Tag: devotional

By Pastor Wes Poole

Pentecost…the great, generally underrated third of the “Big Three” celebrations of the church year. Sure, Christmas and Easter get all the good press, but how often do we give Pentecost its due? Pentecost comes a bit early this year, but we will still be missing one usual, and rather important part, Confirmation. Like last year, COVID has made it necessary to postpone that celebration until Reformation Sunday. It’s always inspiring to see young people make public profession of their faith and take their places as adult members of the church. That won’t be diminished at all by waiting until October, but where do we find meaning and relevance in Pentecost right now?

I’ve always found it imminently appropriate that Pentecost comes on the cusp of summer. We’re approaching a time of year when our attitudes towards the church and its ministry can become a bit lackadaisical. With the world opening up thanks to the vaccines, people are more eager than ever to get in the car, or on a plane, and simply go somewhere else! That’s certainly the case in our house. Christine, Ian, Julia and I are already planning a vacation that we can’t even take for another two and half months! It’s not hard to see where people’s minds are, and rightly so. I’ve never been of the opinion that one needs to apologize for looking forward to some well earned R and R. This is where the Spirit of Pentecost can be most helpful to us.

The “Spirit” of Pentecost…a fitting phrase if ever there were one. The Spirit is exactly what Pentecost is all about. For those early Christians long ago, it marked the day that God gifted His empowering and life giving Holy Spirit on His newly formed church. With the gift of the Spirit came the gifts of communication, understanding, and mission. All of these things are vital to the ministry of Christ’s Church, wherever it may be.  The traditional symbol for the Spirit at Pentecost is fire. The imagery is unmistakable. God has lit a flame of faith in each and every one of us; a flame which needs to be tended throughout the year. As we draw near to the summer months of rest and recreation, let us remember that our much needed recreation is just that…a re-creation of ourselves into hopefully better and even more enthusiastic workers in the Lord’s Vineyard.  Pentecost reminds us that even though the weather is warm and our thoughts may turn often to more idle pursuits, the Fire of the Spirit is still alive within us; moving us always forward in our journeys of faith.

May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire us to proclaim the Good News boldly, creatively, and joyfully!

Let us pray…

God of newness and rebirth, as you gifted those first Christians with the gift of your Holy Spirit, we ask that you gift us with a fresh outpouring of that same Spirit of Truth and Understanding. As we approach a time traditionally given to rest and revitalization, help us to emerge with renewed zeal and enthusiasm for ministry; that we might bring others to know your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe. I hope to see you Sunday…and don’t forget to wear red!

Blessings always,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Romans 12:15-16a

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another… – NRSV

“Wise believers acknowledge that when Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34), this was not simply a suggestion for getting along. So too, the Bible’s commands as to how we treat one another shouldn’t be considered optional. That’s not the nature of God’s commands.” The Rev. George Vink, a minister in the Christian Reformed Tradition

I want to take the opportunity with this week’s devotion to express my thanks to the many great people in our congregation who have gone out of their way in the last year to promote kindness, goodwill, and the harmony St. Paul is talking about above. It almost got by me, but last week marked the one year anniversary of your calling me as your pastor. In many ways, this past year has just been a year put on hold. We’ve done our best to stay the church in a time when it often seemed impossible to do so. We have weathered the proverbial storm together, difficulties notwithstanding. When I reflect back over the past year, what stands out for me are those times when one of you took a moment say something kind or encouraging, not just to me personally, but in general; helping create a spirit of family and goodwill. When kindness is our “default setting”, we are truly living Christ’s mandate to us. That means a great deal to me and gives me renewed hope for the future. This time next year, the world will likely look and feel a lot different. Good Shepherd will be there to meet whatever that future brings. There is hardly any greater witness to the seeker in our midst than a true spirit of harmony and concord.

Lent begins in a couple of weeks, and we will still be virtual. With the vaccines finally rolling out, the COVID numbers will hopefully start to tick down, and normalcy will return, bit by bit. For the moment, let’s tap into that collective spirit of goodwill and cooperation, and embrace a different kind of Lenten discipline. We are hoping to offer a weekly virtual Bible study on Wednesday nights. Your Faith Formation Team is working on making that happen. This Lent, may we delve deeper into the witness of Scripture and the example of loving-kindness Jesus modeled for us so clearly. St. Francis is quoted as saying “Preach the Gospel, if necessary use words.” This world still needs to hear what we have to “say”. Let’s make sure we speak clearly!

Let us pray…

God of all harmony and concord, we come to you in thanks for the gifts of family and community. Help us to make our communities of faith places where kindness is practiced, as well as discussed. Throughout history, you have shown the depth and scope of the love you bear for all of your people. Your Son showed us how to live, work, and have our being in community. Make his example always our “default setting”; reflecting your love all around us. We ask these things in the Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe!

Blessings Always,

Pastor Wes Poole †

by Pastor Wes Poole

PSALM 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. – NRSV

Some levity this week…with a message of course! 😉 

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and saw that she had only three hairs on her head. “Great,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.”

