“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” I love the enthusiastic response of these ordinary shepherds to God’s announcement of the birth of the Messiah. These passages are one of my favorites for this time of year telling us about the Christmas shepherds. But last night I wondered, “Who watched their sheep?” Did they all take off deserting the poor creatures? Did one abandoned shepherd draw the short straw and got left behind doing the work of many and missing the birth of the King? Did the angels come back and hover over them with divine protection? Phillip Keller wrote the classic book, A Shepherd Looks aPsalm 23 and described the not so complimentary nature of sheep. Sheep are timid, feeble creatures vulnerable to missteps and attacks. They are easily panicked by loud noises and flashing lights. Duh, a whole host of angels descending suddenly on this midnight pasture with joyous singing and beaming … [Read more...]
Advent Discernment – You said what, Lord?
I had one of those moments on Sunday.I participated in our annual Taize Service. My job was to read from Matthew 1: 18-25:This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g] (which means “God with us”).When … [Read more...]
A Prayer for the Reader – Lectio Divina
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ for this will bring much glory and praise to GodPhilippians 3: 9-11 (NLT)Lord today I lift up into Your loving hands the readers of these words.Some who come here are celebrating Your joyous presence.Others drown in tears of loss.Another one stands lost in the dark fog of not knowing where to go to next.But we all come to You today Lord just as we are - in need of You.I ask You to pour into their hearts Your love until overflowing.Grant that they grow in knowing and embracing You.Purify their motivations and wash clean their desires to mirror You, Lord.May the work of their hands honor You and tell others of Your grace, … [Read more...]
An Advent Prayer – Henri Nouwen – Quote of the Week
Lord Jesus,Master of both the light and the darkness,send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.-Henri Nouwen … [Read more...]
Advent: the Gift of Time in Present Tense
The gift of time. December blew in with a chilly and crystal clear star- shimmering night this week in Ohio. I gazed out my back window into the darkness. The light from the brilliant half moon and the twinkling of a million heavenly lights captivated my being. I paused and embraced that one moment. How are You preparing my heart for Christmas, Lord? How will I be transformed by Your coming? Advent is an in-between time. A time of waiting. A time of reading the old stories. A time of anticipating what will come. Time of preparing my heart to receive the good news. Advent - the interval between stuffed grateful Thanksgiving and joyous, noisy, family filled Christmas. We wait impatiently for family to arrive. We live in expectation of the future. We ignore the present. Somehow I don’t think God wants our Advent time to be this … [Read more...]
Writing – A Spiritual Practice
Putting my hopes, dreams, fears, prayers into words often connects with God. I love words and taking letters and sentences and putting them into meaningful sentences helps me grow spiritually.Writing is a spiritual practice for many of us. I pay attention to more details when I attempt to find words to describe where I am and what I am experiencing. I hear God clearer when I write. To paraphrase the line from the movie, Chariots of Fire: “When I write, I feel His pleasure.”Writing most often takes form for me in journals, but what many of you may not know besides this blog, I write for our local newspaper, magazines, and even have been in books.My good friend and writing buddy, Johnnie Donley, asked me to participate in a blog hop originated by agent Linda Glaz and promoted by another writer friend, Karen Wingate.The purpose of this blog hop is to talk about what I’m working on at the moment as a writer. And heeerrreee we go!What am I working on as a writer right now? I have two more … [Read more...]
Trusting God – Lectio Divina
In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.Psalm 25: 1Lord, I read this verse today and my heart rejoiced.Years ago, a flash in Your eyes, You led me to these words as my first breath prayer.A scripture I silently, repeatedly, pray in my heart throughout the day.In You, Lord my God, I put my trust.Your voice in these words wraps its warmth around me like a thick comforter at night.This divine declaration carries me through tough times when I can’t find You or know where to turn to next.These words anchor me in the storms and rescue me from the thrashing waves of life.When I have no idea where to go, what to do, and the unknown overwhelms me, my only prayer, my only step is to put my trust in You.You are my Lord, my God.When thoughts distract me like mosquitoes and worries invade my soul, I find peace and stillness in these words.In You, only in You, Lord do I put my trust.I empty my hands of all that blocks me from You and come palms upward to my God, my Lord.I entrust my all, everything, … [Read more...]
A Prayer of Wonder – Quote of the Week
Days pass and the years vanish and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when your Presence, like lightning, illumines the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns, unconsumed. And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder, "How filled with awe is this place and we did not know it." Jewish Prayer … [Read more...]