Category: Advent Devotionals 2017

“… I was a stranger and you welcomed me. … Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” —Matthew 25:35, 40 (NRSV)

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Several years ago I was searching for a church that I could call home. I remember one Sunday that Wanda Nelson and Bill Adams were ushers and greeted me outside the front doors of St. John’s. They introduced themselves in their warm and gracious manner and then said “I don’t think I know you. I’m so glad you came. Tell me your name.” After I introduced myself, they said “Harriet, I think you’ll like St. John’s. Please come back.” I did, and I have.

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Not long after that, I was visiting my husband at Landmark Nursing Home where he was working very hard to regain mobility after a severe stroke. We were in the visiting room when I heard familiar voices in the hallway. It was Wanda and Bill. They were there to visit a member of St. John’s but graciously came in to meet Larry. What a breath of fresh air they brought. What fun and laughter they brought to us with Bill and Larry telling stories about growing up in rural Mississippi. Wanda and Bill’s generosity of time, spirit and Christ-like behavior brought relief from fear and sadness and a sense of God’s love and presence.

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This Advent season offers us opportunities to experience the peace and joy of knowing that God always welcomes us. As life takes its twists and turns, God is our rock and salvation. Isn’t it wonderful that He gives us unexpected encounters that can change our lives? If it had been up to us, do you really think we would have planned for the Messiah’s birth to be in a stable? Over and over He teaches us not to judge others and to welcome everyone. Even in our final days, we can feel the joy and peace of knowing that we are passing into God’s welcoming arms. I have a feeling that God has already put Bill to work welcoming newcomers to His Heavenly Kingdom!

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Gracious God, thank you for your many blessings. Help us to always be warm and welcoming to all as you are warm and welcoming to us.

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*Written with permission of Wanda Nelson on October 29, 2017, the day after the Celebration of Life for Bill Adams. 

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Harriet Walters 

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Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. —Hebrews 13:2

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My inn is always open. Every traveler is welcome here. Rich or poor are the same to me; I’ll even rent a room to a Roman. Of course, we don’t have many strangers passing through who want to stop here. The city is only a few miles farther. Sometimes I go days without a soul checking in. Other times there can be a crowd. That’s the way it was during the census. Everyone related to one of the old families from here had to come register. I didn’t have an empty room the whole time it was going on. 

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One couple that came then I can’t forget. They were from up north in Galilee. The man had walked the whole way while his wife rode a donkey. It was hard to believe he was a descendant of King David. He was a carpenter without a penny to spare. His wife was a little thing. She never complained, but I knew she was exhausted. She was about to have their baby.

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They arrived late one evening. There was no room for them, but I couldn’t turn them away. A place in my stable was all I could provide, but I tried to make them comfortable. That night the baby was born. My wife helped. Afterwards she said some shepherds had come to see the child and worshiped him like a king. Later still, strangers from the East came searching for the boy. He would be a great king they said and brought him gifts. Shortly after they left, the young family left also, not for home, they said, but for Egypt. 

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Nothing stranger has ever happened here. I still don’t know what it means. Who was that little boy, I wonder? What will he do in the world?

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Help me, Lord, to see the needs of those outside my narrow circle, cheerfully to minister to those needs and to welcome strangers as heartily as I do old friends. Amen. 

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Guy Johnson 

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. —Romans 15:7 

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Growing up in a small town has many advantages. One perk for me as a child was that I could easily walk to visit my grandparents who lived across the street. Several times a day I would go to their house just to be with them. Their house was always a warm, welcoming place. I never had to call first; just a simple knock on the door and a call out of “Grandmother, I’m here, and I’m coming in,” was sufficient; no formal “May I come in?” was needed. I was always greeted with a warm hug, a kiss and a smile and was made to feel that I was special and loved. 

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I believe St. John’s emanates that same welcoming feeling to those who come to our house of worship and knock on its doors. One only has to say, “Lord, I’m here, and I’m coming in;” no formal salutation is needed to gain entrance into the arms of our church and to be made to feel special and loved. 

