Advent, Week 2: Monday

Isaiah 11:1-5 (NRSV):

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

We who are the body of Christ can take a profound lesson from this prophecy of his coming. How should we reflect the likeness of the Branch of Jesse? What spirit rests on us? How do we judge? How do we treat the poor and the meek? Are we clothed in righteousness? Is it by what we do with the might of our arms, or rather the justice of our Spirit-inspired words, that the wicked are rendered no longer wicked?

Such a comparison makes me hang my head in shame. I have so much growing up still to do, and such a shortage of time in which to do it! But if I am faithful, if I permit God full control, I will progress in this "going on to perfection" that is sanctification.

Today, Lord Jesus, just for today: I choose to be more like you. May your Holy Spirit rest on me and may I then reflect you in all that I say and do.

Second Sunday in Advent

For this week's full texts, visit the Vanderbilt Divinity Library's Lectionary page for this Sunday's readings here.

Old Testament: Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Epistle: Romans 15:4-13
Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12


O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Text: 12th C. Latin, tr. by John M. Neale, 1851

Tune: VENI EMMANUEL, arr. Thomas Helmore, 1856
For more information and/or to listen to the tune, visit the Cyberhymnal.


O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.
Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.
Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Refrain

Advent, Week 1: Saturday

Matthew 24:36-44 (NRSV):

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.

This is one of the passages of Scripture that has given rise to some pretty awful concepts, such as cars suddenly having their drivers be "raptured." I find it amusing that so many Christians expend so much effort on "decoding" the apocalyptic portions of the Bible (especially the Revelation) and claiming to know for certain that we are in the "last days," while here Jesus makes it crystal clear that we do not know the hour or the day when Jesus will return.

My pastor occasionally makes reference to a bumper sticker she saw some years back: "Jesus is coming: Look busy!". It makes me laugh, but there's an ugly truth about it concerning how the church behaves. We are far more willing to engage in "busy work" than to be consistently, faithfully busy doing the actual work the Lord has given us. Some of us are extremely proud to picket abortion clinics, for example; why, Jesus would be so proud of our opposition to abortion! But just what are we doing besides a cheap protest that mainly just irritates people? Not much, at least not much that matters in the lives of women who seek abortions. We refuse to even consider educating our children and youth about human sexuality; we condemn and shun young women who become pregnant outside marriage; we piously condemn the government for doing for single mothers what the church refuses to do: provide them with some financial and housing assistance so that they and their children don't end up homeless and starving to death. Even more telling is our self-insulation from "that kind" of person: someone who's never known a stable family, perhaps infected with a sexually-transmitted disease, who has no stable job and who is now bewildered when faced with the consequences of settling for a sexual relationship while actually seeking love. Have we given her, or her partner, any love as the church? Sadly, no. We make fun of how they dress (droopy pants or pants that don't quite cover midriff and upper hips), we express our distaste for their music, we despise everything they stand for and make no secret of the fact. But hey . . . we get in their faces when out of desperation the pregnant women seek an abortion. (Actually, we get in the faces of any women who go to the clinics, because we don't know if they're there for abortions or for something else, such as contraception, HIV testing, or low-cost Pap tests. We just assume the worst and who cares if we're wrong?)

And that's just one example of how we're doing busywork instead of Kingdom work. Busywork means we never get our hands dirty. Busywork keeps us smug and self-righteous. Busywork is safe.

Kingdom work, however, involves risk. We actually have to get involved in people's lives and meet them where they are. It's messy, it's inconvenient, it's heart-breaking. But it's also the most glorious self-expenditure there is. Really, nothing else has any eternal value.

God makes it clear that our outward piety means nothing if we do not humble ourselves and walk in our Savior's footsteps. Christ loved us so much that he emptied himself, took on human flesh, was born into poverty, all so that he could become sin for our sakes on the cross. He was absolutely, vitally involved in our lives. How dare we settle for outward, meaningless forms of self-congratulatory piety when we're called to be the body of Christ, alive in the world, touching and healing and loving and teaching those Christ died to save?

That is what it means, in my opinion, to be ready for Christ. And isn't it interesting that when we do these things, we see the face of the Savior in those we serve?

