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“O Come, All Ye Faithful”
In this season of Advent, as we prepare to welcome the birth of our Savior, we find ourselves brought together, friend and stranger, family from near and far. Through this advent devotional booklet, we invite you to gather with your extended church family across the many congregations of the Presbytery of South Alabama. As Presbyterians, we participate in an intentionally connectional church, and we believe that we are always stronger together than we are apart. With this truth in mind, the worship committee at Spring Hill Presbyterian Church had the idea to gather our Presbytery family together around shared scriptures for our season of Advent. Each devotion in this booklet was written by a pastor, educator, or commissioned ruling elder from our Presbytery. We are excited to offer this Advent devotional for each of our churches. As you prayerfully read each day’s scripture lesson and the meditations based upon them, know that you join a large community of faith throughout South Alabama who is doing the same. “O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord!”
Grace and Peace,
Buz Wilcoxon
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!HOPE !
November 29 – Romans 8:18-25 Keith Cardwell November 30 – Isaiah 9:6-7 Kim Vanbrimmer December 1 – Psalm 80:1-7 Jonathan Wallace December 2 – Psalm 130:1-8 Billy McLean December 3 – Jeremiah 29:10-14 Bob Madsen December 4 – 2 Peter 3:8-15 Sarah Erickson December 5 – Mark 13:32-37 Chris Bullock !
PEACE !December 6 – Ephesians 2:13-20 Steven Kurtz December 7 – Jeremiah 31:31-34 Dee Koza December 8 – Luke 1:68-79 Matt McCollum December 9 – Hebrews 12:11-14 Ashley Drake-Mertz December 10 – Romans 12:14-21 Jody Beth Melton December 11 – Psalm 4:8 Anna Fulmer December 12 – Isaiah 40:7-8 Buz Wilcoxon !
JOY !December 13 – John 15:7-11 Chris Peters December 15 – Psalm 30:4-5 Blair Beaver December 16 – Luke 15:3-7 Julian Walthall December 17 – John 16:22-24 Samford Turner December 18 – Psalm 150:1-6 Jenny Chapman December 19 – Isaiah 9:6-7 Karen Bullock !
LOVE !December 20 – 1 John 4:7-12 Bert Tuggle December 21 – 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 Lauren Peters December 22 – Luke 1:46 Carry Sasser December 23 – Luke 2:1-7 Vernon Hunter December 24 – Luke 2:8-14 Tim Ferrell !
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!November 29, 2015
Romans 8:18-25 Keith Cardwell !
A familiar hymn of the church has these words, “all nature sings, and around me rings the music of the spheres.” Paul insists that nature is not so much singing as groaning. Like a world awaiting explosion into new birth. Nature longs for the day when sin’s power will be broken. Nature awaits the day when death and decay will be gone. Nature waits with eager longing for the day when God’s glory will come. But nature is innocent having done nothing to warrant decomposition. Humans are the culprits and nature pays the price. Humans sin deliberately and nature is caught up in the consequences. Nature waits in hope for liberation and life. ! Humans also groan in pain, like a woman at nearing the end of a long, difficult pregnancy. Humans long for the day when sin’s power is broken. Humans await the day when death and decay are gone. Humans wait with eager longing for the day when God’s glory will come. We brought on this mess ourselves. Yet, we long for the day when pain will be no more. So, we also wait in hope for full adoption into the family of God and find liberation and new life. ! The state of the world and the state of the human situation is not hopeless. We hope in God. We hope in God’s redeeming power. We are not consigned to a future of nothing but sin, death and decay. We can live now with an eager anticipation of liberation. We can live now a new life brought on by the glory and power of God. ! Christians do not only see the consequences of sin. We see the power of God’s mercy. We see the vastness of God’s love. Therefore by God’s love, and not of ourselves, we anxiously wait for life, not death. We live not in despair but in hope. !!
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!November 30, 2015
Isaiah 9:6-7 Kim Vanbrimmer !
The words Isaiah speaks were words of hope in a dark time. Those same words we read today remain words of hope in our own dark time. As we read these words we know that they are describing Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. We know this because for us, it has always been so. Imagine writing these words in the time before Jesus was born; imagine not knowing the reality, but speaking these words as a dream of what will come.
We still are dreamers, dreaming of a world that will live in peace. That is the hope of which we are to be reminded with the words of Isaiah. We are to remember that though it may seem as if we are in dark times, Jesus Christ will come again. Perhaps now we can be even more hopeful than Isaiah, as we have seen what Jesus can do, and can be his hands and feet here on Earth, right now. Do we acknowledge this hope? Do we show it?
