December 15, 2021 - Advent Devotion
This Week:
Sunday, December 19, 2021:
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Previous Week’s Service with Children’s Christmas Program
It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their harps of gold
"Peace on the earth
Good will to all
From heav'n's all gracious King"
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing
“And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.”
Do you like "a sure thing?" Do you think there are such things?
What is so true, that no matter what happens, it can be trusted?
What is so sure, that it does not matter if someone else tries to take it away, or to make you waver?
There is favorite Christmas story of many. The problem is, the title of this classic is wrong. The reader of the story or the one watching the movie does not get to see carried out what the title of the story suggests.
"How The Grinch Stole Christmas," is not a truthful title at all.
The Grinch discovers very clearly that no one, not even The Grinch himself, can steal Christmas. Even after all his efforts, the "Whos down in Whoville" share the joy of the promise. The joy of the people was not in those things that could be taken away, but rather in the sure things that could not be shaken - people, family, community, hope, spirit, faith, promise and joy.
These things are so sure, that even the Grinch is overcome.
This time of year, many people call each other or themselves, "Grinches" or "Scrooges."
I say let them. I want to be a Scrooge, or a Grinch. I need to be overcome. We each need to be reminded what is sure and secure. These next few days are the darkest days of the year, and still God's Light will shine, it is a sure thing!
May we each long to live as the prophet Micah foretold, secure, in The One of peace, in The One who feeds us, in his strength, in his majesty, in all that came upon that midnight clear as the angels joined heaven and nature to sing. These are sure things!
Let us pray: God of sureness and truth, thank you for overcoming me. As the dark days of the season surround me, draw me close to the sureness of your Light as heaven and nature sing. Fill me again to join the prophets and the angels, to repeat the sounding joy of the certainty of your grace, which can never be taken from me. As I anticipate the coming final days of Advent this year, and the full joy of Christmas, give me a spirit to announce and to sing before others of you and your promise in the midst of all the hustle and bustle that will not last. In the strength and majesty of The One of sure peace, I securely pray. Amen.