Advent, Week 1: Friday

Romans 13:11-14 (NRSV)
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. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I love the word "now" in this passage! That is so NOT how I tend to wake up! Wake, be ready, clothe and equip myself, and live a life that (literally) becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ (as it is phrased in my denomination's traditional baptismal vows).

This Christian life is not for the faint of heart. Or, if I am faint of heart, I have a Savior who has promised to be the strength in my weakness. Now. Not tomorrow, not in an hour, but NOW, I WILL be a disciple of Jesus Christ, proclaiming and eagerly anticipating his coming.

Advent, Week 1: Thursday (late)

Psalm 122:6-9 (NRSV)

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."

Peace...peace within. Within the city of God. Peace, which the Lord gives but the world cannot even understand.

Advent celebrates the promised coming of the One who is called Prince of Peace. Lord Jesus, whose reign is peace, rule in my heart, my home, my church, my city, my world.

Advent, Week 1: Wednesday

Psalm 122 (NRSV):

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem built as a city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.

Psalm 122:1 is one of the first verses of Scripture that I learned as a child. Of course, as a little child I believed it meant that I should be glad to go to church, which makes sense because I always was glad to go to church. Church was one of the places where I knew I was loved and cared about, where I knew I belonged.

I've learned a lot more about the celebratory Psalms since my childhood. Now I marvel at how these dear, familiar words were almost certainly sung by pilgrims making their way up to Jerusalem for the festivals. I'm also reminded, in verse 5, that Jerusalem was a new city in the time of David, in some senses a neutral one, designed specifically to be the capital, where all twelve tribes remembered their commonality and renewed their unity.

The coming of Christ as Messiah was not to the throne city, which was already reduced to being capital of a divided mishmash of a conquered, occupied nation. Instead, the Son of David came to reign among the poor, as one of them. From his borrowed makeshift feed trough of a crib to his borrowed grave, the King of kings' earthly life was marked by embraced poverty. What few possessions Jesus owned, he held very lightly. Even his clothes were taken from him and divided by his executioners. Jesus came in such a way that we could -- indeed, we must -- accept him as he is, not for what he has. He permitted nothing to come between him and people, and though he no longer walks this earth in his human body, there is still nothing in the way of approaching him.

As Michael Card put it in his song,"Jubilee," we can "look into our Judge's face and see a Savior there." Jesus is our Jerusalem, he is our Jubilee, he is our Salvation! I am glad whenever I hear, "Let us go to Jesus."

Advent, Week 1: Tuesday

Isaiah 2:2-3 (NRSV):

"He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!"

Again today, I find myself wondering how this text might read had Isaiah written it to a 21st century audience.

"God shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples: they shall melt down their missiles into farm machinery, and transform their weapons of mass destruction into disease-ending vaccines; nation shall not invade nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

Not nearly so poetic, nor I suspect would it be very religiously popular. "But Lord! We NEED war. That's the only language these international bullies understand. We have to protect our strategic neighbors, or they'll import more terrorists and we'll have to defend our own shores."

Yes, Lord, we do need to walk in your light. This exportation of war is not your will; the soil on which we send our youngsters to fight is called home by brothers and sisters you died to save. I love my country, Lord, and my heart breaks that we settled so hastily for years and trillions of dollars of war instead of daring to humbly submit to your arbitration. Help my dear people seek your way of peace.

Advent, Week 1: Monday

Isaiah 2:2-3 (NRSV)

"In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

I've been thinking today about what "Zion" and "the mountain of the Lord's house" means to us Christians in the West, at the close of 2007. It's not my intention to get into all the possible details of the historical context of Isaiah's message concerning Judah and Jerusalem, but simply to outline a few thoughts about how that message intersects with where and how we live now as Christians.

First of all, if we consider the actual city of Jerusalem, it 's interesting that nations do stream to Jerusalem. Peoples of three different world-wide faiths claim Jerusalem as a (or the) capital of their historic faith. Unfortunately, this has resulted in fierce contention for occupation of it. This is sadly ironic, considering the prophecy of verse 4 which follows. Some people come to the earthly, physical Jerusalem today to pray, some to see the sights, and some to learn. Some come, and even stay, to foment further discord among the very uneasy truce that often holds there. But when we think of Jerusalem, we don't see it as the supreme center of learning from the Lord that Isaiah prophesied it would be. It's simply an interesting, old, important, but mainly violent place that most people never visit.

