December 18, 2021 - Advent Devotion
This Week:
Sunday, December 19, 2021:
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Hark The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy and mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all you nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
As we near the end of the third week of Advent, we take a look at another old-time children's Christmas classic.
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a great story of acceptance. At the heart of this story is Rudolph who is so different from everyone else. Later in the story, Rudolph and his friends find themselves on the Island of Misfit Toys. By story's end, Santa is stopping on the island to help all these unwanted toys to find a home.
As children of God, we can often look at ourselves and think we are misfits. We think we are so unworthy, that we have sinned more than anyone else, that we deserve not being accepted by others, that we deserve not being wanted, not being wanted even by our God.
By the end of another children’s Christmas classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” including the Peanuts gang, even Charlie Brown, even a lonely tree, are blessed to discover, the true meaning of Christmas, and that they, too, have a place, in the story. Truly the story, truly Christmas, would not be the same without them!
Christmas is God's gift, "God and sinners reconciled!" We have been baptized with a baptism of repentance, of change, of reconciliation, a baptism by the One greater than you and me, by the One who is greater than John, a baptism in the power of the Holy Spirit, a baptism that tells us no matter how different we are, no matter how sinful we see ourselves, God tells us He wants us in His story.
Repeat the sounding joy: God wants you for Christmas; for all eternity! God makes known, loud and clear: Christmas would not be the same without you!
Let us pray: God who accepts all, I often see myself only as a misfit. It is easy for me to feel unworthy, as if I am the only one who is different, as if I am the only one no one really wants. Repeat your sounding joy to me, again and again: reconciliation is at hand, I am accepted just as I am forever; I am wanted and needed, to make the story complete, thanks to the One who is greater than all, in the One who has come at Christmas, in the One who will come again. Amen.