What has happened in the time between the birth of the Christ child and today? The world has changed; the world has stayed the same. Progress has been made in so many ways, and yet, yet… Today, we do not have peace; there is not always justice; the world knows hunger and pain. But we have the Hope that is Jesus Christ.
Can we still speak of the dreams? The time when Jesus will “reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom … with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever?” Are we as confident of this as Isaiah was? Can we speak of it boldly, proclaiming the news? Can we dream as Isaiah dreamt? !
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!December 1, 2015
Psalm 80:1-7
Jonathan Wallace
This time of year is saturated with music. For most people, it simply is not Advent or Christmas without the familiar tunes and beloved lyrics of our favorite songs. As enjoyable as this music is, it can be overwhelming. We hear these old songs so often, we feel like we are being stalked by their overwhelming demand to be joyful and full of good cheer. That is difficult in the face of suffering, and disappointment. We need a song that expresses the deep sense of disconnect so many of us experience during this season.
It is interesting, then, that we read Psalm 80 on the last Sunday of Advent. This song has no dancing sugar plums, no babes wrapped in swaddling clothes, or even any peace on earth. Instead, it has the primal yearning of a people cut off from their land, their future, and their God. They feel abandoned by a God they see as either not caring, or not paying attention. They passionately sing of the pain of exile. They plaintively sing of their deep desire to be restored.
Despite it all, the people look to God as the source of their life and hope. They remind God of the past, in hopes of recovering what is lost in the present. But life will never be exactly as it was before. God is far more interested in the future. That future is bright with hope. It does not make the suffering of the present go away. It does not bring the past back to life. But it gives us the assurance that the darkness of the moment is not the last song we will sing. God has a new song to teach us, one we will never be able to keep from singing…in ANY season!
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!December 2, 2015
Psalm 130:1-8
Billy McLean
Out of the Depths We Cry Unto The Lord!
Read… Listen to Psalm 130… This is me today… There are days, sometimes weeks… It may be you today… It may not have been you yesterday, a month ago, or even a year ago. There are days like this when the storm clouds hang over us! As Christians, we learn from our Hebrew kin, it’s okay to cry out and wait for the Lord. At our lowest, we may wonder if He is there. We’re reminded He has been there in the past! Today, with the Psalmist’s okay, WE are longing, wondering if we will make it through Christmas. Thanksgiving was tough… Christmas could be tougher… Someone may be missing… Not There OR someone dear and special will not be there next Thanksgiving and Christmas! OR This may be our last Christmas! Oh, how the Psalmist knows where we are. He seems to know we are waiting for Jesus… Yes, the one we’ve known from earliest childhood spoke to our fears and “Loves Us!” I’ve known the words and this tune forever… I have never thought about the depth and power of this tune and these words coming to me on such a day as this…He’s Coming, I’m waiting and knowing only of the Psalmist’s reminder of the Steadfast Love of God in sending His Son! I’m waiting knowing God is somewhere. This assurance brings Hope to my tendency toward Fear and Hopelessness. On this day, I need Advent to remind me. For prayer, listen or sing with me the Advent Hymn lifting up Our Hope…
O come, O come, Emmanuel,and ransom captive Israel,that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
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December 3, 2015
Jeremiah 29:10-114 Bob Madsen
How long? Seventy years. Seems like a lifetime. Seventy years, three score and ten. According to the Psalmist that is a lifetime. Which is the point of God’s message as the Babylonian exile begins. Those carried away into captivity would not be coming home. They would live out their days mourning the loss of Jerusalem and struggling to sing songs of Zion for their tormentors’ mirth. It is a bleak future. A future shrouded in darkness. But God speaks in darkness, saying, “Let there be light.” God’s Word made flesh shines in darkness which does not overcome Him. So, seventy years is not the final word God speaks on the matter of the Babylonian captivity. God, the Great I Am, says, “I will.” I will visit you, fulfill to you my promise, bring you back, hear you, let you find me, restore your fortunes and gather you. I will bring you back. This promise is made not to persons but to a people, not to an individual but a community, not to a singular you but a collective you. The certainty of the promise is established in the character of the One who promises,
the God who spoke and called all things to be; the God who called Abraham and Sarah to go; the God who demanded that Pharaoh let God’s people go
that they might worship God in the wilderness; the God who led and sustained and coaxed this people’s
ancestral clans all the way from Red Sea to Jordan riverbed, from Egypt to Promised Land, from slavery to freedom. The Great I Am is not just a God who will, but a God who does. How long has it been? Seventy years. A lifetime. Seems like yesterday. Hope in God. !