So I began to wonder, what are the "jerusalems" of the world?

• For "what happens there, stays there" naughtiness, we have Las Vegas.
  
• For fashion and style, we have Paris and Milan.
  
• For celebrity and conspicuous consumption, we have Los Angeles.
  
• For the hub of world commerce and finance, we have New York and Tokyo.
  
• For history and tradition (with a fair bit of funkiness in the mix), we have London.
  
• For more history and tradition, especially religious-style, we have Rome.
  

There are many, many more "centers" and I'm certain my list could be improved. What I could not really come up with, however, was a modern-day equivalent of Isaiah's visionary city of God's own instruction. We have no one place where all the world knows they can go to learn from God.

What this tells me is that we have to settle for smaller, more intimate "centers" of godly learning. We grafted branches -- Christians -- have received precious instruction from God. According to Jesus the Christ, we are to "teach [all nations] to obey all that [Christ has] commanded [us]." When we've been taught, we're expected to teach others. (As with anything, learning that is hoarded and kept to oneself quickly becomes ingrown and does no one else any good.)

I believe that our churches, our communities of worship, learning, and service, are supposed to be "little jerusalems" to the world. We should be living, 24-7 examples of the teaching of God, reflecting the richness of God's wisdom and practicing the grace by which we have been saved.

As Advent begins, I hope to be that kind of beacon toward God for those who are dying for what only God can provide. I pray that I may be a channel through which God can work to draw others to the divine heart. The first candle is lit. I pray that I, too, may shine brightly for Christ.

First Sunday in Advent

My format for this Advent season will be to list the readings for each Sunday, along with a hymn for the day, then refer to the previous Sunday's readings with meditations throughout the week. This was a blessing to me last year and I trust it will be again. If you find blessing from it, my joy will increase.

For the full texts, visit the Vanderbilt Divinity Library's Lectionary page for this Sunday's readings here.

Old Testament: Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm: Psalm 122:1-9
Epistle: Romans 13:11-14
New Testament: Matthew 24:36-44


Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying
Text: Philipp Nicolai, 1599; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1858
Commonly sung to WACHET AUF, Nicolai, 1599; harm. by J. S. Bach, 1731.

For more information and/or to listen to the tune, visit the Cyberhymnal.

Wake, awake, for night is flying;
The watchmen on the heights are crying:
Awake, Jerusalem, at last!
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices;
Come forth, ye virgins, night is past;
The Bridegroom comes, awake;
Your lamps with gladness take;
Alleluia! And for His marriage feast prepare
For ye must go and meet Him there.

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing;
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious.
Her Star is risen, her Light is come.
Ah come, Thou blessèd One, God’s own belovèd Son:
Alleluia! We follow till the halls we see
Where Thou hast bid us sup with Thee.

Now let all the heavens adore Thee,
And saints and angels sing before Thee,
With harp and cymbal’s clearest tone;
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where we are with the choir immortal
Of angels round Thy dazzling throne;
Nor eye hath seen, nor ear hath yet attained to hear
What there is ours, but we rejoice and sing to Thee
Our hymn of joy eternally.

Advent, Week 4: Christmas Eve (late)

Well, typically for me, the final post for Advent is late! Chalk it up to a marathon workday for church on the day itself, and a recuperative day yesterday.


In the midst of a strenuous Christmas Eve morning and evening, I had an interesting mid-day. My pastor and I have some parallels in our life, though she is a widow about ten years older than I am, with several grown children and grandchildren, and I am single with no children. Because my year has been an uncertain one, with various periods of unemployment and underemployment on the day job front, I was creative with gifts of time in addition to very modest purchased gifts throughout the year. One gift that had not been "redeemed" until yesterday was one to my pastor, a gift of labor at church or parsonage, from her birthday earlier in the year. I reminded her of this when she mentioned she wouldn't have time to go somewhere for lunch after worship, since she was expecting her son in for Christmas at some point later in the day and wanted to do some last-minute cleaning. It was good to be allowed to help in this; we both agreed that the work was easier and went faster when shared.

When I finished my part at the parsonage, I went back over to the church kitchen, where I had a crockpot of soup cooking. I set up for our simple supper, which was waiting for us after our 6:00 service. For over an hour, we nibbled on soup and biscuits and relaxed, sans shoes, reflecting on the blessings of the day and what was yet to come at the 11:00 worship service.

