Advent Devotions 2017 - stmatthewmedina.org€¦ · The church observes the four weeks before Christmas as the season of Advent. The name “Advent” means “Coming,” referring

ELCA Medina Cluster

Advent Devotions 2017

The church observes the four weeks before Christmas as the season of Advent. The name “Advent” means “Coming,” referring to the time when we watch and wait for the coming of Christ. In Luke 1:46-55 we find the first song about his coming, sung by his mother Mary while she was pregnant with him. This song has come to be called the Magnificat, and it has inspired people for thousands of years. This year, it will also be our inspiration for the Advent season, as we reflect each day on a word or a phrase from the song, the Magnificat. May this profound first Advent hymn be an inspira-tion and guide to you, and to all of us!

Pastor Jim Watson Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

The Magnificat

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm; 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.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Luke 1:46-55 (NRSV)

First Sunday of Advent, December. 3, 2017

“My Soul” The word we translate as “soul” is rich and deep, with many shades of meaning. Mary’s soul is not just a wispy abstract thing that inhabits her body; instead, she is a body and soul and mind and heart and spirit and self, one being, created in the image of God – and now, getting ready to bear God into the world. When Mary sings “My soul magnifies the Lord,” she’s beginning with her whole self, the very gift of life that defines her, bursting with the need to express the wonder of what God is doing through her. She’s alive and blessed by God, made to be in relationship with God and the world and other people, yet unique and valuable. As her mind and will and imagination and thoughts and feelings align with God, she gets a glimpse of how glorious it is when God ac-complishes divine things through human beings. When does your soul connect with God most? I can think of a few times when I felt like everything that makes me me was alive with energy and joy: When I saw Sheryl walking down the aisle; when I held our son Josh and daughter Elise for the first time; when I presided at his wedding and walked her down the aisle. But I also have the chance every week in my work, and every day in scripture and prayer, to see anew how wonderful it can be when God works through us humans. When my voice catches or tears flow in worship, that’s what’s happening. Look! Can you see what God is doing? Can you believe we get to be a part of it? My soul sings. A prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for coming into our lives and calling us, from Mary on, to each play a part in bearing your light into the world. In this Advent season, may all souls catch the vision of your coming, and see a glimpse of how you can work through them, and be inspired to sing out. Amen.


Monday, December 4, 2017

“My soul magnifies the Lord…” Luke 1:46 How does one “magnify” God? Isn’t he big enough? Since He’s all powerful, all omnipotent, it hardly seems that He would be hard to see! I’m taking the term “magnify” in a literal sense, but bear with me. As a child, I remember lying in the grass, watching the lady bugs, ants and other small critters go about life. I think that’s when I began to appreciate the little details of the world around me. Later, I worked for a wildlife rehabilitation organization, giving educational programs to various groups. One of my greatest pleasures was show-ing the tiny details that helped the different animals survive in their everyday world. For example, feathers on different birds did differ-ent things. A flight feather on an owl had tiny fringes on the edges that gave them the silent flight they needed to capture their prey. Then, there were the downy feathers, used to help keep them warm. The colorful feathers on the males of many bird species help them attract mates.

Many of us “see God” when we look at things like the Grand Can-yon or a beautiful sunset. We see Him in the big things of creation and therefore, think of Him in “large” terms. Often, we tend to think that God is too big to care about us and our lives. After all, he’s so big and we’re so small in the overall scheme of things! But, the next time you’re feeling too insignificant for God to really care about you and your concerns, go out into nature and look at the tiny things around you. Take a magnifying glass. If God cares enough to see to the details of individual feathers on birds and small insects in the world, He definitely is big enough to care for us and our con-cerns! Then, let your soul “magnify” the Lord!

A prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty around us, big and small. Help us to remember that you care for us and our concerns, even as you care for the smallest of details in your creation. Let this thought help us come to you whenever we need, so that we may have a closer, more loving relationship with you. Amen.

