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 Every year, members of Heritage Baptist share personal reflections during the Advent season. These reflections are available online and in printed form as an Advent devotional.
The Advent Season
The Advent Season has a long tradition in the history of the Christian Church, beginning somewhere near the end of the fourth century. While it was originally celebrated for a period of forty days and included fasting, by the end of the seventh century it was confined to the four-week period preceding Christmas. In the calendar of the Christian Church today, the season begins on the Sunday nearest to St. Andrew’s Day (November 30) and includes the four Sundays preceding Christmas as well as the intervening weekdays. It is the first of the six seasons of the Christian year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost).
While Advent, in the past, has been observed in many churches as a time of penitence in preparation for the joyous celebration of Christmas, the emphasis has changed recently to one of anticipation. It calls to mind the four thousand years of waiting for the coming of the Messiah on the part of the Hebrew people. In many churches today there is also emphasis upon the Second Coming of our Lord. For the Christian, Advent not only becomes a time of preparation for the celebration of the coming of Christ into the world, but also a time for the rebirth of His Spirit in our lives.
This Advent devotional book has been put together to encourage each family in our church to set aside time every day throughout the season of Advent to be reminded, by members of our own congregation, why we celebrate the birth of Jesus. You are encouraged to read from your Bible the Scripture passages for each day and reflect on the words as they relate to the Scripture for that day, but are meaningful expressions of members of Heritage recounting their memories. This is our attempt to present the message of Hope, Faith, Joy and Love found in the birth of Christ.
I want to express my deep appreciation to everyone who contributed to this devotional book. It is my belief that as we journey together through these Advent devotions we will learn more about one another and gain a deeper appreciation for the rich resources of spirituality within our congregation. May our journey be filled with the Spirit of Christ as we celebrate His birth.
Rev. Henry Green
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Sunday, November 27
Isaiah 64:1-9
1 Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! 2 As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you! 3 For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you. 4 Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. 5 You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved? 6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 7 No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and have given us over to our sins.
8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9 Do not be angry beyond measure, LORD; do not remember our sins forever. Oh, look on us, we pray, for we are all your people.
Life on the Texas frontier in the mid-1880s was difficult, especially for a young orphan boy. When his parents died, he and his siblings were handed out to others in the community. The family that chose him was a group of lazy drunkards, who forced him to do all the work around the house. One day they took him shopping in the general store, all the while cursing and beating him. A young man, Mr. Hampton, observed this and told the little boy’s abusers to stop. That they ought not treat him that way. They did stop. Then sneered and laughed. They grabbed the little boy by the collar and tossed his little, bedraggled, 5 year old body at Mr. Hampton’s feet. “You don’t like it? You take him.” Mr. Hampton looked at them, then the little boy, and said, “I believe I will.” With that, he reached down and picked up my grandfather and took him home to raise as one of his own.
As we embark on this season of Advent and Christmas, I hope we can focus on its true meaning. That while we were helpless and bedraggled, God reached down through his Son, Jesus Christ, regarded our helpless estate, and said, with outstretched arms, “I believe I will.” This is the Good News we celebrate, the Good News that we should be sharing with those around us.
-Dub Pool
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Monday, November 28
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
Each time that I have the opportunity to share a memory of Christmas past with members of Heritage, I am humbled.
To recall the times in my life that have a great deal of meaning to me. To be able to tell you about it is a very heartwarming event.
For the first 13 years of my life, I lived on a small farm in Southern Kentucky. Our farm, and that of my maternal grandfather, W.H. Barrick, were separated from each other by two acres of land which were occupied by Cedar Grove School (grades 1-8) and Cedar Grove Baptist Church.
I didn’t realize it then, but those two institutions would become the foundations through which my two lives (the human and the spiritual) would evolve.
On the human side, I was blessed with a love for reading and I was given many opportunities to exercise that love. This allowed me to read well enough, and retain the knowledge gained, to finish grades 1-7 in seven years. This meant that I would begin high school at the age of 13.
The plot of land occupied by the church became the center of my spiritual life even before I was born. My mother “carried” me to church when I first began to grow within her. That church helped me mature spiritually and loved and nurtured me even after I left the neighborhood. Needless to say, it had a great deal to do with my accepting Jesus as my Savior and assuring my Salvation. It was there, I first heard the story of baby Jesus and of that first Christmas morning. From that time on, Christmas became a symbol of joy, hope, and Salvation.
For over 80 years I have treasured the Christmas story and the people and places where I first heard it. This Christmas season share that story with your children, your neighbors and those with whom you engage in conversation. We were commanded to do that by Jesus, so this year even more than before tell the Good News.
Thad Jackson
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Tuesday, November 29
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
In this Advent season our thoughts often turn to the act of giving. I have been the fortunate recipient of many gifts throughout my life. One gift that I receive each month is to serve communion to our workers who toil behind the scenes each Sunday in extended session, counting the offering, in the nursery, maintaining the building, etc. What an exemplary group of individuals who share their talents and skills. As our passage today says, “I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” Time can be a difficult gift to share but these faithful workers give of their time each and every Sunday. These dedicated workers share their gifts of service with all of us. Your gift of time inspires hope and thanksgiving. It has been a privilege serving you communion each month for the past three years.