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As we approach this season of Advent and go about our busy schedules in the secular world, we need to remember to extend this feeling of welcoming; not only to our family and friends but also to the stranger in the mall, the impolite clerk at the grocery store and the rude driver on the road. 

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Help us, O Lord, to continue to be a welcoming church to all who knock on our doors. Help me to be a welcoming disciple all year, and especially during this season when extra responsibilities and stress seem to make our lives more hectic. For the glory of God, AMEN.

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Claudia Fowler 

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Home Worship & Advent Wreath Reading*
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Welcome Neighbor

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Read: Isaiah 11:1-10

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Light: We offer the following reading as you light the first and second candles on your Advent wreath. If you do not have an Advent wreath, we invite you to light a candle, reminding you of the coming Christ Child, the Prince of Peace.

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This is the second Sunday in Advent, and today we light the candles of Hope and Peace. During Advent, we pray that we, as well as all people, will seek God’s peace.

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(Light the first and second candles)

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When we look at the second candle, we remember God’s promise of peace. We recall the words of Jesus in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” With such hatred and vitriol in the world today, it’s hard to remember that Jesus is the one who brings peace. As we approach Christmas, let’s remember that God’s intention is a place of peace, where we love our neighbor and offer them a place of peace and welcome.

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Reflect: Isaiah paints stirring images of God’s peaceable kingdom: “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). How would you re-write these words for today? Who among your neighbors is most in need of God’s peace? How can you help them find peace in their lives? 

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Pray: Dear God, Thank you for those in our world today who world for peace. Help us look for ways to be peacemakers with our neighbors. May your peace permeate our lives. Amen.

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Respond: Think of a situation where you desire peace, either in your life or in the world. Prayerfully ask God to guide you in doing something this week to strive for peace. It could be reaching out to someone from whom you have become separated or it might be writing a letter to your legislator about an injustice. As you become a peacemaker, you will find peace.

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* Adapted from UMC Discipleship Ministries 2017 Advent Home Worship

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. —Philippians 1:6

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Welcome. It’s a noun, an exclamation, a verb and an adjective. Just the word itself sounds welcoming! While there are a few variations on “welcome,” the definition that speaks to me this Advent season is “to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of.” 

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I think of that day when I first accepted Jesus into my life and started my personal relationship with Him. God was there all the time, calling me to Him, but it took time for my heart and mind to become open to accept His presence. When it happened, I accepted with pleasure. Pleasure­­—defined as a source of delight and joy­­—has continued throughout these 30 years to bring hope and peace to my life.

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I think of welcoming Jesus into my daily life­­—through the good times, the tough times and the ordinary times. I can’t say this happens every day, but it certainly is my goal. Saying yes to Jesus daily translates into how we treat others and how we live our life as an example of love. When we accept this calling daily with pleasure or joy, it implies that we have a willing spirit. It is so easy to go days or weeks not paying attention to a daily call to accept Jesus; we must stay awake and be intentional so that we do not stray too far. And if we do, we once again accept Him and fall into His waiting arms.

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I think of welcoming the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Accepting the Holy Spirit means we are looking for that still, small voice inside us, nudging us to become more like Jesus. Again, when we do this with a willing spirit, we can experience the joy of a new discovery.

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I think of how I’ve been given examples of welcoming many times in my life. My mom is a great cook and entertainer. Mom prepared for traditional holiday gatherings by cooking for weeks in advance, resulting in a large spread of food and a presentation fit for a magazine. At 80, she still goes all out when the family gathers at her house to celebrate. She plans menus months in advance, cooks weeks in advance, decorates her house beautifully and anticipates the occasion with enthusiasm. Having experienced this all my life, it paints a wonderful picture in my mind about “going all out” to welcome. I think to myself, “What if I approached all opportunities to welcome with this attitude? What if I went ‘all out’ on a daily basis to welcome Jesus into my life?” I imagine that my interactions with others would change in a big way for the better. 