Sheryl Watson Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

“Lord” I’ve just finished decorating the Christmas tree, wonder-ing again if I am the only one with a spouse who insists on putting up the Christmas tree the day after Hallow-een. Decorations and preparation for Christmas can be fun, but they can be overwhelming when we feel rushed. The Lord is my light … Fairest Lord Jesus … Blessed Lord and Savior … Lord of all our hearts and lives … Christ is Lord indeed … The Lord, the Almighty … The Lord is my shepherd … Our Lord Emmanuel … The Lord most high … Lord of Lords. These phases come from some of my favorite songs, mostly hymns. Singing these phrases brings me comfort, courage, strength, gratitude, and joy. Carols play the whole time I trim the tree, and my attitude changes as I sing, to an attitude of welcoming the season even if it is only November 1st. As we prepare for the birth of our Lord Jesus, may the spirit of the Lord be in us. May we inspire oth-ers, just as singing about, and to, the Lord inspires us. Marsha Mezenski Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

“My Spirit”

In my understanding, there is a difference between Soul and Spirit. We are a Soul, and we have a Spirit. The soul is the essence of life, of being a living Being. The Spirit is our connection to God. It is that Godness, that divine essence, which has been poured into us by our creator. To me, it seems that this spirit is the piece that allows us to recognize and connect with the divinity around us and in our brothers and sisters, as we recognize that they carry or contain that same spirit. To me, this spirit allows us a line of direct communion with God. It is fascinating to me that in the passage, Mary says “my Spirit” because it seems to me that this is the one thing which we cannot possess.

Ruach is the Hebrew word that is translated into “spirit” in this Bibli-cal passage, with the meaning breath or wind. What a beautiful im-age then, of this divine breath that resides in each one of us.

This understanding of breath as Spirit remind me of and inspired these words from a poem earlier this year:

“The breath in you, is the breath in me Breath the Source of Spirituality”

Spirit fills many other words: Inspiration, spirituality, aspiration. Per-haps it is the divine breath present in these things which gives them also life.

A Prayer: Inspire us, O God, with your vision of creation and creativity. Stir your Spirit, housed in these bodies, to greater knowing of you. Forgive the mis-takes that we make in our practice of faith and allow us to grow so that we move closer to you with every moment. Thank you, Jesus, for teaching us about this divine and enlivening breath by seeing, recognizing, and honoring the Spirit in every Being you encountered. May we learn to live in that way also. Amen.

Emily Hall Holy Trinity, Akron

Thursday, December 7, 2017

“...and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”

Mary could not have imagined the rejoicing that would echo down through the ages because of her unborn child. Jesus was to be God's gift to a fallen world and we rejoice in Him every time we join our voices in a hymn, or in prayer. We rejoice each Christmas season when we see His love reflected as the Sunday School youth joyfully tell the Christmas story. This joy is shared as Zion members ring the Red Kettle bell for the Salvation Army, and when the chil-dren pack the Operation Christmas Child boxes. Jesus taught us that the second most important commandment was to love our neighbor, and I believe that Christmas stirs our hearts to act on that commandment and share His love wherever we can. Paul wrote that we should, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” How could we not?! With every brilliant sunrise, with every blossoming of spring, with each cry of a newborn baby, or each kiss from a dear one, we experience the wonder of this creation, which was God's first gift to us, and we rejoice. At this Advent time, true rejoicing fills our hearts when our thoughts fast-forward to the cross and the true gift of Christmas. Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and the promise of eternal life with him is the real reason for rejoicing. Without the joy of Easter, there would be no Christmas. That is why we “Rejoice in the Lord al-ways.”

A Prayer: Heavenly Father, we rejoice in your gift of a Savior and your amazing grace. Help us to keep this joy in our hearts and in our actions throughout the coming year. Amen. Mary Ann Dalgleish Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Friday, December 8, 2017

“God is my Savior”

Can you imagine an angel coming to speak to you when you were a teenag-er? Would you have been frightened, or would you have just stood there in awe and wonder as the messenger from God spoke to you? It seems that Mary, the future mother of Jesus, was a little of both, but also somewhat excited. Perhaps she was envisioning a whole new world opening up to her. Who else would she meet? What would happen to her? Where would she go when it was going to happen? Why was the angel speaking to her? Her brain must have been going 90 miles per hour.

Then the angel told her not to be frightened, that she had found favor with God, that God was going to bless her, that she was going to be the mother of a baby boy, and that the baby was going to be the Son of God. Mary seemed to take it all in stride, questioning the angel and asking how can this be? When the angel responded that this would take place through the power of God, she responded that she was the Lord’s servant and that she was willing to do whatever God wanted.