December 4, 2015
2 Peter 3:8-15
Sarah Erickson
II Peter is not the most familiar book of the Bible for many of us. What encouraging words might we discern within it to give us HOPE in this first week of Advent?
I suggest using the ancient practice of lectio divina, or divine reading. First, read through the entire passage, and let the words sink into your mind. You might wish to read through vv. 18. Notice words or phrases that capture your mind’s ear.
Next, focus on vv. 13-15b. Meditate on the words, phrases or images that speak to you. What might you discern from them about hope during this Advent season?
Respond to what you are hearing. Perhaps a prayer, silent, or spoken, will find its way through your thoughts. You might wish to note your response in your journal, in written word or through a sketch, mind-map or other drawing. Maybe a hymn, creed or other prayer will come to mind. Say, or sing it, aloud.
Conclude with a time of quiet, returning to read vv. 13-15b again, and then the entire passage, as you conclude your time of prayer. Give thanks to God, who sent Jesus into the world so long ago, and who will send him again. Prepare to live into this hope. Start today.
You may choose to read more about spiritual practices including lectio divina here: http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/spiritualformation/practices/. This practice may be done alone, with your children, or in a group. Consult a hymnal (Glory to God or The Presbyterian Hymnal) and look for hopeful hymns. “Live Into Hope” #772 in GTG or #332 in PH is one suggestion.
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December 5, 2015
Mark 13:32-37
Chris Bullock
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.”
I love a good spy novel. The one I am reading today focuses on the hyper awareness of the agents. They are picking up all the movements of the eyes. The fidgeting with the phone. Everything. How much people weigh. Who drove what car. How fast they could run. For the agents, awareness equals survival.
Awareness in the Christian spiritual sense, often gets (mis)translated as hyper readiness for the second coming. Jesus intends for us to be spiritual aware of life around us: Are we aware of the ways God is blessing us today? Are we aware of the ways people are struggling in life around us? Are we mindful of unloved ones around us?
Now is a time for remembering the gifts of the Spirit, and that we are to be aware of, or alive to, the ways we may offer them to our neighbor.
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!December 6, 2015
Ephesians 2:13-22
Steven Kurtz
In the film “Life of a King” a convicted felon learns to play the game of chess in prison. After his release, he brings the game to his urban neighborhood, teaching ghetto youth. He tells them to focus on the end game: the king. “Lose the king and you lose the game.” His goal is to get troubled kids to look beyond the immediate towards the ultimate goal; to play the game of life with the end-game in mind. Well, this text is our end game. This is why Advent matters. This is what all the fuss is about: a massive reconciliation; the impossible made possible: peace between former hostiles. The metaphors morph repeatedly: from the scene of groups separated by a “wall of hostility” now joined into one; to people of different nations sharing a common passport as fellow “citizens”, and then to a family, members of one single “household”, and then to the stones of the house that is now the common home for all of them, resting on a common foundation with Christ as the cornerstone. In the end the household morphs into a temple in which God dwells. God’s dwelling among a reconciled humanity: the end game that has been God’s goal ever since Adam and Eve moved East of Eden and have been homesick ever since. God with us, Emmanuel, realized in a community that practices hospitality as an alternative to hostility. All this accomplished though the cross on which Jesus died, refusing to play the scapegoat game, refusing retaliation, refusing the path of violence, entrusting himself to his Father, embracing the enemy, the “other” as the forgiven. Such that “both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.”
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December 7, 2015
Jeremiah 31:33
Dee Koza
“I Will Put My Law Within Them, And I Will Write It On Their Hearts”.
God is speaking here of a new covenant of the heart to be made with the people of Judah and Israel. In the earlier covenant, it is made with a captive people who were “slaves” of their surroundings. This time God is making the covenant with a nation, who once again find themselves displaced. They however have also witnessed through the years the faithfulness and grace of their God- who is the God of peace.
In the Hebrew tradition, the heart is the place where God comes to speak to and with the children of God. It is the place of wisdom and discernment. The heart houses God’s peace and love. It is mentioned over 823 times in the bible. What better place for a New Covenant to abide?
