There are a lot of awesome things about growing up in a Christian family. Knowing you are grounded in your faith and having been steeped in the routines of it for a lifetime is a huge blessing. However, it can also mean that these routines can become rote or we take them for granted. Christmas carols can easily fall into this category. Especially if you are someone like me who has a pretty decent memory.
A LAMENT FROM THE PEOPLE: The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. - Matthew 4:16 Father, how much we need the reminder of our family history! - the good part, where You, the friend of sinners, call us Your friends, where You tell us
A LAMENT FROM THE PEOPLE... Oh, King of Peace, Prince of Peace! Oh, this world needs You. Peace isn’t something that we’ve got too much of, that’s for sure. If we’re looking at the big picture of the world or the little picture of our own lives- to have peace characterize our lives and our relationships sounds like a dream. And that it would take a miracle. We know it’s not supposed to depend on
A LAMENT FROM THE PEOPLE... So here we are, God. Our calendars tell us it's Advent and that we're to be celebrating. But frankly, God - and forgive our complaining - or perhaps it's truth-telling - but one quick look around the globe and the conflict and killing and the cruel way we treat each other - and it just reminds us how busted we are. We read the newspapers in the morning and the headlines
As the days grow shorter and our schedules grow busier, it can be hard to find the motivation to do the important things. Instead we rush around to events, doing Christmas shopping and the other activities that consume our precious time. And we wonder why we may seem unhappy or exhausted. We push aside our bodies and our spiritual needs in an effort to get things done. This month I am trying to balance my activities
When Dag Hammarskjold, the Secretary-General of the UN, was killed in a plane crash in Africa in 1961, the two books found in his briefcase were the Bible and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. Even though Thomas à Kempis was a monk in the 14th century, much of what he said can still apply to us today. I appreciate Kempis’ honesty. The central task of our lives should be to learn to
Let’s pray together. God- One of your children once said that joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God. Way back when, in the garden of Eden, there was joy. In Your presence. In the beauty of everything You made. There was joy. And since that bite of forbidden fruit, it has been an endless quest for that joy. More than anything, the deepest part of us long for
You are the Prince of Peace. You are the peace-giver. You are the peace-maker. We ask for the gift of peace. We look around and we see how badly our world needs peace. Around the globe, across our country, in our workplaces and in our neighbourhoods- we ask for peace that transcends our understanding (and misunderstanding) of things. Your peace can reach through difficult and hopeless situations and the how-can-anything-good-come-out-this sort of places. And
Let us pray.. Lord God, let the glow from your promises light the lives Of all the people here who are feeling tired and discouraged. Remind them of your touch and the sound of your voice. We have been too busy to sit with you, Too anxious to follow or put our lives into your care. Lord, may this season fulfill in our hearts The promise of his saving presence And redeem us