It was such a testament of her faith that she was able to devote herself to being the mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Would we be willing to give up our dreams and plans for the future to follow God’s call? Re-member that she was engaged to be married to Joseph and now there was a major detour to her life plan. Yes, some believers before her, such as the prophets, changed their life plans to preach to God’s chosen people, and some pastors, priests, and ministers have made tremendous sacrifices to spread the Good News of the Gospel. What call does God have for us?

Her incredible faith guided her to respond through the Magnificat and she declared immediately “God is my Savior.”

A Prayer: Dear Lord, we ask for a strong faith like Mary’s faith. Lord, make us believe with our whole mind and body, that you are in control, you know what is best for us, and that you will take care of us. Give us strength, courage, and guid-ance to follow the path that you have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Paul Dey Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Saturday, December 9, 2017

“Looked with Favor”

A poll taken several years ago revealed that 60% of Americans believed in the return of Jesus. We then find that there are eight books in the Bible that mention the Second Coming in several hundred verses. These help re-mind us that Advent can be observed in two different ways. First as a time of joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. However, it can be a time of sadness as we think of Jesus leaving us. As Jesus explains in John 16:20: “the World will rejoice in what is going to happen to me and you will weep. But your weeping will be turned into wonderful joy when I return.” So we must continue to live our lives in expectation of Christ returning to our world. Christ has promised that even the lowliest servants who believe will be saved at his return. As we read in Proverbs 3:6 this verse is one of many that remind us that “in everything we do, put God first and he will direct and crown your efforts with success.” This is true no matter your station in life. Proverbs further re-minds us that the Lord demands fairness in every busi-ness action and in your every day life. One of the apostle duties for each of us is to pray for the lost so they won't be surprised on Judgment day.

A prayer: Dear Father, Thank you for accepting our confessions of sins and accepting our sincere efforts to live a better life no matter our station in life. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Virgil Koppes Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Second Sunday of Advent, December 10, 2017

“Lowliness of His Servant” Mary was having trouble reconciling the words of the angel Gabriel - that she found favor with God and would soon give birth to the Son of the Most High - with who she was. Just a lowly teenage girl who would soon be married. A bit overwhelming, no doubt. I love that Mary sought the comforting arms of another mother-to-be, her cousin Elizabeth, whose pregnancy was also a surprise. And Elizabeth's words of love and rejoicing (Luke 1:42 . . . Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!) were exactly the words of en-couragement she needed to hear. Mary's humility in accept-ing God's favor is inspiring to us all. As are the words and actions of Elizabeth. She was accept-ing and encouraging of Mary in a time of uncertainty and fear in Mary's life. Can we, God's lowly servants, offer our support and love and rejoicing to a friend or a loved one, or even ourselves, in a heart-wrenching time of crisis? Eliz-abeth's actions show us we are certainly capable. A prayer: Heavenly Father, As we get ready to celebrate the gift of Christ, help us to be accepting and lov-ing and rejoicing of each other, your lowly servants. Amen.

Hope Hellwig Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“All Generations”

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Psalm 90 : 1-2

At a family gathering, many many years ago, I took a new Bible that I had just pur-chased to my grandmother, my mother’s mother, and asked her to underline her favorite verse and write a note next to it.

It was an obvious choice to ask my grandma to mark in this new Bible. My mother’s parents were very influential in my faith development. When I was in elementary school, I would often spend Saturday nights at my grandparents’ house and faith was sprinkled generously into everyday life. Grandpa led devotions at every dinner, con-versation always included references to faith, grace, and church life, and I can still vividly see my grandmother’s eyes squeezed tight as she knelt at my bedside after tucking me into bed, praying for me and the family and our world. I remember going to church with them in the morning, where Grandma would introduce me to seem-ingly every single member of the congregation as we made our way to our pew, and I remember being mesmerized by the sound of the pipe organ in the soaring and ech-oing sanctuary, and hanging on to every word of my grandfather’s sermon, in admi-ration and awe.