And if it abides in the heart, then is it not lodged in the right atmosphere to thrive and be embraced into everyday living? For as Jeremiah notes in this passage, “The Lord says: ‘No longer will they teach one another, or say to each other know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.’ ”
For God is quick to remind us that a covenant is only kept when all involved embrace the living out of the covenant over only knowing the content. God places this covenant in the one location where it will have the greatest opportunity to be kept-where God’s relationship with the people is best discerned…. the heart.
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!December 8, 2015
Luke 1:68-79
Rev. Matt McCollum
I heard a story the other day about former Secretary of Labor Raymond Donovan who served under President Reagan. Donovan had just been appointed to that position and it was his first time to ride on Air Force One. While the plane was in the air, Donovan was called to the President’s office and when he got there, Reagan was on the phone. Donovan heard the President say in a very somber tone, “Well, what are my options?” Suddenly it struck Donovan that here he was riding on Air Force One while the leader of the free world was making a critically important decision. He thought to himself, history is being made right in front of me and I have been called on to give counsel; I must be a pretty impressive person. The President didn’t say anything for a moment and then he said into the receiver, “Well, if those are the choices, I think I’ll go with the iced tea.”
As Christians, we can feel impressed with ourselves too. But before we get too smug or too proud we need to remember that our worth is not dependent on who we are or what we do. God’s love for us is not based on how good we are, how smart we are, or how obedient we are. Despite what you might have heard, it has never been about your faithfulness or my faithfulness. It is about God’s faithfulness.
Luke 1:68-79 is a hymn of adoration for the marvelous activity of God. It celebrates God’s compassion for the people of Israel even when the people have forgotten the Lord. Though the people forget the promises they have made, God does not. The first part of the song of Zechariah (vs. 68-75) is chock full of Old Testament references showing God as deliverer. The second part (vs. 76-79) connects the theme of God’s covenant with the coming Messiah. Jesus is the fullest demonstration of the faithfulness of God. He reminds us that we have not been forgotten. We have not been abandoned. The commitments that God has made have not slipped God’s mind. God’s faithfulness to humanity culminates in the gift of a Savior.
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!December 9, 2015
Hebrews 12:11-14
Ashley Drake Mertz
11Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. 14Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
It takes 21 days to make a new habit. The hard part is making it through those first 21 days. Or, at least, that's what the "experts" would have you believe. Unfortunately, even when you get to day number 22 you are still required to make a choice. In the same way, keeping your faith in times of grief and struggle can feel impossible. And while it may not be impossible it may indeed feel quite painful. The truth is any sort of discipline is difficult.
It may require making amends with those whom you have harmed. It may require cutting off an unhealthy relationship. It may require looking at yourself with a new lease. It may mean forming new habits or spiritual practices.
The good news is God joins us in the difficulty and longs for us to be at peace. At peace with one another, and peace within ourselves. You are invited to live into the peace which only God can provide. At times it may seem impossible and at times it may not seem worth the hard work of discipline and change. It requires trusting in the scriptural promise of righteousness.
Let this season of advent be one of invoking discipline that brings about God's peace both within yourself, and to those you encounter.
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December 10, 2015 Romans 12:14-21 Jody Beth Melton !
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:18 ! Week after week, I step down from the chancel during the Passing of the Peace, move toward the fourth pew on my left, and watch Ronnie’s eyes light up as I stretch out my arms to exchange a hug with her. Ronnie and I are about the same age, though because of her Down Syndrome, she looks much younger than I am. ! I say week after week, but that’s not quite true. I supply preach throughout the Presbytery, so I am away once or twice each month. Ronnie and I both look forward to those hugs, and we both miss them. Her Mom told me that she gets upset when I’m not there. One Sunday, Ronnie entered the Sanctuary with a pout on her face, her head down, and her arms crossed. She would not let me hug her before worship. She was mad at me! ! When it came time for the Passing of the Peace, I headed toward her. She looked at me, then at her Mom, then back and forth a several times. I stood with my arms open and waited. And then came one of my most treasured “Ronnie hugs” ever! ! In Ronnie’s eyes, what I had done by being gone the previous week was very wrong. And she was hurt. But as we heard the words… !
“As forgiven people of God, we are freed to love and extend God’s peace to others.
The peace of Christ be with you!” !…Ronnie showed me that God’s word was etched in her heart: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” !
May the Peace of Christ Be With You All. !!
!December 11, 2015
Psalm 4:8 Anna Fulmer !
Psalm 4:8 “I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.”
