Good Morning Friends,
I came to Southwest Florida in the late 1960’s before I-75 connected us to the Interstate Highway system. This road expansion was a catalyst that changed Naples from a sleepy fishing village into one of the fastest growing communities in the nation for a time. People from the Midwest followed I-75 to paradise on the Southwest Florida coast just as people from the Eastern states followed I-95 to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. The effect spilled over into Collier County as straight six lane roads were built, and Alligator Alley connected us to the East Coast. Now after more than forty years of construction and reconstruction much of the inconvenience and noise and dust and slow traffic has been replaced with splendid roads and a few places where new roads are needed. So too, we have to prepare and plan for the road to Christmas as well, for a baby will change everything. Having Christmas visitors does too. The countdown is nearing its end. Ready or not, God might just come on a highway of holiness right through your living room. As we contemplate during this season of giving the many blessings we have received and the amazing stories of how God has touched so many, we also meditate on our gift in how we see community through the lens of Christ’s faith…through the lens of the called-out assembly of God and the fruit of the spirit joining freely in what God wants us to do for those in need. Here we begin to see Christmas through the eyes of Love and perhaps our own homes and communities too. Here we begin to have hope of having a vision worthy of our Seeing God. Here we humbly and hopefully, even in the waiting and preparing, begin to perceive and emotionally experience the excitement of miracles in action.
So, in this season pregnant with promise, I wonder. Are We On A Joyous Journey On The Glory Road Or Still Waiting?
Scripture: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NRSV)
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11 (NRSV)
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,'” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
John 1:6-8, 19-28 (NRSV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (NRSV)
Message: Today on this third Sunday in Advent we look at the religious joy those who share in divinely given salvation. Our roles are less dramatic than John and Jesus and yet also resonate in the challenge to be joyous as Paul wrote about and Isaiah hoped for. It is about our hearts united with patience and struggle and a joy that joins our lives to eternity. Here heaven and earth come close, allowing us to experience the gift of community and the body of believers as an instrument of transformation. For me, this morning the message is that we can learn from John the Baptism and Jesus in dealing with mind numbing experiences in life by learning to see through the eyes of joy in the hope of each other. Interestingly, today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians explores how God sanctifies us as we respond to this condition of waiting in the midst of a crisis. We are to persevere by believing in love. The most instructive part of today’s scripture from Isaiah likewise helps us to understand the purpose of waiting in dealing with the real time emotional conditions we must have in order to grow. The reality is that the oppressed are waiting for good news, the broken-hearted are waiting for love, the captives are waiting for liberty, the prisoners are waiting for release, there are those with desires waiting for God’s favor and justice, and there are mourners waiting for comfort. That these states of emptiness, despair, desire, agony, and loss… that these inner states become an open door for God to act and to substitute gladness, a pregnant bliss, the miracle of life, and His light is worth the wait. And we see it in the story of Jesus in our story. Indeed, Jesus is the way out of the emotional afflictions associated with waiting. So, the next time you come to a frustrating red light in your life, think of Christ’s light, of Jesus’ Christmas star, of God acting in your life so you too can use the time you wait to discover new ways of building the kingdom, of sharing the light of His enlightenment, of helping others clean up their messes in preparation for His coming. Our time of waiting can be a time for God to prepare us for His baptism of the Holy Spirit in our life, of our actions in Holy history. Our time of waiting is a time of preparation for His return but also a preparation to love joyously. Jesus is calling us to prepare our hearts for His second coming not just the first. The first time He came in stealth mode as a baby to a poor family. For His second coming the event will be unmistakable. Here in our deserts and swamps we need to prepare for the coming of the King as to Jerusalem. We need to plan for God returning to take up residence. So today we need to get rid of every obstacle in our hearts and in our lives that stand in the way of us receiving Him. Today we need to listen to the voice calling us to repent so that we might see God’s glory revealed. We need to listen for the signs of spiritual life and grace of His unfailing love in our lives for His judgment is coming. Friends, prepare for the power and the presence of Jesus. He is coming again as the risen Lord. Our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer is a God of change and thankfully He makes us useful instruments for the Spirit to move in us and into the lives of others in the process. Here we see how God connects, changes, and transforms us now much like He did then in first century Israel. Just as the building of the Roman Roads allowed for the spread of our faith, extending peace beyond that of the Pax Romana, we too have new roads to pave. So let us think about this highway we are traveling on the road to Christmas…let us be building with each step we take…let us be meditating on the fullness of time… let us realize that God wants to come hauling truckloads of blessings and that we just need to help build the road. Playtime is about over. Praise time is about to begin. So today we look at the religious joy of a person who has a share in divinely given salvation. And this is the key to understanding how we might become blessings as well in relation to this idea of waiting for joy. Certainly, our roles are not so significant and yet God values them. The Jesus story is a vital and indispensable role in God’s plan for the history of the world as an example for us. In fact, the whole Bible is designed to help up better related to God. Our roles are less dramatic and yet also resonate in the challenge of love. It is about our hearts united with patience and struggle and joy that joins our lives to eternity. Here heaven and earth come close, allowing us to experience the gift of community and the body of believers as an instrument of transformation. For me, this morning the message is that we can learn from John the Baptist and Jesus in dealing with mind numbing experiences in life by learning to see through the eyes of love the joy of life hoped for. Interestingly, today’s passage from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians explores how God sanctifies us as we respond to this condition of waiting in the midst of a crisis. We are to persevere by believing in love. The most instructive part of today’s scripture from Isaiah likewise helps us to understand the purpose of waiting in dealing with the real time emotional conditions we must have in order to grow. The reality is that the oppressed are waiting for good news, the broken-hearted are waiting for love, the captives are waiting for liberty, the prisoners are waiting for release, there are those with desires waiting for God’s favor and justice, and there are mourners waiting for comfort. That these states of emptiness, despair, desire, agony, and loss… that these inner states become an open door for God to act and to substitute gladness, a pregnant bliss, the miracle of life, and His light is worth the wait. And we see it in the story of Jesus in our story. Indeed, Jesus is the way out of the emotional afflictions associated with waiting. So, the next time you come to a frustrating red light in your life, think of Christ’s light, of Jesus’ Christmas star, of God acting in your life so you too can use the time you wait to discover new ways of building the kingdom, of sharing the light of His enlightenment, of helping others clean up their messes in preparation for His coming. Our time of waiting can be a time for God to prepare us for His baptism of the Holy Spirit in our life, of our actions in Holy history. Our time of waiting is a time of preparation for His return but also a preparation to love. And in that love, we are to be joyous. Pray we submit to God’s plan for it is better than our own.