This might not seem like much for those with busy families, but it is a very rare experience for me. Many years single, I haven't often shared meals with anyone except two cats. (Forgive me, girls, but I sometimes long for human conversation. Yours is somewhat beyond me!) I live simply, in a neighborhood far from where I work, where I basically sleep and take care of basic needs. My pastor gave me a gift I don't think she realizes: her companionship. She was Christ to me on what is often a very lonely day.

Thank you, dear Jesus, for shining through our church's shepherd on the day we celebrate your birth. Thank you for our meal and conversation, and for work lightened through the sharing. And for the gift of your coming yet again into my life and that of our church, I thank you most of all.

Advent, Week 3: Thursday - Saturday

Recommended readings from the fourth Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):
Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:47-55 or
Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

God is turning the world right side-up! To me that is what the Magnificat (Mary's song of praise) is all about. God has regarded our helpless state (as sinners all), and has helped us by sending us a Savior. This is what we wait for (symbolically) during Advent. We remember the first waiting for Christ, we recall our own helpless state before we first welcomed the Savior into our lives, and we wait again for the Savior's return.

What I find fascinating is that Mary, a first-century Jew, sang about this coming as present fact. Though only in the beginnings of her pregnancy with the Holy Child, she celebrated what God was doing, as though it were already done. The longer I live, the more confused I tend to get about the yet-not-yet-ness of God's Reign. I suspect that this is because God has already accomplished salvation, even as in our time and space-bound reality, Christ is still reconciling all creation to God. Sometimes I see it as God having "turned loose" salvation in our time and space and it's a glorious, complex, seeing-it-only-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-canvas work in progress. Sometimes I just say "thank you" to God and leave off wordering about it.

Too seldom, however, do I sing for joy because of God's mercy in working salvation in our sinful world--and in sinful me. Dear God, accept today my echo of Mary's Magnificat. You have helped your servant Israel, and specifically you have helped, over and over again, this least of your ingrafted servants: me!

Holy is your name, and holy is the Child about to be born, again, in our midst!

Advent, Week 3: Monday - Wednesday

Recommended readings from the third Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

The lesson from Zephaniah from last week's Lectionary readings is one of my favorites in the entire Bible. First of all, as a self-respecting singer, it's the only explicit example we have of God the Singer. (The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing - Zephaniah 3:17, NRSV)

I love this passage for a more general, wonderful reason, however. This portrays the extravagant joy of God over the return of a precious people. It also shows the Christian the joy God has over each of us when we return to the heart of God. It also shows us that God doesn't wait passively, wringing hands, wishing for us to come back. Instead, God is moving heaven and earth to bring us home. The coming of Christ which we celebrate in Advent, shows us the extent to which God was willing to go in order to secure our safe homecoming. That God loves us each and all, this much, humbles my heart and makes me want to sing for joy.

That joyful song is my prayer of gratitude today. Won't you sing your own song of joy, too?

Advent, Week 3: Sunday

Recommended readings from the third Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

Here I sit, at the church office computer, in a very unusual situation. I have virtually nothing I have to do this morning except lead an opening and a closing hymn. No choir to rehearse and lead. No scurrying about, looking for misplaced robes and hijacked music folders. No spot checks and chancel furniture adjustments.

Why the "vacation"? Because our church's liturgical dance/movement group is presenting the Christmas story this morning. I could pick about it here and there (they use only canned music, it's generally the same music and choreography year to year), but such criticisms are minor. The group is girls from first through twelfth grade. Though the majority are members/daughters of members of the congregation, a significant number come from unchurched families. Because our sanctuary is relatively small and therefore does not lend itself to conventional liturgical dance per se, many years ago the group leaders developed a blend of more static movement and American Sign Language. They dress in long-sleeved, full skirted (mid-calf length) white dresses (lavender for first-year girls) with white tights and ballet shoes, and have a variety of floral garlands they wear on their heads. For this production, as for the one they do each year for the Easter sunrise service, however, various girls dress as their assigned characters, while the "chorus" full group wears their usual white/lavender. (I say all this to assure any readers who object to liturgical dance because they don't like bare arms, legs and feet; our girls are completely covered except for hands, necks, and heads. And if you object to liturgical dance on other grounds, we'll have to agree to disagree.)