Are you at peace? With Christmas right around the corner, for many the answer is no. With only two weeks left until Christmas, maybe you are running through your shopping list late at night, still trying to get gifts for everyone. Maybe you are a student bombarded with studying and tests. Maybe you are up at night wondering how you will even afford Christmas. Maybe you are restless, dreading the holiday that will come, because it means the first Christmas without a loved one. It can be hard to find peace or sleep in this time of year. Many of us are haunted at night with to-do-lists, worries, and fears prohibiting us from sleep, from peace. The Psalmist’s words of a good night’s rest might even seem cruel to someone who cannot sleep. But the Psalmist does not write this Psalm from a dreamy, quiet, easy situation. The Psalmist is praying for deliverance; she is waiting, longing for God. Further, this Psalm does not end with a solution. It ends here; with the Psalmist looking towards the future in hope and in peace. Her situation has not changed; however, she trusts. She trusts that God is present. She finds peace knowing that she is safe and secure in God, even in difficult times. Her safety does not come in a nicer security system or in having everything “fixed.” She trusts those words that God says to us again and again, “Do not fear. I am with you.”
Prayer: Gracious God, help us to trust, for you are with us. Help us remember your peace when the way is difficult. Amen.
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!December 12, 2015
Isaiah 40: 7-8
Buz Wilcoxon
“The grass withers, the flower fades.” Withering and fading are all around us. In the middle of December, even in South Alabama, the grass and flowers have literally withered and faded. As the winter solstice approaches the sunlight fades so early in the day. As the years pass our memories of Christmases past begin to wither as well. Our bodies wither, our minds fade, with the passing of each year. In some congregations, withering and fading may feel like the narrative of our church as well.
Isaiah is not in denial. He fully acknowledges this harsh reality of withering and fading in the created order. The Apostle Paul would echo Isaiah’s words centuries later when he writes about all creation being subjected in “bondage to decay” (Romans 8: 20-22). The story of our life, the story of our world, the story of the universe seems to come down to merely this: “The grass withers, the flower fades…”
But…but…that narrative of decay is not the only story to be told. Isaiah utters a deeper truth: “But the word of our God will stand forever.” The word of God, the Torah of God’s loving intention for all creation will stand forever. God’s Word, born in flesh and blood in Jesus Christ comes to set creation free from its “bondage to decay.” The greater, grander, deeper, truer story is one of peaceful, loving endurance. As generations rise and pass away, the enduring love of God, who reveals God’s own true self in the Word made flesh, holds firm. This is the hope of Advent, the honest hope that does not deny the reality of decay, but in Christ, transcends this reality with an awareness that the transforming, redeeming, reconciling Word of God is not finished with us yet.
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!December 13, 2015
John 15:7-11
Mary Clark
We had reclaimed an abandoned farmhouse on the edge of town. Friends from church helped us clean it out and make it livable. We rebuilt the kitchen and bathroom, we blew in insulation, and my Dad installed a wood-burning stove to keep us warm. Since Stuart had just started seminary, the next three years would be financially challenging for us and our three beautiful children. As Christmas rolled around that first year, we knew we had to be creative, so the top of a very large pine tree our neighbor cut down became our Christmas tree. With a jigsaw and barn wood from out back we crafted some interesting art objects for the adults in our extended family, and an unexpected envelope from our church family put toys under the tree on Christmas morning. It was a Christmas we will always remember with smiles…and more than a few laughs! (Our tree looked more like a huge bush, and some of the family weren’t quite certain about their barn wood gifts.)
Joy...what does it take to find the joy John writes about in this passage? It helps to remember that true joy transcends the circumstances we find ourselves facing. If your Christmas season is coming up a little short on money or friends or family, give yourself a break. Examine your expectations and remember that true joy comes from loving God and God’s love for us. When our lives are intertwined with God, adversity seems less debilitating, seasonal busyness can be replaced with the wonder of the Christ child, and the joy of living with Jesus as our friend and companion offers a maturity that gives perspective to all that we say and do.
Now take a deep breath and inhale a bit of joy. God loves you!
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December 14, 2015 Philippians 4:4-7
Chris Peters
In life, and particularly in this season, it can be tough to find time to break from the busyness surrounding us – to pause. Pausing helps us regain perspective on God’s peace. Pausing even helps us to become people who are able to rejoice and share that joy in very real ways.