So, now grown, I brought my Bible to her and asked her to mark in it her favorite verse. By this time, she was older and often confused. But she took it in her hands, and without hesitation, opened to Psalm 90. She underlined 90:1. You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” She handed it to me. I handed it back to her. I had wanted her handwriting in my Bible. “Grandma,” I said, handing her the pen again, “sign your name, and write why you like this verse.”

And in a beautiful moment of clarity, and of rare stubbornness, she said to me, “I don’t need to put my name next to this. This verse is about the God of all genera-tions.” And I knew she was saying that this was not about her, but about God and his relationship with his people. She began to tear up, as she remembered the spans of time, and said, “All the generations that have come before. My father. My father’s father. Your mother. You...”

Our parents, our grandparents, our children, all the generations that have come be-fore and are yet to come... God is the God of all of us, throughout all times. In all places. From everlasting to everlasting. Sing his praises, both in humble humanity and soaring in awe and wonder. Tell all the generations. A prayer: Lord, may we underline You in all that we do, in all that we say, in all that we are. You are our dwelling place throughout all generations. From everlasting to everlasting, Amen.

Carolyn Penvose Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“Blessed” “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name

great, so that you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2 (NRSV)

Kenny is a homeless man who sits outside my office building on the corner. He has sat there nearly every day for years. He greets every passerby with a smile, saying, “Have a blessed day,” or “God bless you.” Some scoff. Some avoid mak-ing eye contact, and many keep moving by quickly without any acknowledgment at all. Some stop to help, giving the change from their pocket.

One particular afternoon this summer, as I was heading home for the day, I stopped to talk to Kenny. I do not recall the specific happenings of that day, but I do remember feeling down and that I was feeling sorry for myself about some-thing - maybe it was stress from work, maybe it was the daily grind, or maybe something difficult had occurred that day. But as I was heading for my car to go home, I walked over to Kenny, took a dollar from my wallet and asked him, “Kenny, how is your day going today?” Kenny replied with the biggest grin, “Man, I am doing great! I had one dollar, and now I have two dollars! This is a great day!” I cracked up, and thanked him for his joy and for his reminder to me to be thankful. Here, I thought I was going to help Kenny and it was Kenny who was helping me.

From these daily encounters with Kenny, we have formed a friendship and talk often. Some of the deepest, personal faith conversations I have ever had with anyone, I have had with Kenny. His message is clear, consistently reminding me of what is most important - our relationship with God and the way we are to treat all of God’s people with love.

God has blessed Kenny. He is a child of God, made in God’s image, called by God by name to be a blessing to others. Kenny is made holy, justified by his faith, and redeemed by God. Kenny believes that the Lord will fulfill his promis-es to him, and shares God’s love with everyone … everyone…who passes him on the street. And in so doing, by God’s grace, Kenny is overcome with joy.

In this season of Advent as we await with hope Jesus’ arrival, let us know Jesus’ presence in our lives as we are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. When I am in Kenny’s company, the kingdom of God comes a bit closer. Jesus is re-vealed to me in Kenny through our Father in Heaven. Kenny is blessed. Kenny is a blessing to me. I hope this devotion telling Kenny’s story is a blessing to you.

A prayer: Loving and merciful God, we give you thanks for claiming us as yours, for the many blessings you bestow upon us so that we might be a blessing to others as agents of your grace. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Bryan Penvose Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“...for the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name.”

Are you ever amazed that our mighty, all-powerful, all-knowing God cares about little, insignificant, sinful us? Mary's Song lists all the wonderful things God has done for the nation. Today would be a good day to list all the wonderful things our mighty God has done for us – and thank Him. Here's a list to begin with: • As believers we have faith that we are saved and will have eter-

nal life. • We live in a nation of freedoms. • We get to enjoy the beauty of the changing seasons. • We are part of a loving, serving church family. • We live at a time of amazing medical knowledge and skill. • God has given us a wonderfully caring pastor. • We get to experience the joy and enthusiasm of children. • We can all have our own Bible in our own language to read and

study. • Our children can attend twelve years of school in good school

systems. • God has preserved and protected our nation through wars and

disasters. Our Mighty God has provided all these wonderful gifts for us.

A prayer: Thank you God for your constant care and love. You have provided me with more than I deserve. Help me show that love and caring to the people around me today. Amen.

