Day 10: by Juno Smalley
In Luke 1:38 we read Mary’s words, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Christmas is the season that we celebrate the incarnation (God becoming human) and it’s also the season we celebrate Emmanuel (God with us) and it all happened because we are loved by our creator God. The presence of Jesus is God’s present to us.
As we read scripture, we read many stories where Jesus both welcomed people and where Jesus went to the people. Jesus went to the tax collector, Jesus went to the dinner party, and Jesus went to the leper; the entire reason for Christmas is to celebrate the presence of Jesus and that He came to earth, as a baby, for us - all because we are loved.
We have learned that church is not being in the physical church building. The place for disciple-making is in the everyday places (we call that being missional) of the people who need to know Jesus. God’s desire, as we see in the Christmas story, is to go where the people are, to be present in their lives. It's to leave our places of comfort and go to where the people who need Jesus live, to hang out and to be present. Who is going to show the broken, wounded, lonely, disenchanted, anger-filled people the love of Jesus if we don't go where they are, and be present in their lives?
As people who love Jesus, may God give us all that we need to go where God sends us…to the people who need Jesus, to be His light to a world that is often living in darkness, and to be present to be the light of Jesus.
Christmas is the season that we celebrate the incarnation (God becoming human) and it’s also the season we celebrate Emmanuel (God with us) and it all happened because we are loved by our creator God. The presence of Jesus is God’s present to us.
As we read scripture, we read many stories where Jesus both welcomed people and where Jesus went to the people. Jesus went to the tax collector, Jesus went to the dinner party, and Jesus went to the leper; the entire reason for Christmas is to celebrate the presence of Jesus and that He came to earth, as a baby, for us - all because we are loved.
We have learned that church is not being in the physical church building. The place for disciple-making is in the everyday places (we call that being missional) of the people who need to know Jesus. God’s desire, as we see in the Christmas story, is to go where the people are, to be present in their lives. It's to leave our places of comfort and go to where the people who need Jesus live, to hang out and to be present. Who is going to show the broken, wounded, lonely, disenchanted, anger-filled people the love of Jesus if we don't go where they are, and be present in their lives?
As people who love Jesus, may God give us all that we need to go where God sends us…to the people who need Jesus, to be His light to a world that is often living in darkness, and to be present to be the light of Jesus.
Tuesday's Song
Send Me - click here for a wonderful song written by our worship team that could be used as daily prayer. It reminds us not to stay in our comfort zone but rather to be open where God sends us, to be present with the people God loves, as we serve God, joy will be a natural by-product.
Tuesday's Prayer
Lord, thank you for the reminder of the need for me to go to where your people are. Give me the courage to respond as Mary did, and even when there is a mess we are trying to trust you to bring the miracle. Help me to slow my pace down and help me to listen to the stories of those you bring into my life and to simply be present.
Help me to get over my thoughts that it’s only the pastors or church staff who you use and that it’s always been your desire for you to use my life to point people to you. Remove my insecurities about connecting with others, and help me to trust you to give me the courage to be present with others so that they may see your hope, joy, peace, and love. Open opportunities and patience for me to first listen to the stories of my family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Help me to be genuinely interested in their lives and to simply trust you to speak through me. Help me, Lord, to remember that I don’t need to have all the answers but that often people just need someone to listen to them, and in listening, they will experience a joy that only comes from you.
In our community, continue to use New Life to be a witness for you. When people think of a church that cares and makes a difference in our community and world, may they think of New Life. When people think of ‘What will I do on Christmas?’, may they think of New Life and join us on Christmas Eve.
AMEN
Help me to get over my thoughts that it’s only the pastors or church staff who you use and that it’s always been your desire for you to use my life to point people to you. Remove my insecurities about connecting with others, and help me to trust you to give me the courage to be present with others so that they may see your hope, joy, peace, and love. Open opportunities and patience for me to first listen to the stories of my family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Help me to be genuinely interested in their lives and to simply trust you to speak through me. Help me, Lord, to remember that I don’t need to have all the answers but that often people just need someone to listen to them, and in listening, they will experience a joy that only comes from you.
In our community, continue to use New Life to be a witness for you. When people think of a church that cares and makes a difference in our community and world, may they think of New Life. When people think of ‘What will I do on Christmas?’, may they think of New Life and join us on Christmas Eve.
AMEN
Posted in Advent Devotional 2022