transported into praise for the beauty of the myriad expression of the plan of God.

Like listening to Connie Touchton sing her beautiful mezzo soprano voice or let loose the Pipe Organ -- it's simply beautiful.

When we use our gifts, connected with what we love to do and are uniquely designed by God to do...our souls sing. The tragic thing is that so many of us haven't discovered the hum of our souls playing the song each is uniquely designed to play.

Which is the search we all have to go on. Srcipture is insistant that the body isn't strong unless we're all playing the instruments we were designed to play. There's only one orchestrat...but each of us has a chair in it and role in the song of creation and redemption and healing and love.

My prayer for you today is that you would discover your song...and the beautiful instrument you have to play to make the music that adds to the beauty of life.

From Atlanta where the leaves are turning yellow, orange, and brown...

Pastor Nathan

Day 32 -- Star Dust

Humility is one of my favorite words. I know that some would assert that I'm not that humble. But I think the reality is that on most days I'm just pretty comfortable in my own skin. I know it's not skinny enough and probably not handsome enough for some...but what else do I have to work with?

Humility is a magical, "stellar" word. It comes from a Latin root word relating to "humus" or earth. So being humble is being earthy or dirt-like. And dirt itself is pretty special stuff. Far from mundane, it's matter that was fired and fused in the furnaces of stars billions of years ago. So dirt, even on our back water planet is literally "star dust."

Scripture maintains that God made us from this earth, this "star dust." Genesis 2:7 tells us, "...then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being."

The Biblical word for "the man" in Hebrew is Adam, which is a derivative of the word adam'ah which is the Hebrew word for "dirt." So Adam as we call the first human isn't a proper name like Nathan or Erin or Dennis or some such. Rather it's best translation might simply be "earth creature."

All this is to say that connecting with our humility is simply connecting with our humanity. It's realizing that we are on the one hand NOT God, and on the other the stuff of stars. Being humble is about being human -- no less and no more than we are created to be. Living from this center and awareness is how we are (no pun intended) grounded in life. Isnt' that beautiful?

This then is the power we have, if we have it, to serve each other without caring whether or not someone else mistakes us for being the gardner. You see, in the kingdom of God, there's no higher calling than the one who works and cleans up the dirt.

And that is something to ponder as we go about our lives collecting degrees, accolades, and attention.

May you be connected to the source of your life (God) and grounded in the reality of your being (dirt) and as you exist between heaven and earth, may you find that the living currents and energies of life flow between those points of being, and in them, you are indeed humble.

Go get dirty!

Pastor Nathan