Joyce Harai
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Wednesday, November 30
Mark 13:24-37
As we near the holiday season, I remember the many lessons of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We all have a love for him and his Father in heaven as well as our earthly family.
Holidays were a wonderful time for me with many family members gathering throughout the month and year to come. But, I treasure most the memories of my childhood with my Mom, Dad, Grandmother and Uncle Rodger. My Dad loved Christmas time the most. He always dressed as a clown to help Santa give gifts to many children in the area. He loved to make people little and older smile as I in turn always smile when I remember him.
He would visit nursing homes and people in the hospital giving candy and holiday cheer to the sick and elderly. He was so full of life nothing was ever too much trouble to help someone that might need food, gifts for children or just a great big hug whether during the holidays or not.
We were all very fortunate to have Mom and Dad around when my children were growing up. They loved them unconditionally and showed them their love in many ways. We enjoyed going with Dad to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve to welcome the birth of Jesus. That meant the world to him to be together at that time. Now that all my loved ones have passed on I celebrate their lives everyday and look forward to the time we can all be together again some day.
Dad’s favorite quote was always, “I come this way but once because you never know when your time will come.” In the passage from Mark, God says you should be ready anytime for him to return. So we need to live life to the fullest and be ready for his return.
Love,
Vicki Robertson
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Thursday, December 1
Jeremiah 33:12-16
In 2000 we moved to Stuttgart, Germany to the United States European Command. Part of Carlton’s responsibility dealt with many African countries, and because of his job, I was able to travel with him. I will never forget my first experience in Africa. Our U.S. ambassador met us as we landed in Niger and the cars traveled into the city, not by the main road, but through the “residential” area. How grateful I am to her for immediately exposing me to what poverty really is. Niger, in west Africa, is ranked by the United Nations Human Development Index as 167 of 169 countries. We stayed in the ambassador’s home and this was my first experience (but not the last) in having to use bottled water even to brush our teeth! Torn black plastic shopping bags were along the roads and emaciated goats were feeding on the plastic. Imagine my dismay when we attended a dinner that evening hosted by the local military and they proudly brought out the main course on a tray – one of those little emaciated goats, head and all, that we had probably seen along the road a few hours earlier!
While Carlton was in meetings, I was warmly welcomed in a village where a Belgian woman was teaching the women agricultural skills. The U.S. ambassador had sent as a gift to these women a shovel. Basic and humble gift to us, but the light in the eyes of these women made me realize that now they did not have to plant by digging with their hands! We also visited a workshop in the city where village women were learning to sew with machines. The plan was for them to take this skill back to their village, but naturally, the sewing machines were the treadle type since no electricity was available in the villages.
Niger is predominately an Islamic country and we saw no Christian churches. These precious people were struggling both educationally (the literacy rate was 9% at that time) and economically but had so far to go! Where was their hope for a better life and where were Christians to help them know Jesus? This was an eye opening and depressing experience for me. However, a few months later, I met a young American woman, married to a U.S. Marine stationed in Europe, and she told me her parents had been missionaries until just recently in Niger! Here was the HOPE I was looking for. Christians were and are there helping with improvements in lives but also in sharing the gospel of Jesus.
As I read Jeremiah 33:13 “In this place, desolate and without men or animals….,” I think of Niger and other areas around our world so much in need. The Hope and more importantly the Promise is in Jeremiah 33:14” …I will fulfill the gracious promise I made…” We have this promise and should be sharing it!
Mary Ann Fulford
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Friday, December 2
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Pastor Green requested that we focus on reminiscing about Christmas memories as the basis for our Advent Devotionals. Quoting J B F Wright’s chorus to one of my favorite gospel hymns seems an appropriate introduction:
“Precious mem’ries, How they linger, How they ever flood my soul.
In the stillness of the midnight, Precious, sacred scenes unfold.”
We all have stories to share from our past lives, and often none are dearer to us than those related to the Christmas season. Remember when Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by the three ghosts of his past, present, and future in Charles Dickens classic 1843 novel A Christmas Carol? Only the Ghost of Christmas Past provided him with pleasant Christmas memories during his life.
A special memory of mine took place in the early 1970s. Our children, Elizabeth and David, were pre-school ages. God blessed Annapolis with a beautiful snowfall on December 24th. By evening the snow had ceased and provided us a “winter wonder land” and guaranteed a Currier and Ives White Christmas.
Since our home was (and still is) a twenty minute walk to Heritage Baptist Church, Barbara and I decided to walk in the snow rather than drive to our Christmas Eve Service. The children were too young to make the hike in the snow, so we chose to pull them along with us on their sleds.
We were full of excitement as we prepared for our new adventure. We dressed for warmth from head to toe. I can still see our little tykes looking like stuffed sausages in their snowsuits. Only their faces were visible. They seemed light in weight as we made our way through the snow down North Cherry Grove Avenue, across West Street, continuing on to South Cherry Grove Avenue, over the foot bridge, and the final distance to church. The children enjoyed their sled ride. Their cold cheeks were a rosy pink when we arrived at HBC. We enjoyed the welcome of the warmth of the church building and our congregation.
