Tag Archives: Incarnation

Enough for All

Christmas

December 25, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains
   are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
   who announces salvation,
   who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’
Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,
   together they sing for joy;
for in plain sight they see
   the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break forth together into singing,
   you ruins of Jerusalem;
for the Lord has comforted his people,
   he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has bared his holy arm
   before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see
   the salvation of our God.

God with us has come in human form, experiencing being human from the womb. A well-known but unattributable quote describes the importance of this reality, “You can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” I can imagine God surveying the earth, considering how many great leaders and prophets God had sent to us to reset human paths. Corrections were made, and about the time we seem to be getting our acts together, we begin missing the mark again and fall into disorder and even exile. I can see God, pondering, “Maybe I need to experience being human to learn how I can keep them on the right paths.”  And, so, unto us, a child was given, and we called it the Incarnation.

Jesus’ exposure to birth, life on earth, death, and resurrection brought us new strength through God’s gift of grace and new responsibilities being the Body of Christ in the world today. Jesus Christ saw that we could not love like him unless we learned by direct contact the importance of loving one another and how to love one another.

I have been reading complaints about federal legislation to provide USA citizens financial help as we all struggle through the deprivation caused by the COVID pandemic. Many are saying the amount per person granted in the legislation is not enough. Some object to funds allocated for other nations, arguing we should take care of our citizens before taking care of people from other countries. Pandemics cannot be walled out just as evil cannot. As followers of Christ, we are called to love all our neighbors as we love ourselves. Practically speaking, we will not rid the USA of this virus unless we rid the whole world of it. God created the world on a foundation of love. Caste systems segmenting people according to evil’s biases is not of God and thus will never conform to God’s divine plan.

Prayer: Lord, help us realize that you created a world that can provide enough for everyone if we can open our hearts and learn to love like Jesus. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Being Light

Advent

December 21, 2020

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7
The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
   on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
   you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
   as with joy at the harvest,
   as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
   and the bar across their shoulders,
   the rod of their oppressor,
   you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
   and all the garments rolled in blood
   shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
   He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
   from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

When I take in this scripture, I start reading it until I find myself singing it in the chorus of my mind. That is how it should be as the existential experience of battles over darkness ends, and a child is born who is light and brings light and enables us to be light. We are coming to the end of a dark year. The COVID pandemic has sewn darkness across our world. Hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth good will to men*. Faith, Hope, and Love are stronger. God is not dead nor doth he sleep*.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for coming among us to seed us with your light and love. Amen.

*From I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Mary’s Faith

Advent

December 19, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

We do not know what was really happening in Mary’s life when she conceived Jesus. I doubt if she could explain it in a way that others could understand. We know that her world was in much turmoil with Roman dominion. In a world where parents were more involved in their children’s choices, I find it interesting that we have no reports of involvement either with her parents or Joseph’s.  We know that Mary was present and active in Jesus’ life during his ministry. I have visited Turkey’s shrine, believed to be the home where John cared for her following Jesus’ crucifixion.

More than the facts of the situation, this scripture tells us of a young girl’s great faith and trust in God. How many of us in the same circumstances could say, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ I identify more with the Gideon’s of the world who, when called to serve, asked something to the effect; God are you sure, I am the one you want to lead an army*?

Yet now, 2000+ years later, we worship Mary’s son, who came into being and changed the whole world. God incarnate came to live with us and show us how to love one another. He issued the call for us to be His Body in the World today. At this season, each year, we are invited once again to renew our commitment to this calling to say with Mary, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage of Mary to surrender ourselves completely to answer whatever you call us to do. Amen.

*See Judges 6-8

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

The Greatest Gift

Advent

December 1, 2019

Scripture Reading: Matthew 24:36-44

‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Black Friday is aptly named but not because it is the one day in the year that retail businesses and now internet stores make the most money increasing their income, so they finish the financial year in the black rather than the red. It is a bit ironic that red with some green are the most prevalent colors decorating the shops and mails. I heard a report on the news recently that many are still paying the credit card debt for their purchases last year.

I once thought the Santa-based side of Christmas was innocent fun and I just wished it could be separated from the birth of Christ, a very sacred celebration. Watching the madness of Black Friday now makes me wonder, if Black Friday is just a mass celebration of greed one of the forces of evil taking over our world. I wonder how the prophet Amos would describe it.

I sat with a friend after her colonoscopy and heard the doctor advise her that even though she felt fine she should not drive or sign any legal documents or make any purchases for 24 hours because the anesthetic she had taken was still in her system and her thinking my be impaired. I wonder if greed acts as an anesthetic blinding us to the reality of our behavior.

I am not saying we should not give gifts or share in meals with friends and relatives. I am suggesting that we carefully consider the enticements of greed and avoid them at all cost. And I am saying there is deep joy in spending time in devotion and worship regarding the incarnation of God for indeed, it is the greatest gift anyone will ever receive.

Prayer: Lord, protect us from the enticements of greed as we once again prepare to celebrate your coming to be with us in human form. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Incarnation

god-with-us2Advent
November 23, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 122

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
   ‘May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
   and security within your towers.’
For the sake of my relatives and friends
   I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
   I will seek your good. –Psalm 6-7

For whom do we wish peace? The author of Psalm 122, outlines a listing of recipients for whom he desires peace: Hometown, relatives and friends, and for the sake of the house of God. When peace exists for the house of God, all benefit.

Peace is not just the absence of war. Rome proclaimed the Peace of Rome through the threat of violence which held people in a constant state of fear. Peace, the Hebrew word in English is Salem, means completeness, soundness, and welfare*. I think of it as wholeness with God and with all others, a world without “us” and “them.”

It seems most people want the reality of peace. The problem is we see very different, often contradictory ways of attaining it. As a global community, we seem to be at a crossroads regarding how we want to live and move and have our being**. As we begin the annual reawakening of the incarnation, we are called to recognize that the way toward such peace is laid out for us. Let us dedicate this Advent season to a revitalization of our commitment to follow the way of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, pray with us when we do not know the words to say. Write on our hearts your message of renewal, so we can be fully the people you have called us to be. Amen.

*http://biblehub.com/hebrew/7965.htm
**See Acts 17:28

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Mystery Incarnate

ShepherdAdvent
December 24, 2014

Scripture Reading: Psalm 148

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and women alike, old and young together!  

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted;
   his glory is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful,
   for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord! — Psalm 148:1-2, 9-14

I was sitting in my recliner watching the weather, which was reporting that a huge thunderstorm was headed my way with the possibilities of a tornado. The day outside looked calm in the late evening with the sun beginning to set. My dog, Micah, was asleep on my lap. He was never afraid of storms. Even though it looked find outside my window, he suddenly awoke and jumped to the floor with every hair on his back standing straight up. I grabbed him and ran for a safer part of my house. We had barely gotten settled when golf ball size hail began to pound against my roof and broke out all the windows on the west side of my house. I thought of Micah, who died a few years ago, when I read this scripture that includes references of animals praising God. Even though the prophets had foretold the coming of the Messiah, the sheep on that hillside near Bethlehem were most likely the first beings to know that something very special was happening the night of Jesus’ birth. Their reaction is probably what alerted the shepherds to pay attention.

God created all animals with instincts that serve to protect them from danger including us human beings. He also blessed us with some advanced abilities to reason and analyze both very good traits. There are times though when we may miss the mysteries of God with us, if we do not ride the waves of faith that lift us to the higher ground of God’s incarnation.

This Christmas Eve, whether in corporate worship, family worship, or individual worship, let us spend some time just resting in God’s love and marveling at God’s mysterious salvation.

Prayer: Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.