As you pause today, hear the call to rejoice in the Lord despite distractions that keep us frantic and fearful. Hear that in Philippians 4:5 “gentleness” may also be thought of as fairness or patience. So, we can hear the writer instructing, “Let your fairness… your patience… be known to everyone.” That’s quite a challenge when navigating our cultural holiday season, in long lines at the mall or when family decides to stay an extra week after Christmas.
Our cultural holiday season is one with overwhelming expectations, surprises, and even cultural wars pitting our joyful greetings – “Happy Holidays” and “Merry Christmas” – against each other. What if we were to pause and re-focus on the joyful sentiment of such words when we hear them? What if we were to pause and re-focus on our intentions when we share those words?
When we get caught up in the expectations, when our “happies” and “merries” are replaced with “humbugs,” let us hear the call to pause again. And when we make such time, may this passage also help us find some ways to pause faithfully – checking worries at the door, praying, and worshipping God.
May such pausing remind you of God’s peace-on-Earth that came long before our cultural expectations! May such pausing inspire you with the roots of our joy – the Advent of the Emmanuel , God-with-us, Jesus Christ! And may such a reminder – of God’s grace – inspire you to be fair toward everyone, without exception.
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December 15, 2015 Psalm 30
Blair Beaver !Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Have you ever noticed that some Christians seem to be happy all the time. It seems as though they never grieve. The truth is, no one is happy all of the time. Part of being in a world of sin is having a life filled with sin, enemies, retaliations, bitterness, gossip, and the list goes on. The difference for the true saint in Christ is an awareness amidst all of the difficulties of life, that our God will always take care of us. Even though our life may be filled with all manner of trials and burdens, we know that, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Remember, that morning may not come until our entrance into God's heavenly kingdom; but that will truly be a morning of great joy. Perhaps one of the greatest difficulties for believers in this, the 21st century, is that we have lost the realization that true joy is found in Christ alone. All of the trinkets of this age will pass away, and though they may give momentary pleasure, they will certainly not give us lasting joy. As Christians, we are dazzled by the things of this world, and often find our hearts led astray by the same temptations that affect all. What are we to do? How can we insulate ourselves from these unending temptations? By the grace of God, let us find ourselves in God's Word. Let us continue to read, study, and pray. Our strength never was and never will be in ourselves, but rather our only strength lies in God, Himself. Let us, like the Psalmist, look to Christ, for in Him alone is found joy, peace, and love. Only in Him will we have everlasting joy both in this life and in the life to come! The Psalmist concludes this Psalm with these words, You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Pray today that God will give you joy in the midst of life's burdens because you know that His favor is for life. !
!December 16, 2015
Luke 15:3-7
Julian Walthall
This famous parable lifts up the wonderful image of the shepherd who leaves his or her 99 sheep to go find the one who has gone astray. The image is embedded in our collective memory as the church because it reminds us of the great lengths that our God has gone to in seeking us through the birth of Christ, the life he lived and his ultimate sacrifice. We, too, can think of those among us—family, friends, well-known individuals—whom we can readily identify as having gone astray, and we hope that the good Shepherd is still bent on pursuing them until found. The parable asserts that our Lord values each individual, considers none of us expendable, and continually pursues us. And, too, “…there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” God’s joy is contagious. Our Lord doesn’t put a lid on it. Our God shares this joy with us over the return of a wayward child, brother, sister or good friend. During this Advent season, we prepare ourselves for sharing in God’s abundant joy by realizing the depth of our own sinfulness. We’ve all gone astray as the Apostle Paul reminded us in Romans 3: 23: “…since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….” If God has gone to such great lengths to make peace with us through Christ Jesus, so he has and will with all his children. Realizing that we, too, have been lost but found, we can then join with our God in the great celebration over the return of any of his sheep who’ve gone astray! Will you RSVP and join the party?
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!December 17, 2015
John 16:22-24
Samford Turner
As you look back over your life, what is the gift you have received which has brought you the greatest joy? The greatest gifts of all are the people God has given to us. Relationships which are filled with abiding love and profound care are gifts beyond measure. And the greatest of these gifts is God sending his only and beloved Son to bring us into a deeper and more profound relationship of love with the Triune God. In this relationship we find our greatest joy of life. Of course it does not end with this relationship; Jesus is always inviting us into other relationships of love, especially with those who need us the most.
When Jesus says “ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name … ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full,” this is what he is encouraging us to ask of God. Let us be very clear, in the words of Shirley Gutherie, “God is NOT a cosmic valet!” Jesus is not encouraging us (ala Janis Joplin) to ask God for a color TV or a Mercedes Benz. When has stuff ever given us great and lasting joy?