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Jesus, I welcome you today into my life. Thank you for your presence in my life. Help me to seek Your face each day, so that through Your grace and strength, I may be more like Jesus and show His love to others. Amen.

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Kathy King

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. —Psalm 130: 5-6

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Listen!

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God of all that is and is to come, help us to listen for your words. Reveal to our limited minds the thousands of ways you speak to us. Still our hearts so that in the silence we may hear the beauty of your voice. Amen.

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Betty Schroeder

This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate. —Luke 15:24 

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The darkness of night had begun to settle in. I could hardly make out the narrow roadway in front of me now. The rain had stopped, but water drops still fell from the trees that loomed over me. It had been a long time since anyone had cut back the shrubs and grasses bordering the path. They pressed in against me now as if to block my way forward. 

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“Why did I come?” I wondered, “I’ve been away too long. If they remember me at all, will they want to see me? Why would they?”

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There on the gravel pathway, I stopped, stood still, remembered. I remembered stubborn actions, appeals for change, angry words, quarrels stopping just short of blows, a final, grimly silent parting.

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I turned on my heels and began the backward trek. Only a few steps down the road I stopped again. There were other memories. I thought of family laughter by the fire with friends, warm meals, kind words, early acceptance and approval.

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“All that is gone for many years,” I thought, “and yet…”

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I turned again and followed the path to its end. In the faint light of the moon the old house looked unchanged. I heard no sound. The upstairs windows were dark. I came closer. I thought a faint light gleamed in the living room.

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I stepped onto the porch and knocked gently on the door.

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Help me, Lord, in this holiday season, to put aside the past, to mend lost friendships as best I can, to welcome old friends who turn to me. 

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Guy Johnson

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Be still and know that I am God. —Psalm 46:10

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The winter cardinals are back. Every November they begin arriving to settle into the protective comfort of the tall thick shrubs at the back of my yard. They number about 25. I encourage their winter-long visit with two constantly dripping birdbaths and multiple feeders overflowing with sunflower seed. They return the favor simply by being themselves.

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The days are busy with singing and foraging and competition with the red-winged blackbirds that meander through in groups from time to time. But the magic of the winter cardinals happens late in the afternoons, near dusk, when all the other interlopers have given up and flown off to some distant roost. The cardinals in their resplendently red garb flit about the baths and feeders in an unscripted dance, moving in profound silence that is nothing short of sacred.

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This time and place of beauty and silence at the end of each day becomes a holy ground, an introit into prayerful listening and contemplation. God’s presence is palpable in the dimming light as the birds silently wing their way to their resting place and leave my expectant heart waiting in the stillness for the mystery and blessing of the season.

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God of all creation, help us to relinquish our busy-ness in this wondrous season of waiting. Enable us to be attentive to the movement of Spirit and to feel your all-abiding presence in every facet of our lives. Amen.

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Betty Schroeder

The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put= my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall 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, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. —Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NRSV)

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What does it mean to “know the LORD”? I confess that I often struggle to know my own self. Following the example of Adam and Eve, I clothe myself with accomplishment, skill or useful service. I have even donned the filthy rags of flawed adherence to a moral code or to correct belief. Ashamed of my naked self, I hide. 

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In Concluding Unscientific Postscript, Kierkegaard asked this question:

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“On which side is there the most truth? The side of the one who seeks the true God objectively and pursues the approximate truth of the God-idea; or on the side of one who, driven by the infinite passion of his need of God, feels infinite concern for his own relationship to God in truth?” 

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Or consider the hymn “Come, Ye Sinners Poor and Needy:”

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“Let not conscience let you linger,
nNor of fitness fondly dream;
nAll the fitness he requireth
nIs to feel your need of him.”

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In this time of Advent preparation, I will find joy in worshiping at St. John’s with you who inspire me with your faith and good works. May this help me look within myself for those places where the LORD is known—where we welcome each other in. 