After the Christmas Eve Service we literally retraced our tracks back home. On our return journey we searched the moon lit night sky for signs of the Star of Bethlehem and Santa’s sleigh. Upon our arrival home the little ones were more than ready for bedtime, and Mommy and Daddy began the ritual of trimming the Christmas tree and arranging gifts under it. Again, “Precious mem’ries, how they linger. How they ever fill my soul.”
My Christmas wish is the immortal quote by Tiny Tim, at the end of A Christmas Carol: “God Bless Us, Everyone!” Jim Smith
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Saturday, December 3
1 Corinthians 13:13
HOPE
And, now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
One of Webster’s definitions of hope is something we want or expect.
We live in a violent and troublesome world today. Where would we be without hope?
Because of our faith in Christ, even when we become discouraged, we can rely on Christ’s promise to strengthen us and carry us through all situations.
In Corinthians we note that faith comes before hope and love. If we have faith in Christ, we have hope and that brings us to his caring love for us.
We hear hope being used in a variety of ways by all ages. A child hopes for a special toy for their birthday or Christmas. A student hopes he will pass his exam. An adult might hope that they get a promotion.
At Christmas we all wait for that blessed hope, the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13. This is the hope that lifts us up, strengthens our faith and helps us to express our love for one another.
Bill Darnell
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Sunday, December 4
Isaiah 40:1-11
Washington, D.C. was a great and memorable Christmas town with the President lighting the National Tree at the Peace Pageant. Once the official tree lighting was completed, everyone walked around the Peace Pageant gazing at all the other trees that represented every State from our country and then proceeded to warm themselves by the huge Yule Log that was burning near by. There was a quiet reverence that came over everyone as we passed the Nativity display with the spotlight on baby Jesus. At that time in history, you could have a Nativity display that sadly is no longer allowed.
Another Christmas event that was anxiously awaited by many Washingtonians, especially the children, was the decorated store windows of Hecht’s, Woodward and Lothrop and Lansburg. The excitement in the night air of rushing from window to window to see the “scenes of Christmas” with beautiful decorations and animated characters moving about was so exhilarating. There would be one window that when you rushed to it again a gentle hush fell over the crowd. It was the Nativity display in the window. Today, windows are hardly decorated but if they are there are definitely no Nativity scenes.
I remember our Christmas Pageants that were held at our church, Maryland Avenue Baptist, where everyone, adults and children, were involved. You were either in the Nativity play (I was a shepherd wearing my robe) or in the youth choir that wore a short choir robe with a big bow – red for girls and black for boys. The church was always packed for this event and we held it on the Sundays before Christmas.
My family decorated our tree on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day was about family, eating and presents. My grandfather would recite the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke at dinner. My grandparents had ten children so there was never a lack of relatives on Christmas Day. Gifts were not as important as church and family in those days. Christmas had a special significance to me and I will always cherish the memories. The Savior’s birth was always the focus and I take great comfort in knowing the Lord was and still is my Shepherd who is with me always.
Everett Golihew
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Monday, December 5
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Christmas: What do we celebrate?
Being Italian born brings back pleasant memories of my youth in Italy and especially at Christmas. I found that in the USA we celebrate Christmas a little differently. We should celebrate the great event that God started 2000 years ago when He purified the sins of the world through the shed blood of His beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
When I first arrived in the United States, I noticed something different from the Christmas I knew in Italy: a partial commercialism. We seem to have substituted Christmas with Santa Claus, Easter with the bunny rabbit, and Thanksgiving with turkey. I found out that the imagination of the American people and its ingenuity was second to none. The move was designed to augment the cash registers and Christmas was the right time. Merchants who complained that the economy was bad rebounded at Christmas.
Regretfully, even some churches were caught in the trap by using Christmas to raise some extra money to pay the bills.
Christmas in Italy was for real. We worshiped all day long. We exchanged gifts usually a brown bag with some oranges, chestnuts and candies. We were happy and no one complained. At 6:00 pm all Roman Catholics and non-Catholics visited all churches and at midnight gathered in the main square of the little town and raised in unison our voices singing Silent Night, Holy Night holding little candles in our hands.
Having been away from Italy since 1954, I do not know if that tradition is still honored. However, I vividly remember the main thrust of the event was “God so loved the world.”
I wish Christmas would again become a personal experience for all of us rather than a careless celebration of an event which happened 2000 years ago.
Merry Christmas!
Gioele Settembrini
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Tuesday, December 6
2 Peter 3:8-15
“Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away…never to return. So…while we have it…it’s best we love it … and care for it … and fix it when it’s broken … and heal it when it’s sick.
This is true … for marriage … and old cars … and children with bad report cards … dogs and cats with bad hips … and aging parents … and grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, and friends. We keep them because they mean something to us.” (Copied)
How do we feel about our Lord? When we first invited him into our hearts we were very excited. Little by little we let that feeling fade when we should really be telling all of our friends and family that it is Jesus who makes us feel alive. He is the Holy One. We are expected to live “holy and godly lives.”