Instead, Jesus is inviting us to pray for that which brings real joy – a deeper relationship with him and with his Father. When we pray for a deeper love for our Creator, our Redeemer and our Sustainer; when we pray for a deeper relationship with those we love and with those whom God loves and who also not coincidentally need us more than we know – the least of our sisters and brothers – then as we give ourselves to God and to others, we experience the greatest joy we can ever, ever experience in this life.
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!December 18, 2015
Psalm 150
Jenny Chapman
Growing up in a family where my father’s profession was that of teaching music and his avocation was church music, we were brought up around music. Thankful for that influence, I revel in the joys of a good song and to this day, I sing, because if I don’t,
I will surely burst! Nothing unpacks the heart like music.
When we strip away much of the glitter that overwhelms the Advent and Christmas seasons, an unmistakable joy glimmers in the haunting music of Advent and the jubilant outbursts of Christmas hymns. It is to music that we often turn to articulate the inexpressible words of our hearts.
This last hymn of the Psalter, Psalm 150, is a pouring forth of praise – it is an anthem of joy for the ages! James Mays reminds us that this Psalm spells it out: “…Who is to be praised, where we are to praise, how we are to praise and who is to do the praising.” The writer of this hymn knows that the thing we must do, the thing we are compelled to do is praise our God! If there is breath in us, we must praise the Lord!
During this season of Advent let us praise with abandon the One who was born in a stable and gave His life for our sins; the Ruling One who lives and reigns among us – the Coming One, the only One who deserves our honor and praise!
In one of the most beautiful texts of the season, Christina Rosetti writes: “Yet what can I give Him, give my heart.” Take time today to pour out joyous praise to the One who holds our hearts and lives. It is in praising Him that we know true joy!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
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December 19, 2015
Isaiah 9:6-7
Karen Bullock
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgement and justice from that time forward, even forever. The passion of the Lord of hosts will do this.
When I hear this passage, I am always reminded of Christmas. There is great celebration in it; it is bold and triumphant. I imagine the stars sparkling in the crisp night sky and sense the anticipation of a people long ago at the coming of a new king, at the coming of The Messiah.
This we share with our ancestors—we look at the same sky, anticipate the same King, and find comfort in the Word of God and in God-with-us.
There is so much promise in these verses, so much hope for all. Endless peace! Imagine. How will you participate in this?
Mighty God—the one who rides the heavens to help you (Deut.33:26-27a NIV). Everlasting Father—the very best father who will not leave or forsake you, who crowns your head with mercy and gives you a garland of joy to heal and restore you. (Isaiah 61:3).
Yet when I read all this, I cannot help but also understand it with the heart of a mother. Unto us a CHILD is born—so tiny, vulnerable, in need of love and care and attention. A precious son for whom as parents we would have so many hopes and dreams. Can you love Jesus as Mary and Joseph did? Consider praying about it.
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!December 20, 2015
1 John 4:7-12
Bert Tuggle
Our small text (1 John 4:7-12) is connected to the fourth Gospel (John). This Gospel is urgently proclaiming the good news that Jesus the Jew, baptized by John the Baptist, gave his life to forgive his “dear friends” and call them to follow him. Thus, “dear friends” (or “beloved”) is an expression familiar to those peculiar people called and claimed (“chosen”) by this Jesus who gave his life for us so that our sins are forgiven.
When we speak of “love”, we refer with specificity to Jesus who gave his life so that the world might be redeemed through him (John 3:16-17).
The word “love” is the most abused word in my language. I just “love” fried chicken. I love fishing, football, hush puppies, and cheese grits. We toss the word around so much I wonder if we really get it when we read “beloved” (1 John 4:7) in this text.
So here is what this text and the Gospel of John is all about. Advent expects that the one and only Son of God who was crucified, dead and buried, whose tomb was empty on the third day is coming back soon!
He cooked up a meal of fish and hush puppies (John 21:12) and said to his “friends”, who had skipped worship and gone fishing, “come have breakfast with me.”
The love we refer to in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost is really all about Jesus.
“Dear friends, let us love one another”. (1 John 4:7-11). And for heaven sake look busy!
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!December 21, 2015
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Lauren Peters
As Christians, we should be familiar with the command to “go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). With the technology and social media that we have access to, announcing our beliefs to everyone we know is as easy as clicking a button. People are getting more and more comfortable with posting an opinionated article on a controversial topic, hitting the “like” button to show that they agree with it, or starting a comment thread arguing against it. It seems that the culture is shifting from not revealing your own political beliefs in conversation around the dinner table to expressing them to the public during our lunch breaks or while we’re on the couch watching television – the times we have the opportunity to update our social media pages.