How does their pending presentation this morning relate to this week's Lectionary readings? I think of this verse from the Psalm lesson (First Song of Isaiah):

And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted. (Isaiah 12:4, NRSV)

The girls are "making known the deeds of the LORD" in a beautiful, meaningful way. We Christians read and hear the "old, old story" so often that we sometimes take it for granted. But when we witness it told in a new way, it's startlingly real to us.

I also think about the experience of the children themselves. They will know and treasure the story of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the rest of their lives, thanks to this group's seasonal reenactments of those portions of the gospel story. That makes worthwhile all the hard work the girls and their leaders do. We promise, when children are baptized, that we will nurture and teach them so that, in time and with God's help, they accept for themselves the salvation God has already accomplished in Jesus Christ.

Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 12:6, NRSV)

Advent, Week 2: Friday & Saturday

(It's now Sunday; the children's pageant is today. Blogging time has been at a premium, and writing ideas have not been forthcoming. Please continue to the post for Advent, Week 3: Sunday)

Advent, Week 2: Thursday

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

I'm not feeling well this morning and the creative juices just aren't flowing. Since I have to leave soon for work, I thought I'd just post a link to a song that fits well with this past Sunday's Old Testament lesson, called "Refiner's Fire," by Brian Doerksen. It's one of the better worship songs out there, in my opinion. It's my prayer today.

http://www.growingchristians.org/mfgc/light/RefinersFire.html

"I choose to be holy..."

Advent, Week 2: Wednesday

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):
Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

I'm really glad I waited until tonight to write something. I've just come from our church's youth classroom, which has been taken over by the mission team in preparation for their trip to the Texas-Mexico border and Mexico, which begins Sunday after worship. It's a cross between a food pantry and Santa's workshop! Let me tell you why.

This mission trip is a tradition of our church dating back a number of years. Usually, the various groups of the church contribute items of a utilitarian nature (supplies for a struggling church, canned and staple foods, school supplies, and shoes) and a few "goodies" like hard candies and oranges. In addition, children were encouraged to bring the unopened toys from their fast-food meals throughout the year, as a sacrificial gift. (Though I have no preschool children, I have worked with many of them, and I can appreciate that not opening and playing with these little trinkets takes a real sacrifice for our kids!) On the mission trip, each child recipient would get a small bag filled with school supplies and goodies and one of the drive-through toys, and the mothers would get a few cans of food and some rice and beans. Even for such modest gifts, the recipients were genuinely grateful.

But this year...THIS YEAR! WOW! We began Advent with a church-wide Fiesta in the evening. The tree in Fellowship Hall was decorated with bright paper chains, big tissue paper flowers, and a wild-colored sombrero on top. People have been encouraged since mid-November to bring both the staple goods and children's gifts. Sunday School class parties have had their members bring gifts for Mexico and the Border instead of traditional gift exchanges. The response has been an avalanche of generosity. Every kind of toy imaginable (except super-big ones like bicycles, which wouldn't fit in the trailers and bus) is now in the youth room.

Another cool thing we do each year has also been dedicated for the mission trip this year: "Beary Merry Christmas." People bring teddy bears and other stuffed toys to the sanctuary throughout early Advent. The bears sit in the pews day and night. When services are in progress or when people take some personal time in the sanctuary, you'll find the bears being hugged and prayed for. Though that may sound odd, it's a wonderful thing, because the prayers are actually for the child who will receive that particular bear. In the past, law enforcement and shelters have received them. (Last year, our county sheriff's dept. received nearly 150 stuffed animals to give to children who had to be removed from their homes for various reasons.) But all the bears are going south this year. As always, they represent the love and prayers of a modest north Texas congregation. I'm told that for most of the children, it will be the first stuffed animal they've ever received.

There will be some renovation work for the teams to do on a couple of houses and on a church building that doubles as a community center. Some of the gifts provided are "kitchen shower" gifts for that church's first-ever kitchen.

Finally, for the first time, the team members are going to present a full five-day VBS. One of our bilingual members has translated the materials we've used here and will organize a mixed team of local and mission team teachers and helpers. They expect over 100 children.