So let’s work on our relationship with God and with his Son, Jesus. In so doing many other relationships may be mended. Our lives are like a vapor here on Earth. However, when Jesus comes to receive us to himself time will have no end. I want to meet you all in his Kingdom.
My wish for you is a meaningful Christmas
Where Jesus Christ will be honored!
Miriam Johnson
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Wednesday, December 7
Mark 1:1-8
A Amazing grace! Amazing love!
God sent His Son from Heaven above.
D Down from dark hills happy shepherds came,
Glorifying God’s most holy name.
V Voices of bright angels sang clear,
“The Savior of the world is here!”
E Echoing the angelic song,
The shepherds run in a joyful throng.
N Near to the lowly manger stall,
They kneel before the Lord of all.
T “Tell the good news to everyone.
Today we’ve seen God’s only Son!”
Advent leads us on to joy.
Come, see sweet Mary’s Boy.
Florence Harper Haney
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Thursday, December 8
Malachi 3:1-4
A Hill Country Christmas
It was Christmas of 1951, Charlie was away in the army and I was teaching 2nd grade in a tiny, backward Texas hill country town of only 500 people. The 1st grade teacher and I were working on a script based on “The Littlest Angel” for the Christmas pageant, and we were planning for every child in our classes to have a part in it. But when the school principal paid us a sudden and unexpected visit to say flatly, “I hope you aren’t putting any cedar chopper’s kids in this because their parents won’t get them a costume or even come, and besides, they are all too dumb too learn anything!” We just stared at each other and did not reply but when he walked away, we yelled in disbelief at his terrible, terrible unfairness. “No, No! Every child is going to be in this, everyone!”
Cedar Choppers were poor white laborers with no education who lived in tiny dirt floored shacks and did dangerous work clearing out cedar used for fence poles and cedar oil from the sides of the hills that surrounded the town. Everyone despised them, we knew. But we still went ahead with our plans, teaching each child the songs, helping them learn their lines. All of us were excited about this play. On Friday night before the holidays began, children and parents from the entire community swarmed very early into our gym. Not a child was missing, every parent had come, and cedar chopper parents were there too, sitting humbly far in the back, but there. They were going to see their kids perform in a school play for the first time!
It went well, the first grader we had picked for the main part was the toughest kid in elementary school, and casting him as an angel just about brought down the house. It was funny but touching too, many parents were wiping their eyes. When it was done, I stood by the piano to greet parents who came up to thank me. Over and over I heard them say, “I’m SO glad you had everyone in it. This is the first time this has happened in this town.” And I knew that they had finally realized that cedar kids could do things just as well as a rancher’s child could, if they had a chance. Angels were watching over us that night. It was a Christmas play I would never forget.
Jane Willingham
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Friday, December 9
Philippians 1:3-11
The setting for these verses is: The Apostle Paul is in prison in Rome when he writes this letter to the pastors, deacons and all the Christians in the city of Philippi. Epaphroditus has brought Paul a monetary gift from the Philippian church. As Epaphroditus was about to go back to Philippi, Paul took the opportunity to send his warm expression of gratitude, along with his fervent admonition to steadfastness and humility.
Paul expresses his thanks to the brethren for their faithfulness to the Lord and to him. His prayers from them were always of joyful supplication to God to bless them as from the beginning of the Philippian church, its members had been moved with sympathetic cooperation in the furtherance of the gospel: working together, with one another, or with Paul and others. Although Paul and his companions were the physical instruments for the initial work (making known the Good News about Christ) that was started in Philippi, he reminds them that it was God who, through the gospel, actually started the work. And furthermore, that what God starts, he will finish.
He tells them that they have a special place in his heart. Paul expresses his love for them and how he longs for them all with the affection of Jesus and is willing to suffer for them, just as Christ loved us all and was willing to suffer for us. He prays that their love for God and His word will cause them to grow in knowledge and understanding such that they may approve the things that are excellent; hence, to not only be able to discern between good and bad, but to also be able to distinguish the best from among the just plain good. He admonishes them to be sincere, increasing their knowledge of God’s will; and hence, minimizing any occasion of causing others to stumble in their Christian walk.
These verses are concluded with Paul praying that the Philippians be found always doing those good and kind things which show that they are the children of God.
During this Advent season and throughout the coming year may we all outwardly and visibly exhibit “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which will bring praise and glory to the Lord,” thus conforming to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That fruit includes (from Galatians 5:22) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Pete and Faye Mager
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Saturday, December 10
Luke 3:1-6
I am sitting in the center court of a mall one day watching people as they go about their errands and shopping. As I watched them interact and pass without interacting it occurred to me that this was not a place that you would have found John the Baptist. According to Luke we find him in the desert. When God came to him, in the desert, he then “went into the whole country round about the Jordan” which is illustrated in the background picture. He didn’t go into Jeruslem. The people heard about John and came to the desert to hear what he had to say. The religious authorities sent their emasaries to hear and question John at the Jordan. He was not a “city boy.” He was a “country boy” in the most meaningful sense of the words. He upset people and he preached a singular message – repent and be baptised as proof of your changed life.