It's not surprising that people are so easily caught up in heated debates about their beliefs, since they're hard to miss when you're scrolling through pictures of your loved ones. However, 1 Corinthians 13 calls us to examine how we get involved. Before you click that button, why are you sharing that article about Christianity? Is it to prove someone wrong, share your opinion to the world, or actually spread the Gospel? According to this passage, they aren’t going to listen if the intentions aren’t out of love. Which leaves us with the question, “Is it possible to post something on your Facebook out of love?”
If you speak without love, you are “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” What do people do in response to these loud noises? They plug their ears.
This season let’s prepare by thinking of ways our families and our congregations can spread the Good News that don’t make people want to close us off.
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!December 22, 2015
Luke 1:46 Carry Sasser !
God speaks !Can you not trust me, child of mine? What is to be is always best. You see one inch of life's design. I guide your hand and weaved the rest. !Even though the threads are grey That you had wanted flaming red, Your pattern would have been too gay -- I give it tone and depth instead; !So keep your fingers on the loom Whether swift or slow they run And underneath your hands will bloom A tapestry divinely done. !-Louise Moss Montgomery !One can only imagine what wonder Mary pondered in her heart, not even knowing her part in the redemption tapestry that had begun before the darkness was over the deep. !!!
!December 23, 2015
Luke 2:1-7 (please read this passage first) Vernon Hunter !
Here in a mere 7 verses (144 words) is an understated, no trumpets, no drum roll, no flashing lights, no throngs of people description of the birth of Jesus! ! Whole libraries have been written and failed to match these verses that touch world history (Rome), national history (Israel), and personal history (Mary and Joseph and each of us). ! These words are so glossed over with familiarity and memorization that we glide over the hardships of the journey, the imminent birth, and the incredibly humble conditions that surrounded this world changing event. Every word is loaded with meaning. Perhaps, most of all, these words give us an intimate glimpse into the way God works. The beloved hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” says it for us: "how silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given. So God Imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven." or to rephrase another hymn: the long expected Jesus has come." ! Let us ponder the meaning of the words that are used to explain the significance of the birth of Jesus: incarnation (God in our flesh) and Emmanuel (God with us). What staggeringly wonderful news: so hopeful, so humble, so joyous, so personal. Thanks be to God for His incredible gift! Prayer: O God of this vast creation, give us fresh, new eyes to see and open hearts to sense anew that You are not remote and disinterested but enfleshed with us in the journey called life. Amen. ! Take time to read those 7 verses again and rejoice! !
!December 24, 2015
Luke 2:8-14 Tim Ferrell
Glory to God in the Highest ! “Mr. Wes, what did y’all do for fun when you were ten? ! This was one of the questions my wife Kimbrough asked Mr. Wes on his seventieth birthday. I wondered if Wesley would actually answer her because he didn’t talk much about his childhood. From what little he’s told me about it, I can’t really blame him. ! Wesley was abandoned at birth and adopted by a family of Arkansas sharecroppers. The Warrens already had six children of their own, but when Wesley’s mother left him in the kitchen sink of a deserted shack, Mrs. Warren gathered Wesley home, and eventually all five of his sisters as well. So, when Kimbrough asked Mr. Wes the question, I held my breath. ! “We chopped cotton”, he answered. ! “No, Mr. Wes, I mean, what did y’all do for fun when you weren’t working?” ! “Kimbrough, that’s all we did so, it had to be fun. We chopped cotton.” ! The Warren children chopped cotton all summer because they had to. Each child would walk down a waist high row of cotton hacking away at the weeds below with a long-handled hoe. While they worked they would sing hymns, tell stories, tease and laugh. In this way they strengthened and encouraged each other…they loved one another. They chopped cotton. ! The story of Christmas, like Wesley’s story, reminds us that God is found in the common. The angels spoke not to princes or kings, but to shepherds… at work. Jesus was born into our common life. The Christ lives when we work together, sing hymns and break bread together, when we strengthen and encourage
each other. While we “chop cotton” together the angels above sing:
“Glory to God in the Highest! and on earth, Peace and Good will toward men.”
!Spring Hill Presbyterian Church
Advent Devotionals December 2015 !
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Spring Hill Presbyterian Church 10 Westminster Way