Ken Dalgleish Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“Great things for me”

This phrase is found in the sentence: Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Mary is aware of the enormity of the blessing God has bestowed on her and is infinitely grateful for that blessing. No other of us will ever have such a blessing, but it is not difficult to feel that God has done “great things for me” daily! We are blessed to live in this country, in our relatively safe and calm community. Most of us have families with-out drama, and if we have issues, there are folks around us, in our neighborhoods, or in our church family who are glad to support us. Among the great things God has provided are also opportunities to serve others through our church outreaches or per-sonal contacts. Pastor Jim’s 3:16 theme is helpful in providing time for worship or prayer gatherings twice a month to express or explore our gratitude to God. Daily, by the setting of a little alarm at 3:16 every day, we can be reminded to give thanks for the great things God has provided. A prayer: Dear Lord, guide and direct us to see and appreci-ate all the wonders you have provided for us…our families, our friends, your incredible world at our fingertips. Thank you for all the blessings large and small. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Sherry Dey Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“Holy Is His Name”

Mary is a teenager, chosen by God to be the mother of His Son. She sings of the wonder of these things in the Magnificat. Her joy and words are very like what Hannah prayed when she gives her long awaited son Samuel to the Lord. “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” Samuel, much as Jesus many years later, grew to become God’s man for that generation. I’m sure Mary knew Hannah’s prayer and felt that same joy.

We sing of God’ s holiness every Sunday in the liturgy and in many of the songs we know. The children’s choir has the very same words “Holy is His Name”, that now as I’m writing this, won’t leave my memory! The Lord’s Prayer clearly states, “Hallowed is Thy Name, or Holy is Thy Name.”

I sang in the Senior Choir in high school and we seemed to sing “Holy, Holy, Holy” every single Sunday. We also wore high heeled shoes as we processed. The center aisle had two big, open-holed registers that if we didn’t walk tip-toe we could lose a shoe on the way in! A prayer: Lord Jesus, I have only one response to your birth: JOY! No more let sin and sorrow reign, nor thorns infest the ground! For you have come to make God’s blessings known, far as the curse is found! Amen.

Ellen Jenne Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“His Mercy” His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation. Luke 1:50 Psalm 136 (KJV)

Mercy – compassion, forgiveness shown toward someone instead of punishing or harming them. Mercy is found in the Bible between 350 and 500 times depending on the version you are reading. We are often our own worst critic because we usually have a hard time forgiving ourselves. I have done things that I am ashamed of or embarrassed by, that I have asked for-giveness from, that keep popping up in my mind. They are not there daily but instances occur that bring them back and cause me to relive the situation over again. I don’t know why but I can’t forgive myself even though I know that God has forgiven me. As a child of God, his mercy is shared with us. Over and over again he forgives us as his children. Country singer, George Strait, sings a song which shares mercy called “A Father’s Love.” A boy talks to his earthly father and ends with him talking to his heavenly father. A Prayer: Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your unending for-giveness and love, for sending your son to earth so that we might have eternal life. Help us to remember to share your love with those around us and with strangers that we haven’t had a chance to meet. Amen.

Shirley Hodek St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church, Medina

Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2017

“Fear Him” His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

Do you have a proper fear of the Lord? This is a strange and difficult ques-tion for many Christians. We like to think of ourselves as friends of God, chil-dren of God, people who love the Lord and are loved by God.

We like it when Mary sings about her soul magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in the Savior. But then we have this phrase that falls strangely upon our ears. “God’s Mercy is for those who fear him.” What does it mean “those who fear the Lord”?

Part of the answer comes from the Biblical understanding of faith, that we are creatures and God is the creator. We are puny and small; God is awesome, powerful, mighty, and glorious. And part of the answer comes from the sim-ple fact that sometimes we take God for granted. The antidote to taking God for granted is having a proper “fear of the Lord.” A proper fear of the Lord means that we have respect for God – a sense of reverence and a sense of awe.

Yes it is true that Jesus is our friend and our brother. But the God we see through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection is a God of both love and power, mercy and justice, joy and reverence, hope and determination. The God who gave us life is an awesome God who deserves our love and our respect.

