Come Lord Jesus: An Advent Devotional (Week 4)
One of our most beloved Christmas carols is Joy to the World…not to be confused with another popular feel-good tune about a suspicious friendship with a wine-sipping bullfrog named Jeremiah that proclaims, “Joy to the world, all the boys and girls…Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea; joy to you and me.” I for one am all for the fishes in the sea being joyful if it’s in their capacity to be so. But the kind of joy the world needs isn’t synonymous with fleeting moments of warm fuzzies splashed randomly about our lives. The kind of joy we need is deep, abiding, unshakable. Consider the circumstances of Mary, the mother of our Lord. She has been visited by an angel and informed that she is going to be pregnant and give birth to a Savior. Imagine yourself in Mary’s place. Yes, you have been visited by an angel of the Lord—quite a big deal by anyone’s standards. But you are also a young girl, in your teens, and unmarried. You are faced with questions. What will people think of me? How can I live up to what God is asking of me? How will Joseph my fiancé react? How in the world is all of this going to work out?
Surely these and many more questions occupied Mary’s thinking throughout her experience. Nevertheless, her initial response provides a clue about the nature of true joy.
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46, 47
Mary rejoiced in God. She humbly recognized that God’s presence and activity in her life was reason to rejoice. We can learn a similar lesson in joy from our fellow traveler Habakkuk.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18
Habakkuk was able to look beyond the very real difficulties of life to an even greater reality—the God who is with us is not surprised or worried about a thing.
Whatever the circumstances of our lives, joy is possible. Like Habakkuk and like Mary, we can say, “I will rejoice in God my Savior.” This Advent and Christmas season remind us that God is indeed present and active in our lives. Our God is all-powerful. He is loving, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, just, kind, and all-wise. He is Immanuel…God with us. He is present in our chaos and our pain. He is with us at our birthday parties and our funerals, in our job promotions and in our lay-offs. God Himself is with us. This is the reason for our joy.
In just a few days, this Advent season will pass and we will celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Christ—Immanuel—to you in new ways. Ponder the following scripture passages this week and allow the joy of the Lord to sink deep into your soul.
Matthew 1:23
Habbakuk 3:17, 18
Luke 1:46
I Peter 1:8, 9
An Advent Prayer
Come long-awaited Jesus, Savior of all.
Let the joy of the Father’s heart
Pour into our own hearts
And flow from us to others
Who are desperately seeking a reason...
To rejoice
Come Lord Jesus: An Advent Devotional (Week 2)
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 3:1, 2
In this season of Advent (meaning “arrival” or “coming”), we have asked the Lord to plant in us seeds of expectation for His coming. This second week of Advent, we ponder the words of John the Baptist as we turn to the theme of repentance.
John tells us that because “the kingdom of heaven has come near” it is time to repent. The word “repent” is often defined as being sorry for our sins and changing our behavior accordingly. It is certainly true that in order to prepare our hearts for the Lord, a primary starting point is to become honest with God about our sin and to agree with Him that our only deliverance is through Christ. But that’s not the end of the story.
The people to whom John was speaking would have understood the word repent to mean “change your thinking” or “change your mind.” Why would we need to change our minds in order to get ready for the kingdom of heaven as John suggests? Have you ever booked a hotel based on a beautiful photo on a brochure only to show up and find a hotel resembling the photo only in the sense that it had a door and some rooms in it? It’s disappointing to say the least. When Jesus showed up announcing His kingdom, it was nothing like the brochure. The Messiah they were expecting would bring deliverance by overthrowing the political powers of the day and ending the Roman oppression. Instead they got a guy who avoided power plays and asked us to “turn the other cheek.”
Jesus was a living snapshot of the kingdom of God…a kingdom that is about much more than just not sinning. Jesus told us that to be great in the kingdom, we must become servants. He told us to let our light shine so that people will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. And He showed us through the cross that ultimate power is demonstrated not by domination but by restraint. God knew that our way of thinking about lots of things—money, sin, success, power, relationships—would need to be turned upside down in order to embrace life in His kingdom. Our actions reflect our changed thinking—we live a new way in light of the reality that a new kingdom is at hand.
REPENTANCE
Set aside some time this week to sit with the Lord and ask Him to show you any areas of your life that call for repentance. Ask for the power of the Spirit to think and live differently. If there is sin that needs to be confessed, accept and trust the forgiveness that Christ offers. Whatever comes to light, trust that the Lord will come alongside and help you make the necessary changes so that you can settle deeply into His kingdom.
Scripture to reflect on this week:
Proverbs 1:23
Matthew 3:1-6
An Advent Prayer
Lord, show us every area of our lives that call for repentance
Where there is sin, we ask for forgiveness
Where there is resistance to change, we ask for a heart of surrender
Where there are unkingdom-like ways of thinking, we ask for the mind of Christ
By your grace, empower us to live as good citizens in this upside down kingdom
Amen.