I thought about Jesus. I would find him here in the mall where I am sitting. He would be with the people. He would not make them seek him out but he would seek them out. He would talk to them and share life with them. Their station in life did not matter to him. In fact the religious of Jesus’ day considered him an outcast because he talked and ate and traveled with sinners and tax collectors and other people of no importance – people like you and I. To Jesus everyone was important. Everyone was worth his time and his effort and his concern and his care and his love and the love of his Father. Jesus was prepared to go into the world and minister to all of his brother’s and sister’s needs. Jesus was prepared to sit at a table with you and I. Jesus was prepared to help us when we were in need of help. Jesus was prepared to rejoice with us when it was time to rejoice and be happy. Jesus was prepared to live life to its fullest in all aspects with those he encountered.
You and I should emulate Jesus as we live each moment of our days.
Jim Gottlwald
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Sunday, December 11
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
When I was growing up in Oklahoma my family was always active in church. My mother sang in the choir, and my father had a series of responsibilities—deacon, Sunday School teacher, financial secretary, greeter, to name a few.
When I was very young my father was the treasurer of the church. That meant, among other things, that he was in charge of counting the money that had been given at the Sunday morning worship service. I remember getting to help him gather the change into rolls of coins at the kitchen table.
During those early years our family Christmas tradition involved opening presents on Christmas morning. No matter how early I woke up on Christmas, I found that Santa had already been at our house, bringing presents for me. Obviously, I looked forward to this every year.
One Christmas, however, when I was four, Christmas fell on a Sunday (as it does this year). When I got up that morning, expecting to find presents, I was surprised to find that there were no presents under the tree. My mother explained that, since it was Sunday, Santa would not be here until after church. That actually made sense to me, so I figured I’d just have to wait a little longer. Sure enough, as we arrived home from church that morning, I found that Santa had already arrived, leaving me presents as usual. And life carried on.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God. (Isaiah 61:10a)
-- Ralph Manuel
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Monday, December 12
Psalm 126
Remember Christmas Eve—cold, dark, lonely? Lonely as one walks seven to eight blocks to catch a trolley in the late forties and early fifties. Riding on the trolley towards mid-town, one is excited about the wonders of Christmas: lights, music, gifts, and the main attraction—the Christ Child. What does a ten to fifteen year old think of these wonders? Why is Christ coming every year at this time? What is the meaning of it all? Why is so much attention given to someone’s birth? Is the Babe in the manger for real or is He just a public relations ploy?
After the celebration at church, everything seems second place at Christmas for the Christ Child is reborn in one’s heart and soul with the wonderment of joy, peace, and above all love. Christ’s goodness and innocence transcends everything else because he promises salvation, life, joy, happiness, peace, and a solution to our doubts and fears. He is the reason for our existence. In Him, everything is second place for Jesus is our Savior, Enlightenment, and Producer of good ideals and works in us.
Is Christ yours or is He just a PR ploy? Does He touch the depth of your heart and soul?
Tom Antonielli
Christmas, 2012
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Tuesday, December 13
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
As we prepare for the celebration of our Savior’s birth, there are verses in the Bible that do not focus on His birth, but yet by reading them and contemplating them we can see a personal connection to the total plan of God from the creation to the crucifixion to the celebration of becoming one of God’s children through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What is God’s will for me? To give thanks in ALL circumstances! Be joyful ALWAYS! Pray CONTINUALLY! Avoid EVERY kind of evil! It goes on and on through out the Chapter.
Well there are/were times in my life that it has been easy to be joyful and thankful. I’ve had times in my life where I prayed A LOT. It’s interesting that when I look back on my life I prayed more frequently and more fervently when I was facing the most difficult times in my life. When life was good I didn’t pray as much. Ahh, if only I would have avoided the evil I sought out in my life.
Now the personal connection to my Savior’s birth.
Read verses # 23 and 24. May God Himself, the God of peace, SANCTIFY you THROUGH and THROUGH. May your whole SPIRIT, SOUL, and BODY be kept BLAMELESS at the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Faithful is HE that calleth you (that would be ME) who WILL also DO It!
WOW! It is God’s will that yes I do all those things mentioned. And, I will attempt to run a good race. But if I fall at times and stumble along the way, it is GOD through, His Son Jesus, whose birth we’re celebrating that allows us to be “KEPT BLAMELESS” at the coming of Lord Jesus Christ.
I’m never more energized as a child of Christ than this time of year when we celebrate truly the greatest story EVER told. Celebrate with me the awesome truths told in First Thessalonians 5:16-24.
Don Briggs
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Wednesday, December 14
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Most families have Christmas traditions. The most-remembered one of my family is wondering at what point during the Christmas Eve service my father would start to misbehave.