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Heavenly Father, I pray for grace to be in more honest relationship with self and you. Amen.

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Ray Halliburton

Nothing is impossible with God. Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”—Luke 1:37-38 

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I hear a voice from another generation singing familiar words,

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The words haunt me, even as I read Scripture. They bounce around in my head and pictures begin to form. Once the timing of her child’s birth may have seemed off to Mary—not even married yet, now she senses something more. And the pregnancy of her much older cousin, Elizabeth, which at first seemed only a coincidence, now can be seen differently. The voice and the music go on,

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They were learning one of the deep truths of People of Faith, first taught by Old Testament prophets: You cannot change the past, but you CAN change the MEANING of the past. We walk by faith and not by sight. 

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Faith teaches me I can know more tomorrow than I know today. Let’s return to the words and music dancing around in my head:

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That is why God comes to us in human form in Jesus Christ: to make sure we know that we can trust the One who gives us Life. Let it be.

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O my God,
nTake my life and let it be…
nAmen.

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John Winn

Remember not the former things nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. —Isaiah 43: 18-19

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When Jesus came on the scene, He rocked the world and humanity with His newness. The former things and old things were done. All the people believed about a relationship with God and the law and how it made them right vanished in the wind. This baby in a smelly stable, born to a teenage virgin, from the wrong side of the tracks is the Savior of the world? No one at the time saw this coming, and we still cannot wrap our minds around the humble, scandalous state in which our Savior was born.

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There is nothing easy about birthing something. If we contemplate our walk with Jesus, we can see how He takes us through the birthing process continually in life. He is birthing us to be what He has in mind. I think that He wants new things for us even though we long for the days of old, people to come back into our lives, and to have things be comfortable and easy. 

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My family is new to St. John’s United Methodist Church, and there were many transitions before we became members. If we will let God take control and help us in this current birthing process of change, we, the community, and world will be blessed beyond compare. This new “baby” will not look like what we think it should look like, act like we think it should or sound like we think, but how beautiful this can be if we allow the changes to happen and open our hearts to God.

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Father, please help us to remember that You are a God of birth and change. You do not allow us to stay the same and are always transforming us into who You want us to be. As St. John’s continues to go through changes, please help us to lean in to what You are doing to grow us into the “Body of Christ” that impacts the community and world for Your glory, honor and praise. We thank You, Jesus, for coming in such a humble way to a broken people in need of redemption. Let us contemplate Your birth, Jesus, and continue to show us how You have turned the world upside down because of Your love for humanity. May we live lives that honor and bear Your image. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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nShay Chauvin

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Home Worship & Advent Wreath Reading*
nWeek 1

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Welcome Divine Promise

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Read: Isaiah 2:1-5

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Light: We offer the following reading as you light the first candle on your Advent wreath. If you do not have an Advent wreath, we invite you to light a candle, reminding you of the coming Christ Child, the Hope of the world.

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This is the first Sunday in Advent, and today we light the candle of Hope. Advent is a time of waiting and hoping. We wait for the day when we celebrate again the birth of Jesus. We hope that everyone will come to know God and to worship God.

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(Light the first candle)

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When we look at the first candle we remember God’s divine promise. God promised to send a Savior to the people. Our scripture from Isaiah reminds us that God fulfills the promises made to care for us. God is loving and just. God brings peace. This gives us hope. We look forward to the time when everything is fair, when the world is at peace and all people are treated justly. 

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Reflect: This Scripture offers us the hope of God’s kingdom where there is peace and has the wonderful sentence, “…let us walk in the light of the Lord!” Who are the people in our world who need hope? What are the hopes you have for our world today? How do we help others know that God gives hope? 

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Pray: Eternal God, Thank you for the words of the Prophet Isaiah that remind us that you are the source of our hope. Help us to remember to walk in the light of the Lord. Amen.

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Respond: Is there someone you know who needs to hear words of hope? Make or select a card for that person and mail it today.

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* Adapted from UMC Discipleship Ministries 2017 Advent Home Worship

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