Come Lord Jesus: An Advent Devotional (Week 1)
Not so long ago, Christmas trees and Bing Crosby music made their appearance in late November or early December. These days we can find tinsel and greeting cards right across the aisle from jack-o-lanterns and Harry Potter costumes sometime around October. Perhaps next year we’ll be able to purchase poinsettias around Labor Day. Personally, I love the sights, smells and sounds of Christmas whenever they arise. But if I focus on the trimmings without a greater context, I miss a wonderful opportunity to experience the deep realities of my faith and instead set myself up for inevitable disappointment and anxiety amidst frenetic activity. I exit the season with no more spiritual insight than when it began.
As we observe the four weeks of Advent (meaning “arrival” or “coming”), we ground our celebration in biblical and historical ways. Since about the 4th century, believers have observed Advent in some form. Until relatively recent times, the Christmas season itself was observed from December 25 to January 6 (the “12 days of Christmas”) with Advent serving as a time of waiting and anticipation leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth. It is also a time of looking forward to the second coming of Christ.
Expectation. Preparation. Repentance. Joy. These are the attitudes of worship that accompany the Advent season. Rather than conjuring up feelings of Christmas cheer because we’re “supposed to” be jolly, we can meditate on Scripture that points us to unshakable reasons for true joy.
EXPECTATION
As we enter the first week of Advent, we ask the Holy Spirit to plant in our hearts seeds of expectation. Sit with the following scripture passages throughout the week. Read through them slowly and notice any words or phrases that stand out to you. Come to your quiet time expecting that God will meet you.
Psalm 80:1-7
Isaiah 11:1-5
Luke 1:26-38
Revelation 7:9-17
An Advent Prayer by Henri Nouwen
Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness,
Send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do
Seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things
Look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways
Long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy,
Seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking light.
To you we say, Come Lord Jesus....
Amen.
Retreat Learnings-Part 2/The Prodigal
One of the most amazing times during my recent Renovare' spiritual growth retreat was the Prayer Path Experience. Candles, soft reflective music, beautiful expressions of artistic creativity and a prevailing sense of peace and solitude drew me into the large room where people moved slowly, reverently between various prayer "stations." I spent over two hours there soaking in the presence and goodness of God. It was water for my thirsty soul. I visited all of the dozen or so stations and managed to keep my Type A personality in check...enjoying the moment and refusing to rush through so I could say I checked every box.
One of the stations that most impacted me was the painting of Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal based on the story from Luke 15:11-32. As I took in the details of color, shadow, facial expressions...every nuance of this picture, I was brought once again to a realization of the real-life role I play more often than I would wish. Every time I run away to accomplishments, people, substances, activity, or any of the myriad ways I can keep myself distracted from my deepest need, I AM the prodigal. When I glance back home, I see the Father running toward me, arms wide open to welcome me back. I ask forgiveness for my need for self-importance and to appear smarter than I am, for independence, and for the desire to imipress. I want to do something to repay Him for his love and generosity, but He says, "I'm just glad you're home." He asks of me my whole life--not as repayment for grace, that would miss the whole point, but as an expression of gratitude and worship.
In offering my life to the Father, He pours out more grace to make me into the likeness of Christ. And He does it joyfully. He's not muttering to Himself, wishing He could write me off but instead having to tolerate me because of that whole "cross" loophole. He really is happy to have me home. What puzzles me at every homecoming is--why did I ever leave?
Renovare' Retreat-Part 1
I recently went on a 5-day retreat put on by Renovare' (if you don't know what Renovare' is, check out renovare.org). It was AMAZING--from the gorgeous oceanside location to the hours of quiet reflection to the simple yet profound teaching of Richard Foster, Chris Webb and others, every element of the retreat drew me into a state of peace, rest and relaxation. Well, maybe not so much the plastic mattress cover (lodging was in dorms at Point Loma University), though it did quell any anxiety I might have about wetting the bed. And I must say I had to visit Target and purchase a tiny clip-on booklight in order to avoid dangerous mood swings induced by the San Quentin-like fluorescent lighting overhead. Other than that, all was peace and rest. I'll share just a blog at a time in hopes that something I write may be an encouragement to you. One of the first "aha" moments I had was when I was stewing over the fact that somehow my registration hadn't gone through online so they hadn't assigned me a spiritual director for the retreat (someone who listens well to God and people and speaks with wisdom regarding matters of the soul). I was certain there was just no way my retreat experience could be complete without meeting with a spiritual director that God had picked just for me, into whom He had poured all the answers for my life's dilemmas.
I sat on my waterproof bunkbed with my retreat handbook perusing the various options available for me during the time many people would be meeting with their spiritual directors. I was feeling sorry for myself. And the perfectionist in me began to agonize over choosing just the right activities at the right time. Should I do the Prayer Experience or the contemplative beach walk? the small group discusson or the Guided Movement to Scripture group. OR should I just take a nap? What is the perfect path God has for me here at this retreat?
Then I had a clear sense that God was speaking to my heart---"it really doesn't matter what you do or don't do. I just want to hang out with you." The angst melted away into feelings of relief, freedom and joy. The Creator of everything just wanted to hang out with me.