Dad had a strong mischievous streak, and the more formal the event, the more likely it was to come out. The church where I grew up isn’t very fancy – like many churches, the height of formality came at the Christmas Eve candlelight service, during “Silent Night.” After communion, everyone was given a candle (side note: one year they forgot those circular cardboard things that go around the candle to prevent dripping wax, meaning the solemn hymn was punctuated by a whispered “OUCH” from time to time. That wasn’t Dad’s fault. I don’t think.) During the singing, the sanctuary lights were turned off, and candlelight was passed from hand to hand. By the time we reached the verse about “radiant beams from Thy holy face,” the faces of everyone surrounding you were softly glowing.
One year – the year, is how we think of it – Dad felt the flame-passing was going a little too slowly. Rather than have the congregation juggle hymnals AND fire, the lyrics to “Silent Night” were usually printed in the bulletin. Our family was in an especially dark corner for some reason, and so after the first verse, most of us were lost, since we couldn’t see the words. Dad, ever the problem-solver, reached into his pocket, whipped out his cigarette light, and flicked out a flame.
My sisters and I have always been susceptible to the giggles. They started when dad lit his lighter; when he made like he was going to hold it over his head like he was at a rock concert, there was no turning back. There was also no escaping the fact that Mom was not happy.
Dad died in 2009; after nearly a decade of giggling through “Silent Night,” no matter where I was, I suddenly couldn’t get the words out for my tears. But I refuse to feel bad about it. I have always (especially after having my own son) been attracted to the human side of Christmas: The same Power that hung each star in the sky chose – for me, for me-to become a baby helpless, entirely dependent on a teenage mother and her carpenter husband. He grew and He cried and He probably threw temper tantrums and had to be potty trained – and I’m sure that He would have giggled, too, had Joseph acted up during a service. I know Mom was not pleased that her entire family was collapsing in mirth that Christmas night: I think God was OK with it. After all, He knew that now, when we miss Dad so much, we’d need this memory to make us smile.
Kristen-Page Kirby
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Thursday, December 15
Isaiah 12:2-6
Christmas in my family was always an event. It was viewed as an opportunity for my immediate and extended family to gather, socialize and eat a lot. To understand them (and me to any degree) you had to first realize that we were much closer than most. I don’t mean that in an ethnic way (we’re Irish to a diluted degree) since we were not really defined by our heritage. In fact, being middle class and growing up in Central Texas during the 60’s was fairly normal. That is as long as you consider two brothers from one family marrying two sisters from another normal.
It’s probably not as remote as it first sounds, but from the start we all knew our family was different. My Uncle Pete was the ringleader and all-around instigator of mirth in our clan. He was the guy you could count on to start a carol sing-a-long prior to presents being opened wearing a goofy hat that was many times not his own. His real name was Travis and to this day I can’t tell you why everyone (me included) called him Pete, but that was beside the point. He was probably without question one of the funniest people I ever met.
Yet as funny as he was, his faith in God was unshakable. He was in many ways a role model for me when my own father was not there. Dad was never an absent parent, but he had a job that kept him away from the family more than normal. When that happened, I could always count on Uncle Pete to come by the house, pick me up in his Pontiac convertible and take me out with the other kids, making up words to a song he had just pulled out of his head. Christmas was always better with Uncle Pete around. And never dull. That’s why when he passed away of a sudden heart attack at the age of 48, everyone in the family was shocked. It was a Christmas that was pretty sobering. No more impromptu carol sing-alongs. No more goofy hats and silly jokes. He left behind a group of folks coming to the realization that the life of the party (or in this case family) had left the building.
While my family has had many Christmas celebrations since his passing, none hold a candle to those days when he was inciting a rebellion over by the dessert table or making faces and hilarious gestures right before a picture was taken. From these memories I was able to draw several life lessons that I carry to this day. First, you should never take yourself too seriously at family gatherings. You never know when you might see these folks again and that alone could be a tragedy. Second, play with the kids that are there. Uncle Pete never treated us differently or looked down upon us because we were kids. Sure, it may have been an excuse to act up, but I prefer to believe it was just Uncle Pete being himself. It created lasting memories that I can only hope to instill in the kids in my own immediate and extended families. The last thing I took away was his faith. With the type of person he was, I have no doubt that I will see him again some day. God just may not let him wear a hat that is not his own.
John Kirby
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Friday, December 16
Philippians 4:4-9
As I think about the scripture for today from Paul, I cannot help but reflect on the true joy that children express without inhibition. Last week a boy in Kindergarten leapt across the room as we concluded our general music class and said breathlessly “You are the best music teacher I ever had!”. I asked him if he ever had another music teacher. He replied “Yes…..in Pre-K. She was the best, too!” Paul gives us a lesson about how we should live our lives. I see worrying as the antithesis of rejoicing. When you worry you allow your mind to dwell on uneasiness or troubles and rejoicing means you cast aside your anxiety and are filled up with joy.
I think that Henry Van Dyke says it best through the melody of Beethoven (who was born on this day, December 16) in his poem “Joyful, joyful we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love………..drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.”
I pray that during this advent season of 2011 that the Lord will truly bless my friends, my family, and those who call Him blessed, with the peace of Christ.