And So, as with many things it is not an either or but a both/and answer we seek. We are to marvel at the miracle of love at Christmas that came down from heaven to guide us and save us now and for eternity. So, essentially today’s message is about the miracle of love and our response to it. Everyone needs to hear that they are loved, and people need to see it too. But we only really hear it when our soul glorifies the Lord, and that force is born in us in a way that brings peace. John the Baptist recognized the miracle of this love in Jesus. He recognized that with God nothing is impossible. In the Christmas story we begin to understand the salvation and miracle Mary recognized in Jesus and the salvation and miracle the Wise men believed in manifested in the gifts they bring. We too must recognize and anticipate the power of the Holy Spirit at work birthing the Good News in us. Sometimes life gets to be messy. That was the situation of those in exile during the time of Isaiah. It was messy for Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. In today’s passage of scripture from Isaiah, the situation is described in a way that transcends time. It paints a picture of the oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives, prisoners and people who mourn. But then we are given the good news of a deliverance to come that we have associated with the coming of Jesus into the world. Perhaps that is why so many people resonate with Isaiah during this time of year for it is a season of good news. Unfortunately, it is also often a season of excessive emotional messiness. However, it is in such a situation we learn we can never be perfect on our own. Know the purpose for waiting. Know that the waiting culminates in the belief that prompts an answer in a call to love. Know that God loved us enough to send Jesus Christ into the world to let us know what Joy is. Know that although it took centuries for it to happen, God waited until the time was right, and God took on flesh to intersect the life of a poor young girl by the name of Mary. An angel had come to Mary to let her know that she had been chosen to give birth to a child who would become the savior of the world. The child would be the Son of God who would take away the sins of the world. This was the child of promise. This was the child of pain. This would be the child of joy. And in the story, we realize that a prerequisite of anything good requires trusting enough to love. It is the foundation of today’s scriptures and has a message for everyone and every place. In the words today we experience a message of hope in the future for places of poverty being lifted up in a reality of community that honors God and bound together over time in love…. made whole. Here the charge of love, the creator of love, and the crown of love is experienced in community with joy. Here we see God’s love proclaimed in the Word, proven in a child’s birth and a man’s death now perfected in those who believe and abide in God as a living body and witness of the Risen Christ at work in the world through his Spirit. Friends the Spirit of love, the person of love, the compelling author of love is at work connecting, changing lives, and transforming communities around the world and calls you, as John was called, as Jesus was called, to be part of something very special.
Pray we realize that God can use our time of waiting to fill us with joy and thanksgiving.
Pray
our hope of God is real. Pray we hope with confidence when we face adversity and fear. Pray our hope be a powerful thing that is the very help of God in our lives. Pray we have the hope of becoming new creatures in Christ. Pray we give hope to others. Pray we have a hope forged with gladness. Pray the substance of things for which we hope…is the love of God. Pray we have hope of a future with God. Pray we have a commitment to people and places. Pray we rejoice in the vision of the first born of all creation. Pray we realize that it is not so important that we see God but that He is willing to see us with the eyes of forgiveness. Pray we learn the power of vision through the eyes of love. Pray we love others as God has loved us. Pray we realize that God can use our time of waiting to fill us with joy and thanksgiving.
Pray
our joy of God is real. Pray we prepare for the Lord. Pray that God has His way in our lives. Pray we experience a time of refreshing, renewing, restoring, and rejoicing as the people return to the Word of God, by the power of God, according to the plan of God, under the direction of God so we might all receive the blessings of God.
Pray this season we rediscover the blessings of giving. Pray we shine like lights in a dark world. Pray we be more joyous. Pray we become more holy. Pray we declare the truth. Pray Jesus prepares our hearts so that we never be lukewarm about the work of His church. Pray we repent. Pray we are readied by grace for His return to take up residence in our hearts. Pray we prepare for Christ coming to be God with us. Pray we listen to God’s good news. Pray we usher Jesus into our homes this season. Pray on our journey of faith we have the courage to look and to see and the ears to hear the joy of God in our lives now and always.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 