One more thing. It is obviously true that to be human is to live with our fears. The fact is that sometimes we fear things that are less powerful than God. We are often more afraid of losing what we have—our life, our loved ones and our possessions—than respecting the one from whom all good things come.

So a proper fear of the Lord allows us to focus upon God more than our oth-er fears. A proper fear of the Lord helps us to trust God. A proper fear of the Lord leads to wisdom and allows us to boldly go into the future, knowing that God is more powerful and more fearsome than anything else in all of creation and beyond. A prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be the people who fear you, respect you and love you, knowing that you are merciful to those who fear you. And then help us to go forward, know-ing that you will lead us through whatever the future may bring, no matter how fearful it may seem. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Pastor Scott Silcox Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Hinckley


“Generation to Generation”

Luke 1:50 (NRSV) His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

This should be pretty easy to talk about since both sides of my family were involved in the building of this church building, and they were active in the church as well. How very fortunate I am to have always attended this church alongside many of my relatives. Both sides of my families for many years have gotten together for reunions each year…here at Zion. As far as I know, we don’t have any famous people; but I can proudly say they I come from a fine Christian family, and I had a good Christian upbringing. We are not perfect, by any means; but with God’s mercy and grace, we are trying our best to be faithful to our Lord and Savior.

This passing down from generation to generation is so important. I remem-ber a lot of memorable moments with my grandparents and parents. For instance, the many conversations and fun we had with our grandparents on the short ride to Sunday School every Sunday because my parents had to milk the cows. My first Bible came from my other grandparents. I bet a lot of you have dishes, furniture, Bibles, journals, or even recipes handed down from generation to generation. I do. What do these things mean to you? I bet they mean more to you than something you bought within the last week.

I don’t expect to have any grandchildren, but I hope I can or have passed on something to my Sunday School children, family, or friends…whether it was a gift or something I did or said that was an influence on their journey of faith. And I hope they will pass it down through their generations to come.

I have been in Bible studies where the question is asked “Who most influ-enced you through your faith journey?” Remember…what you say and do now can and will influence those coming after you.

What do you want to pass on to your grandchildren? What will you give to future generations?

A prayer: Dear gracious and loving Father, thank you for the Christian life I was raised in; and I ask for your help and guidance to pass this on to future generations to come. Amen.

Judy Porter Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“Strength With His Arm” This verse is the only place in the New Testament where a strong arm is mentioned. But it echoes dozens of Old Testament passages that speak of God’s strong arm – in creating the world, in rescuing God’s people from slavery in Egypt and from the waters of the Red Sea, in protective love, in guarding the faithful from danger, and in clearing away and uprooting the “weeds” from the garden of God’s will. The strength of God’s arm is well known to God’s people, whenever something sweeping and difficult needs to be done, which would be beyond all human power.

Where have you felt a strong arm doing something you couldn’t do on your own? I remember my father lifting me up to help climb a tree, my mother (in the days before car shoulder belts) holding out an arm to keep me from sliding forward when she had to brake quickly, the warm hugs of family members forgiving and loving me, a nurse steadying me for the first walk after surgery. Someone else was there when I was small, weak, broken, or needy, to lift me up to a better place. In Mary’s song, God’s strong arm is shown to be exactly what is needed in this world. In her time, for a people worn down by Roman rule, hundreds of years removed from the hope-full message of the prophets, God’s strong arm made a way through vast human power for a child to be born who would be the Savior of all. Still today, wherever sin or evil or disease or death threaten us, God’s strong arm acts through that Savior to sweep away anything that could separate us from God, lifting us up with Christ and reconciling us in God’s great love.

A prayer: Loving God, thank you for the strength of your arm that reaches into human life with concern and compassion, accomplishing what we can’t. Forgive us for the wrongs we do, and rescue us from the wrongs done to us. Let your gentle strength inspire us to use our arms and legs, hands and feet to show your love to others as we’re able. Amen.



“He has scattered the proud

in the thoughts of their hearts.” Luke 1: 51b

The Buckeye High School Marching Band show this year was

based on the seven deadly sins. When the show got to “pride”

there was palpable surprise in the stands. After all, we try to in-

still pride in our kids, not to stifle it. The Bible recognizes two

kinds of pride, one good and the other sinful. St. Paul says “Let

him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” He also says, “Then what

becomes of our boasting (i.e., in ourselves)? It is exclud-

ed” (Romans 3). But sinful pride doesn’t leave us alone after we

become Christians; it struggles against the Spirit all our lives.