That moment has spilled over into my quiet times at home. I realize now that there is no perfect path for my devotions. God just wants to hang out with me. He will guide my prayer, my reading, my meditation on His Word. Or he may just want me to sit still for a bit.
So maybe this can bring some freedom to you as well...especially if you are a perfectionist or a striver. God just wants to hang out with you. He will have things for you to do with Him along the way, but first He just wants to spend some time with you.
Words for the Weary
Just got back from an incredible retreat! Lots of silence, solitude and prayer. Rich teaching by Richard Foster, Chris Webb (Renovare' president), and others on the Renovare' team. Music during worship was mostly Celtic style, very peaceful and reflective. Journaled a LOT! I'd like to give you three little things to think about in your spiritual journey. These are the three sentiments Richard Foster left us with yesterday as we were preparing to end the retreat. 1) Be easy with yourself as God is easy with you.
2) Walk cheerfully over the earth--laugh a lot.
3) Stay close to Jesus.
I really appreciate the admonition to be easy with myself. I woke up today to a messy house, a growing laundry pile, and a substantial to-do list. At the top of the list was---quiet time with God. Before I could sit down, I got a call that my youngest son was being rushed to the ER because he fainted in summer school. Thankfully it turned out to be nothing serious.
And so goes life. A lot is going on right now for me that can be draining--to say the least. Perhaps you can say the same. I don't need one more burden to carry. Into the midst of my weariness comes the voice of Christ. Listen to how Eugene Peterson paraphrases Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Today may you be easy with yourself as God is easy with you. And may you find a bit of quiet time and learn a little more about the unforced rhythms of grace.
Party Like It's My Birfday!
Today I turned 46. It was a great day. It started with sleeping in and then a couple of hours with my spiritual formation group. They blessed me with flowers, balloons, goodies to eat, and candles to enjoy at home, one of which is burning right now, filling the room with the scent of sunflowers (do sunflowers have a scent?). Then I came home and put Charli's room back in order after spending three days painting! Her room is now the color of all things Hannah Montana. If you'd like to replicate--go to Lowe's and buy Wild Wisteria and Crystal Aqua. Yeah. It looks just like you're imagining. She's 8, so it's rad. And BTW, why would you NOT decorate with a giant Scooby Doo stuffed pooch? My plan was to spend two to three hours reflecting, reading, journaling. Uh huh. In another life maybe. I was on the phone straightening out medical insurance stuff for a while, then I moved on to washing dishes, then on to Charli's room. When she came home from a roller skating field trip and had a meltdown because I had rearranged her furniture, I decided it was time to run away and get my birthday manicure/pedicure. And because I like to live large, I got my eyebrows waxed as well.
When I came home, Chip had prepared dinner, and three of my dear friends and neighbors came over for Chip's special Benihana chicken fried rice and mojitos. I know. Mojitos aren't a typical pairing with Asian cuisine. I'm a redneck and Chip is from New Mexico...give us a break. The conversation was wonderful and sprinkled with memories of times we've spent together as well as new stories that helped us know one another a bit more.
At some point during this day, each of my four kids and my husband hugged me and said, "Happy birthday , mom. I love you." OK, Chip didn't say "Mom" cuz that would just be creepy. But you know what I mean. It just doesn't get any better. My sister-in-law called. She's like the coolest perrson alive...flew the U2, was a pilot for United and Emirates Airlines and is now in med school. Join me, if you will, in a prayer that she will do something with her life. Honestly, the coolest thing is that she loves us and our kids even in the middle of her crazy busy life.
I am overwhelmed and so very grateful for all the birthday wishes through Facebook. I didn't even know how to log on to Facebook a little over a year ago. Now I'm thinking what a great resource of encouragement it can be. I am so encouraged to know that I have all these friends who will join me in rejoicing, mourning, laughing...praying.
So what is my prayer today---my 46th birthday, just three minutes from the day after my birthday? I pray that this time next year I will look more like Jesus than I do today---more loving, more gracious, more wise, more giving, more compassionate, more resolute in what is right, more willing to serve. That is my prayer at midnight on my 46th birthday.
What the Heck is Spiritual Formation?
There's a phrase that's made its way into church culture these days--spiritual formation. Admittedly, I would have had no clue what that was all about 14 years ago. Now I understand a little more. We are not simply material beings. Our spirits are formed every day, every moment, by something--by the values we see on TV, the information we choose to believe, the people who speak into our lives, or any number of influences. The point is, we are being formed. As a follower of Jesus Christ, I want to be intentional about how my spirit is formed. I want the influences I allow into my life to make me look more like Christ in five years than I look today. What does that mean in practical terms? Jesus knew when to keep silent. Not me. Jesus knew when to speak the truth in no uncertain terms. Not me. Jesus saw the truth about people, not just the ugly behavior they displayed. Not me. Jesus was a perfect model of grace, truth, inclusiveness, justice, love, mercy. Me? Not so much. But I'm getting better. That's what spiritual formation is about--putting myself in paths of grace so that I come to resemble Christ more and more the longer I'm on this journey toward God.