Some of our most gifted teachers are going. Our miracle-working handyman is on the team. The flightiest (but most pure-hearted) junior high boy I've ever worked with is going, and he invited his best friend who's going as well. The team members are young and old (including junior high youth and great-grandparents and all ages in-between), male and female, long-time members and new Christians...a real cross-section of our congregation. It hurts me to my core that I can't take the time to go. SOMEday, I will!

The people in South Texas and Mexico who are expecting our church members, are also expecting the kinds of gifts we've given in the past. Are they ever going to be surprised this year! With the full body of Christ here in our little area behind this effort, the Holy Spirit seems to have multiplied our offerings exponentially. And I don't mean only the Christmas gifts.

That's a faint taste of how God intends to bless us, I think. We kinda, sorta know that heaven's going to be way cool. But God KNOWS! Our God is lavish, extravagant, and prodigal (in the actual meaning of that word). Cups are going to run SO over, that there's going to be a gushing wide river of blessing before this world and time itself are no more. We Christians get the foretaste, and we are called to pass this good news along.

As our mission trippers prepare for the mission trip, I'm reminded to keep on preparing my own life to welcome Jesus even more fully.

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11, NRSV)

Advent, Week 2: Sunday - Tuesday

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

I have a few minutes before a church event this evening. I was reading at my friend Dr. Platypus's blog just now, which sparked inspiration for a catch-up post here at my own. (Sunday was our choir cantata and we're on the one-week countdown for the children's program next Sunday--what little time I've had to blog, I haven't had a single coherent thought! So thanks, Dr. P.!)

I used to love singing in my home church's folk choir. One of the songs we'd sing at this time of year was "Mary, Mary, what you gonna name that baby?" It's an Avery and Marsh collaboration, and strangely enough I can't find any online source so that I can post a link to the full text. But perhaps a brief description will give you the gist.

It's in the key of D minor and has a fairly slow, almost African-American spiritual style. The refrain consists of the title line, followed by "What you gonna call that holy baby?" Then four verses follow, most effectively sung by four different soloists, who in turn describe themselves us all as sheep looking for someone to guide them, as slaves needing a master, as hungry and poor and needing to be saved, and kings needing to be ruled. Then, following a voiced "Shhh," the full group agrees with the soloist, "Why don't we call him Shepherd/Lord/Savior/King?"

We sang the only choir arrangement of this song I know of, this past Sunday morning with my choir. It was part of an Advent service that was part cantata, part lessons and carols format. The late Lloyd Pfautsch arranged it, which is quite remarkable; Dr. Pfautsch, who was professor of choral conducting at SMU and a preeminent sacred choral composer, wasn't exactly the "folk choir" sort. But it is a nice little arrangement, which I was proud of my choir and our four soloists for presenting so well.

Mary named her baby "Jesus," the one who saves. As Emmanuel ("God with us"), he truly is our Savior, Shepherd, Lord, and King. As I review the many names of Jesus, I marvel at how he meets each of us where we are and how we need him, if we truly seek him.

Dr. P. wrote about "Mary, Did You Know?" on his blog. I don't think Mary could have known all that her coming Baby would become. But I rejoice in her "Yes!" to God's plan, in the birth of her son Jesus, and in what he means to me and to us all.

Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; there is room in my heart for thee.

Advent, Week 1: Saturday - POSADA Chainblog 2006

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

I suggest reading Malachi 3:1-4 and Philippians 1:3-11 in preparation for tomorrow's Old Testament and Epistle lessons.

I am hosting Mary and Joseph today for Andii Bowsher's wonderful Posada chainblog project. If you wish to follow the blog's progress, visit my friend Dr. Platypus tomorrow (Sunday, Dec. 10).

What always strikes me about this part of the Nativity story is the sheer danger of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was not an easy trip, even had Mary not been pregnant. It's easy for us to say, from the safety of 2,000+ years of history, that God protected them. It's true, but a very different thing for them to live in that trust than for us to celebrate it. I suspect that when I finally see "face to face" once this life is over, I will recognize the providence of God in many ways that I could not while on earth. The fact is, it took obedience, guts, and courage for the Holy Couple to trek from Galilee to the City of David. Then, to add insult to injury, they had to pay for the "privilege" of being enrolled in the census. They not only had to be obedient to the will of God, they had to be immediately obedient to the Roman authorities.