Mary’s song says that God scatters (as in a rout) the proud “in

the thoughts of their hearts.” As God scattered those who built

the Tower of Babel “to make a name for ourselves” (Genesis

11:4), He also brings our plans to nothing when they are meant

to glorify ourselves. This happens both on the level of nations

and in our individual lives. But He does this, we believe, for our

own ultimate good, to bring us to repentance and new life in

Jesus Christ as our Savior. As Hannah sang (I Samuel 2:6) “The

Lord kills and brings to life; He brings down to Sheol and raises

up.” God scatters us from our self-made utopias in order to

gather us, by faith, into His kingdom.

A prayer: Dear God, thank you for destroying my sinful pride so that

I may praise You forever. Amen.

Jon Steingass

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;”

We, in the church, have often pictured Mary as the meek and mild mother of Jesus, but these words from Mary’s song of praise confront us with a different Mary. This bold and subversive Mary challenges us to know the wild and revolutionary God she praises.

Mary begins her song praising God for the blessings and mercy he has shown her. We are comfortable with this God of blessings and mercy. We too have experienced blessings and mercy from God. She goes on to speak of God’s holiness and strength and might. We echo her words in our own songs of praise. Our God is an awesome God. But we must be careful when we think we have God all figured out. We must be careful when we are comfortable with God’s ways; when they do not challenge us. Chances are we have captured something other than God and wrapped it in a neat box to place beneath our Christmas trees.

She continues with these words, “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.” It is impossible to hear them without sensing how revolutionary they are. Who is this God who throws the powerful from their thrones and lifts up the ones no one else finds valuable? If we’re honest, this is a God who makes us feel uncomfortable. This is a God who challenges us. We, who live in the most powerful and wealthy country in the world, twist in our chairs a bit. We wish Mary had left politics out of her prayer.

But this is the God Mary knows. This is the God who rescued slaves from Egypt. This is the God who used a shepherd boy to fight a giant. This is the God who promised to send a Messiah. This is the God who hears the cry of the oppressed and responds, “I am coming. Prepare the way.”

A prayer: Father God, Throughout time you have lifted up the lowly, blessed them and sent them to be a blessing to your world. Allow me to take part in your saving work as I seek ways to lift up the lowly and challenge those who would use power to oppress your people. Amen.

Janice Silcox Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Hinckley


“Hungry/Rich”

“…he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty…”

This portion of Mary’s song evokes many passages in the Bible, but for me the one I keep coming back to is Matthew 5:3: “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” translated another way as, “God blesses those who are poor and recognize their need for him, for the Kingdom of heaven is theirs.” Mary thanked the Lord for this and we can thank the Lord for this. We, who are lacking, can look for and be given the guidance of Jesus. There’s no need for earthly riches to reach the love and guidance of our Lord, and indeed, they may even get in our way. Mary wasn’t chosen as the mother of our Lord because of her earthly wealth. Even at our lowest and hungriest points, because of God’s faithful promise to us, we can find the grace, hope, and love we seek, in our Savior, Jesus Christ. We can be freed from the burdens of our sins, inadequacies, failures, and choose to be guided by the one whose peace passes all understanding. A prayer: Dear Lord, at this advent time of preparation, may we re-member the promise fulfilled for us by the birth of our Savior and may we not be discouraged by tough times, adversity, or lack of earthly rich-es. May we be reminded of Mary’s role, and remember that all of us have a role to play in the glorious kingdom of heaven. Amen. Hannah Severence Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City


“Helped his servant Israel”

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, Luke 1:54 (NRSV)

An angel appeared to Mary, a virgin (who was engaged to be mar-ried to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David), and told her she would become pregnant through the Holy Spirit. In the Jewish custom of that day, an engagement was as binding as a mar-riage. To be God’s servant, Mary had to expose herself to the mis-understanding of Joseph, to the possible loss of her reputation, and the curse of being considered a sinful woman. She risked all this in surrender to the will of God.