4 pRejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. qThe Lord is at hand; 6 rdo not be anxious about anything, sbut in everything by prayer and supplication twith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And uthe peace of God, vwhich surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and wreceived and heard and seen xin me—practice these things, and ythe God of peace will be with you.
Irene Green
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Saturday, December 17
Luke 3:7-18
As I approach the Christmas season once again my thoughts go to the lowly stable where Jesus was born. As a young girl, each year I took my
4-H cow that I had raised from a calf to the county fair to win prizes. It was always in late September in up-state New York so the weather was freezing at night. Instead of sleeping on the cold ground each night I would go into the barn and sleep on the straw beside my cow. It was warm and soft, but it was also smelly and dirty. As I think about the birth of Jesus and a young mother giving birth in such a place I have to ask myself why?
In our passage today we are reminded that God is able to raise up children from stones, so he could have Jesus to be born in a palace. However, as I look at my life and my many sins I realize I could never have gone to a King born in a palace to ask forgiveness. God is able to do all things and I must remember that I am just an instrument in His Hands.
Our passage today also reminds us that all our good works will not get us into Heaven. We have to come to Jesus in true repentance and confess our sins. Then we will be able to do something for Jesus that will be acceptable. The passage reminds us that if we don’t bear fruit acceptable to Jesus, we will be cut down just as the deadwood in this passage was destroyed.
I am thankful that Mary endured a smelly stable and Jesus laid on a soft bed of straw rather than a featherbed in a palace. I am thankful that Jesus has forgiven me and I have been allowed to use my gifts to serve him.
Isabelle Fenner
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Sunday, December 18
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
The past year and a half I have had a lot of trouble giving my problems and worries to God. I try to take things in to my own hands and make sure that there is a complete plan before I do anything. By doing this I put a lot of stress on myself and was not trusting in God very much to take care of things.
Well this year when I went to Brazil I got to hang out with other young people my age from the church we were working with. While spending time with them I saw how much they always seemed to talk about faith and how good it is to trust your life to God’s hands. I thought about their actions and things they said and realized that I need to improve my faith in God tremendously. When I came back I quit my job that I was not happy at, without another job in sight. I prayed about the decision a lot and asked God to give me a job. In about two weeks I started the process of being hired where I work now and I truly love it! I could not be happier. I have also put enough faith in Him to give my entire decision to go to seminary in Texas to Him. I am trying to have faith in that He will take care of all the details because I do feel that He has called me there.
Faith is a hard thing to learn and it is not easy to completely put faith in God and allow Him to run and take care of your life. It is something that I am learning takes a lot of prayer and thought, but when you do give all of your worries and problems to God, it feels like the weight of the world is taken off your shoulders and you feel free. God is so good and through Him anything can happen.
Melissa Manuel
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Monday, December 19
Luke 1:47-55
I was asked to include a Christmas memory or tradition in this devotional. There are, indeed, so many wonderful things about the Christmas season: singing songs, visiting family, participating in events around the community, and eating as much food as possible, just to name a few. However, as I grow older, I am gradually starting to notice and experience the seemingly insurmountable stress and near terror that comes along with the season of Christmas. We go shopping for the best deals on that terrifying day called Black Friday, cutting people off to get the best parking spot, and not worrying about others as we run wild in the mall. We worry about cleaning and decorating the house, or wrapping presents, or making sure we visit each and every family member. We even worry about more “Christian things,” like preparing for church, or participating in the thousands of food and clothes drives that are happening in places from the church to the local convenience store.
All of these things are good, but we make them as of the utmost importance. As cliché as it may be, they are not the “reason for the season,” even though society shows us to treat these things with unremitting significance. Our society, however, is markedly secular, and as believers, followers, and children of God the Almighty, we ought not to let this mindset overwhelm our worship of Him, not only throughout the Christmas season, but throughout our entire lives. Ponder the omnipotence and omniscience of God, displayed in today’s passage. Mary starts her song out by rejoicing in Him, thanking Him for being “mindful” and merciful. She then recounts the marvelous actions that God has accomplished and will continue to do. Throughout the entire Bible, transcending the division of the Old and New Testaments, God “lifted up the humble” and remembered “to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” The Christmas season is marked by these concepts of promise and prophesy, when God the Father, through Christ, fulfilled the entire Old Testament. Accordingly, we should replace our times of outright stress and panic with praising God for his power and mercy throughout the history of the world, just like His blessed Mary, “[f]or since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen” (Romans 1:20).
In Him,
Adam Cogliano
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Tuesday, December 20
Romans 16:25-27
“All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter. All our praise is focused through Jesus on this comparably wise God! Yes!” The Message
I praise God for all of the great things he has given us and thank him for the bad. Without the bad we wouldn’t have the great. The bad represents the hardships in our lives and problems we face. If we put our faith in God he will help us through them. So we praise Him for everything, His word and the good things he has given us.
Rebecca Clingenpeel
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Wednesday, December 21
Luke 1:26-28
“In the sixth month, God sent an angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you are highly favored! The Lord is with you!”