What a fascinating chain of events began with Mary's "Let it be with me according to your word" assent to God's will! Saying "yes" to God nearly always marks the beginning of an adventure.

As one of the pre-December 24 "hosts" of the Posada, I can give shelter only for this one day. It is my assigned role to send Mary and Joseph on their way with a "Sorry, no room" message. Realizing that fact has made me reflect, in writing this, on the times I have done exactly the same thing to "the least of these." There have been times when I've welcomed and served the least, as well.

Lord Jesus, please forgive my refusals and accept the halting welcomes you've received from me. Help me be more faithful, even as I now symbolically turn away your earthly parents.


Jennie hosted the Posada yesterday here. For more on the Posada chainblog, read Andii's initial post here.

Here is the rest of the Posada hosting schedule:

• Sun 10 Dec Dr Platypus
• Mon 11 Dec Sally Coleman
• Tue 12 Dec Jim Palmer
• Wed 13 Dec Anne Gogh
• Thu 14 Dec Weekend Fisher
• Fri 15 Dec Dave
• Sat 16 Dec John Cooper
• Sun 17 Dec Sue Wallace at Abbess
• Mon 18 Dec Lucas
• Tue 19 Joanna at Keeping Feet
• Wed 20 Adrian at Emerging Church info.
• Thu 21 Ian Mobsy at Mootblog
• Fri 22 Bob Carlton
• Sat 23 Chelley at Chelley's Teapot

Advent, Week 1: Friday

Recommended readings from the second Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6


Read Luke 1:68-79, then Luke 3:1-6.

Jesus would later say that there was no greater human being than John the Baptist, yet even the least in God's reign were greater than he. Riddle? Perhaps. Yet in the paradox, we can find a challenge to us today. It is one thing to "prepare the way of the Lord," and another to live in that way. John knew very well that his task was to announce the coming of the Messiah. But Jesus didn't tell people to announce his coming; that had already occured. He told us all to follow him and to do all the things that he taught.

So the question, at least for me today, is this: Will I talk about the Kingdom, or live in the Kingdom? Similarly, it's easy for me to say that I'll live a Kingdom life, yet I must do the actual work of living it.

The other thing to remember is, not everyone who is invited into God's reign will be convinced by our words about it. Yet another reason to live it as well. There is a place for gracious words; the Holy Spirit within us can be trusted to guide us when and how to speak them. That same Spirit will guide our actions as well.

Will the people I meet today, know that they've met a Christian? How will they know? Lord Jesus, help me live "a life that becomes the gospel" today, for your sake.

Advent, Week 1: Thursday

Recommended readings from the first Sunday of Advent (from the Revised Common Lectionary):

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

Luke 21:25-28 "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (NRSV)

The return of Jesus promises to be the ultimate "big event." It depends on who Jesus is to me, whether I will experience his return with eagerness or with terror. And I don't mean how I understand heaven and hell, sin and punishment. I mean simply, how will it be for me to experience the phenomenon itself. Will I be "afraid, very afraid"? The signs will be awesome (in the old sense of the word). Will I recognize them for what they are? Will I be so familiar with Jesus that I will trust him "even so"?

I suppose none of us can really know the answer to that, but I do expect to swallow the very real human reaction of fear, in order to watch eagerly the coming of my Lord. I expect the signs his return to take me by surprise, because he told us clearly that none of us may know the exact time. But I also expect to recognize those signs. They don't have to be literally the same as the various examples we're given in the apocalyptic passages of Scripture; apocalyptic is not meant to be taken literally. But with the Holy Spirit's help, I will recognize the signs. I will recognize Jesus. I will recognize the long-promised redemption of God in its fullness.

Meanwhile, there is Kingdom work to do. That's why I expect to be surprised when the signs present themselves. Being busy about God's task means I don't have the idle luxury of time to spend on fruitless calculations of days and hours, or literal would-be interpretations of figurative passages. Study, yes, but not for the sake of "cracking the code." I'm called to study for the sake of knowing God better through knowing the words of God found in the Scriptures. By learning with this as my goal, I will be better equipped to work ever more faithfully in my Lord's coming Kingdom.

Come, Lord Jesus, and by your help may I be found faithful upon your return.