Posts from December 2020

Posts from December 2020

Daily Devotions

Ephesians 1:3-10 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.” vss. 3-4 The writer of Ephesians knew that the story of the Christ did not begin with Jesus, but in the very origins of the universe. And that’s where our story…

Daily Devotions

Psalm 147:12-20 “He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down hail like crumbs— who can stand before his cold?” vss. 15-17 In Genesis we learn that all things came into existence by the word of God–”and God spoke, and it was good.” The psalmist picks up that theme and describes the word as the agent of creation–even the snows and frosts of winter…

Daily Devotions

Jeremiah 31:10-14 “Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.” vs. 13 The picture of hope that Jeremiah painted for the people of Israel included return to the land and an amazing celebration. Their mourning would be turned into joy, and their sorrow transformed into gladness. There would be dancing and merriment…

Daily Devotions

Jeremiah 31:7-14 “For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’” vs. 7 Jeremiah is typically thought of as a prophet of doom, one who continually warns Judah and Jerusalem of the catastrophic consequences of their current behaviors. But in this portion of his sayings he has nothing but salvation on his mind. He believes…

Daily Devotions

Luke 2:22-40 “There was also a prophet, Anna–of a great age… She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer…At that moment she came, and began to speak about the child.” vss. 36-38 When Mary and Jesus brought the baby Jesus to the temple for the rites of purification they were accosted by two elderly prophets, Simeon and Anna, both of whom were temple regulars. Now it’s not unusual for old people to hang around places of…

Daily Devotions

Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.” vss. 4-5 We don’t know whether Paul was familiar with the infancy stories included by Matthew and Luke in their gospels–but he regularly emphasizes the humanity of Jesus in his epistles. Jesus was born of a woman and was a…

Daily Devotions

John 1:1-14 “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” vs. 14 There is a sense in which the word “Christmas” is misleading. For example, the word itself could give the impression that Christ was born on Christmas, and that just isn’t the case. John tells us clearly that the Christ brought all things into existence and has been around…

Daily Devotions

Luke 2:1-14 “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” vs 7 Luke’s precious story detailing the birth of Jesus is at its core a tale of hope. When we look at our family stories it’s amazing how regularly the accounts of death are accompanied by the report of a birth. A beloved grandmother dies and a…

Daily Devotions

Romans 13:11-14 “Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.” vss. 11-12a It’s hard to believe, but Advent is almost over. Christmas is on the horizon, though it’s shape may be much different than in prior years. It’s interesting how quickly the days of December have passed–even…

Daily Devotions

Psalm 96 “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy…” vss. 11-12 Humans have wandered this earth for only a brief portion of its history and yet we presume to think of ourselves as the center of creation. We’ve developed religions, invented gods, and written a history that glorifies our…

Daily Devotions

Luke 1:46b-55 “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.” vss. 52-53 Mary’s song, the Magnificat, has long been a favorite for Christians, particularly at this time of year. When the vocalist is skilled, the tune lifts our hearts, and we’re entranced by its beauty. What we miss though is that the song is about revolution, the total transformation of…

Daily Devotions

Luke 1:34-38 “Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then angel departed from her.” vs. 38 Mary’s act of trust has been a model for believers since the beginning, and is one of the reasons that millions of followers hold her in such esteem. “Let it be with me according to your word,” she responded and she became the mother of Jesus the Christ, a child whose…