To encourage Mary’s faith, she was given the sign that her cousin, Elizabeth, was also the object of God’s grace in the gift of a miracu-lously conceived son, John the Baptist, who will prepare the way for the coming Messiah.

Mary responded in what has come to be known as the “Magnificat.” Her words combine rejoicing over her own exalted position with the consciousness that through her God, she is fulfilling His prom-ise to Israel. Jesus is not only her son…He was the final fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham, that by him “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Jesus is the culmination of all that God has been doing since the days of Abraham.

God kept His promise. He has not forgotten His promise to be merciful.

A prayer: Dear merciful God, we thank you for giving us your dear Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Send the Holy Spirit into our lives and help us to share your Good News. Give us a kind and caring heart as we spread your spirit of love, joy, peace, and forgiveness. Amen.

Jane Gunkelman Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve December 24, 2017

“Promise”

How many of us have made a promise, and later broken it - only to disap-

point ourselves or those we love? How many of us have made a promise

not knowing if we would even be able to keep it? Do we have trouble

keeping promises sometimes? Have we lost trust in others from broken

promises, even when they were menial? I am willing to bet most of us will

answer yes to all of these questions. Promises are powerful, and at the

same time come with an immense level of responsibility. Sometimes we

realize the power and/or responsibility to which we have committed, but

most times, in the hustle and bustle of life, we don't (i.e. to quiet/pacify

somebody or end an argument).

God made a promise to each and every one of us when he allowed Mary to

give birth to his son Jesus. Talk about a powerful promise: To walk with us

in the flesh and via the Holy Spirit everyday. There is no more powerful

promise or greater responsibility than what God committed to through

this act. We each need to remember that God knew of the power and re-

sponsibility to which he committed, and He did so out of His LOVE for

us.

In this advent season (and beyond), we each need to remember the prom-

ise God made to us through Jesus' birth (and later resurrection), when we

make promises to our friends, family, bosses, strangers, co-workers, etc.

We need to remember that our promises are a reflection of who we are,

and the LOVE we have for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. They

are also a reflection of the LOVE that God has for us, which should shine

through our promises to those with whom we interact.

No matter the promises we make, or how menial they may be at the time

we make them, we have power and a responsibility to show God's LOVE

to others and to thank God for His LOVE for us.

Merry Christmas Eve !!

Josh Nehls

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Valley City

Christmas Day, December 25, 2017

“Forever”

Psalm 23:6b the psalmist writes: “I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever (NKJV).”

I’ve had two homes that I intended to live in from the time of pur-chase to “forever” in this life on earth. I’ve given up on a forever house. Sometimes things that happen to us, or choices we make, re-sult in forever consequences, change us, or our opportunities, forever. I take comfort and strength knowing that I am always welcome in the “house of God forever;” the loving healing presence of God. We can heal and move on, but still the path of our lives is altered forever.

Is it the same with God? Do the choices God makes, change God “forever?” Did God’s “breath of life” breathed into creation in Gene-sis chapter 2 change God? Was God’s giving us a portion of God’s life a forever sacrifice? Or is God’s life like a flame (or like love), no matter how much you give away, your flame is not diminished?

I don’t know what creation cost God. It may have been more than we have ever imagined. Love is like that. What I am certain of is that God is forever changed by becoming human. We believe that, in the mystery of God, what we see as direct opposites are actually both possible, Jesus is 100% God and 100% human. God, or a part of God, has become human, and that cannot be reversed. God is forever a part of creation.

God has placed God’s self in our lives forever, knowing that this child born to us today will definitely not be welcomed in the “house of humanity.” Knowing that the power of love, forgiveness, sacrifice, union with all creation, will not be valued by people who worship in-dividualism, excess, and power to threaten and destroy.

What loving madness would unite with us forever knowing that the salvation offered, the power of peace, will be opposed violently? And then letting us choose to be part of God’s life on earth as it is in heav-en. Oh yeah, that’s the whole issue not forcing us to do.

Pastor Lor Breyley New Horizons Lutheran Church, Homerville

Documents

Advent Devotions 2017 - stmatthewmedina.org€¦ · The church observes the four weeks before Christmas as the season of Advent. The name “Advent” means “Coming,” referring