This led into the birth of Jesus Christ and to what we call today, Christmas. God sent an angel to tell Mary that she would have a baby and his name would be Jesus and he would be the Son of God. At Christmas time everybody is going and buying gifts for family and friends just like the three wisemen came and gave baby Jesus gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. That is how we got the tradition of giving gifts to people during Christmas time. As we all know if it was not for Jesus we would not be celebrating Christmas.
Ann Henry
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Thursday, December 22
Micah 5:1-5a
Christmas at the Green’s
Christmas at my home is truly something special for everyone in our family each year. There is a certain feeling you get that is family in a loving environment, any conflict that may have existed seems to disappear completely. I have very little time with my sister, Natalie, who spends most of her year at Radford University. Even though my brother, Matthew, lives at home, I do not have as much time with him as I would like. For over three years, my Aunt Deborah has spent most of the year out of the country. My parents seem to be working all the time. Christmas is the one time we all have to truly enjoy one another’s company without a crazy schedule hanging over our heads.
I believe, when Christmas comes around, no matter what might be going on in your life, even if you are stressed and your family schedule is completely crazy, try and relax for a few days, sit back and enjoy the time you have with your family. This is how we gain memories which last forever with family, memories you want to cherish forever.
Yes, we all know that gifts each year at Christmas are nice, but what I truly enjoy is the time I spend with my family. This makes Christmas for me.
Jesus was born into a loving family and his family only wanted the best for him. This Christmas, show each other the kind of love that Jesus was shown by his family. Make that love last throughout the year!
Merry Christmas!
Patrick Green
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Friday, December 23
Hebrews 5:5-10
ADVENT
“The Coming” He has been promised
The Old Testament predicted that the day would come. Every Jewish family looked forward in hope that they would see the fulfillment of this day. It was called “the day of the Lord.” Israel thought that one day Israel would be restored to the prominence of King Solomon or King David. Perhaps the center of the universe.
Israel wanted a king but when Jesus came he came as “Savior.” He taught, he preached, he fed the multitudes, cleansed the lepers and even raised the dead.
However, God sent a Savior. Jesus was tempted to follow Satan’s suggestion to use his power to meet human need: bread. He came as the bread of heaven.
Hebrews Chapter five reveals once for all. He came as the perfect high priest offered the perfect sacrifice, Himself. He took upon himself our sins, died a cruel death on a Roman cross, placed in a borrowed tomb, on the third day He arose: proved himself alive by many appearances ascended, with the promise he would “advent.” He is coming again – count on it.
Charles Barnes
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Christmas Eve, December 24, 2011
Read Luke 1:39-55
In the short span of one week in early November, I had the opportunity to spend time with all of my children in some very significant ways. I heard Natalie perform in an opera presentation at Radford University. She was, as always, beautiful in every way. I am so proud of her and the wonderful accomplishments she has achieved through her musical talent. She has worked hard and I get emotional just thinking about her gifted way of presenting herself and her art. She is a mature young lady with a very bright future! Just a few days after being with Natalie, I spent 72 hours with Matthew and
Patrick in LA (not “Lower Alabama” which is the panhandle of FL), CA. We had dinner at the Stinking Rose (a garlic lover’s delight), saw a movie at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater, drove down the Sunset Strip, attended the USC v. Washington football game at the Coliseum the day after Veteran's Day (my Dad, who was a Vet of WW II, attended a game in the Coliseum 71 years earlier), saw the La Bara Tar Pit (the earth truly is over 5 billion years old!), visited the J. Paul Getty Museum (a must see), walked around the campus of UCLA and Westwood Village, walked down the Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier, visited Venice Beach, and then boarded the plane for home. What a week! Matthew is an artist in his own right and the Getty was a clear inspiration to him and a motivation as he completes his studies. As is our oldest, he is a personal inspiration and makes me very proud. Spending this time with him offered insight into the depth of his maturity and helped me to understand the importance of the significant contribution he will make as a man in this world. Patrick had never been to the west coast and I loved seeing the new experiences through his eyes. He offered observations along the way that made me aware of his unique take on the world. He thoroughly enjoyed the football game and the Coliseum, but what made me take note was how impressed he was with the Getty!
You may ask, what does this have to do with Christmas? How do these experiences offer insight into the great theological meaning of the Incarnation and the message of the birth of the Christ Child? How does all of this relate to Mary's visit to her relative Elizabeth's home prior to the birth of Christ? I'm not completely sure, but if our faith has any value at all it must be deeply connected to the people we love and that begins with family. As a father, my responsibility to my children is paramount to everything I do.
Mary found comfort in the context of a caring family through her great time of crisis and discovered great joy. Many families are struggling this Christmas. In times of crisis we can discover great joy by embracing the ones we love and surrounding ourselves with family and friends who affirm and encourage us with faith, hope, and love. This Christmas, gather the ones you love and find God's joy in the true offering of Christmas represented in the birth of a child, The Christ Child!
Rev. Henry Green
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Sunday, December 25
Luke 2:1-20
The Birth of Jesus
About the time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.
An Event for Everyone
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.”
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!
The Message
The Bible in Contemporary Language
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