December 9, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Tell the Israelites: These are the animals you can eat: If an animal has hooves that are split into two parts, and if that animal also chews the cud, then you may eat the meat from that animal. “Some animals chew the cud, but they don’t have split hooves. Don’t eat these animals. Camels, rock badgers, and rabbits are like that, so they are unclean for you. Other animals have hooves that are split into two parts, but they don’t chew the cud. Don’t eat these animals. Pigs are like that, so they are unclean for you. Don’t eat the meat from these animals. Don’t even touch their dead bodies! They are unclean for you.” Leviticus 11:1-8

When Jesus is in his last earthly week, he commands the disciples to find a room – a room prepared for them –  where they will share the Passover meal.  During that meal, Jesus gives them the command to what will become the structure for our sacrament of Holy Communion. There are a lot of foods that the Old Testament instructs not to eat – but Jesus gives us one commandment – a meal that we should be prepared to have often. When the disciples gathered following the ascension of Jesus, they continued to share this meal believing that Jesus was still with them in the bread and the wine of communion.

 Lutheran churches lost the practice of every Sunday communion for many years, but recently have reclaimed this practice. Where once people believed they were not prepared to take communion every Sunday, they now have discovered that neglecting this “Holy Meal” leaves us with an empty feeling – as if they are not prepared to face life.

Have you prepared a room for Jesus? Have you prepared room in your hearts, room in your homes, room in your lives? Jesus comes to share a meal with us each Sunday, but, in reality, Jesus comes each day to share the Good News with us. 

Let us pray: Dear G-d, you ask us to prepare for the Master to come? We are reminded in the season of Advent to “keep awake” – to prepare – to be ready for Jesus no matter the time of day or night. Dare we risk not being prepared? Amen.

Pastor Dave

December 7, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.”  Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.  He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.” Mark 3:1-6

I find it interesting that the Pharisees are waiting in the synagogue to “see” if Jesus will heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.  It is amazing to me that the “people of the law” were so mired in it, that when the miraculous occurs, when this wonderful event happens in their presence, all they can do is worry about whether this healing breaks the commandment of honoring the Sabbath.  Personally, if I watched a faith healer restore a withered hand, I would not have been prepared for such a miracle, let alone to complain that it went against religious laws.  

We know the Lord will continually astound and amaze us so that we will give glory to G-d.  When the miraculous happens right in front of our eyes, do we let the details of our daily lives keep us from seeing how great this G-d of ours really is?  The miraculous acts of G-d should not scare us – they should prepare us for the joys to come and to take the time to offer prayer, praise and thanksgiving.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, this world wants to prove every experience through science. You are not beholden to the laws of science, though in many ways you work through such laws. You also are not beholden to religious laws and rules. Help me to do as you ask: to prepare the way of the Lord through word and deed. Amen.

Pastor Dave

December 8, 2022 – Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

 “Moses lifted up the snake in the desert.  It is the same with the Son of Man. He must be lifted up too.  Then everyone who believes in him can have eternal life.”  Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world. He did not send him to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” John 3:14-17 

Charlie Brown and Linus are walking down the sidewalk and Linus asks Charlie, “Have you heard of the ‘Beat Generation’ Charlie Brown?”  Charlie replies, “Oh, Yes.”  And Charlie continues, “I’m a charter member.”  John 3:16 and 17 reminds us that although we might also feel like the world is beating us down, we have a G-d who loves us so much that G-d felt humanity was worth doing something completely unique – G-d became like us to save us from ourselves.  And he was lifted upon a cross so that, in seeing and believing, we might prepare for the greatest gift we have ever seen, that being life – life eternal. 

The world may still beat us down. We will still struggle just as much as we succeed. We will still experience pain. And while the Advent and Christmas seasons give us reason to experience the joy of these seasons, they are also a time where we prepare to endure the struggling and the pain – because those life experiences will persist long after Christmas has passed us by. But nothing can separate us from the love of G-d that comes through the cross of Jesus. Nothing could prepare us for such a great gift.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, you became human through Jesus Christ so that we can see that we have a G-d who suffers when we suffer. Help me remember that You, G-d lift us all up to new life – not just for a few months, but for eternity. Amen.

Pastor Dave