So she did and had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmm,” she said, “I guess I’ll part my hair down the middle.”

So she did and had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only one hair left on her head.

“Wow,” she said, “today I get to wear my hair in a ponytail.” So she did and had a wonderful, wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.

“Thank God!” she exclaimed. “I was running out of things to do with my hair!”

I have a confession to make…I am a news junkie! My addiction is always worse during an election cycle. When you throw COVID into the equation, it might be time for someone to stage an intervention on my behalf! All kidding aside, I have always believed that knowledge is power. Knowledge leads to understanding and understanding is key to a kind and just society. One thing though, that the savvy news fiend must be aware of these days is the reality of “spin”; the tactic of a journalist or network presenting their facts in such a way that it promotes an agenda. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite telling us simply “and that’s the way it is”. Not that I am running down the media, a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy. What we must develop is the skill to peer through the spin to discern the facts beneath.

The woman in the story above was practicing another variety of spin; an attitude we can personally apply to our lives. It’s much the same thing as the old “half full/half empty” glass debate. For the modern day disciple of Jesus, when we spin everything through the reality of God’s goodness, we find the level of thankfulness and joy the woman with ever decreasing hair did! The moral of the story is that God has provided us with so much. Perhaps we should make an extra effort to approach each day God gives us with thankfulness for what we have. It will undoubtedly render us more grateful and generous people. After all, there is nothing like a positive attitude to facilitate a wonderful day! 

Let us pray…

God of all goodness, we do indeed bless and thank you for your lavish generosity. You have given us so much. May our thankfulness to You inspire us to greater compassion and charity, and the unbridled joy that we live in the light of Your love. We pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Be well, be kind, be safe…and have a wonderful day!

Blessings,

Pastor Wes Poole †

By Pastor Wes Poole

I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field. – John Wesley

John 17: 11b

Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. – NRSV

Matthew 7:3

Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? – NRSV

Unity. We’ve been hearing a lot about it lately, in particular the lack thereof! The news cycle is inundated with it. In the midst of trying times, the call for us all to come together in a united purpose is, without a doubt, incredibly important. Whether it’s wearing a mask, getting the vaccine, or trying to heal the hurts of our nation caused by political acrimony and violence, “these are”, as Thomas Paine so famously put it, “the times that try men’s souls”. The more things change, the more they stay the same! As the Teacher in Ecclesiastes reminds us, “there is nothing new under the sun”. That may be, but we 21st century disciples of Jesus have a great deal to bring to the table as we attempt to move forward. 2021 has the potential of looking and feeling a whole lot different than 2020. New government, new vaccines, new challenges; we may not all agree on all of the specifics, but we should be able to come together as Christians to prioritize care for our neighbor, and the value and dignity of all people.

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers [meeting] together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. – A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

I came across the above quote in my personal devotions this week and it really resonated with me. My own penchant for musical metaphors notwithstanding, this notion of our being “tuned” to the tuning fork that is Jesus Christ is a powerful image! Regardless of our personal feelings about each other; our opinions, our politics, or even our personal issues with each other, Jesus is still the center…the standard by which we order our lives and relationships. As we look to the year ahead with hope, let us remember that Christ gave his whole self for the good of all Creation, and the whole world is indeed our mission field. As St. Patrick put it so beautifully, “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.” Amen to that!

Let us pray…

Heavenly Father, as we strive to move forward together in the coming year, help us to keep our hearts and minds centered on our Lord Jesus. Inspire us to live our lives, individually and as communities, in the way in which he showed us; acknowledging and valuing our uniqueness while finding ways to live and minister in unity. We pray these things in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe!

Blessings,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

James 1:19-20   You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness.  – NRSV

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. – Isaac Asimov, Foundation

If you hate a person, then you are defeated by them. – Confucius

Matthew 22:35–40  …a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” – NRSV

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

Like many of us, I have been transfixed in horror at the events of this past week. Last Wednesday we watched, in real time, a scenario which heretofore most of us would have only thought possible in the so-called Third World. We saw fellow Americans, motivated by anger and hatred, attempt to inflict violence on our elected officials, vandalize our Capitol Building, and attack other citizens. This violence caused the death of six people to date, and is fanning the flames of acrimony and division that we, as a nation already stressed out by pandemic fatigue and a contentious election, have been experiencing over the past year. I am not given to participating in partisan political debates in my official duties as a called and ordained pastor, and I will not do so now. However, this does not mean that we in the Church do not have something to say and demonstrate to our fellow Americans as we go forward.

An author for Reader’s Digest writes how he studied the Amish people in preparation for an article on them. In his observation at the school yard, he noted that the children never screamed or yelled. This amazed him. He spoke to the schoolmaster. He remarked how he had not once heard an Amish child yell, and asked why the schoolmaster thought that was so. The schoolmaster replied, “Well, have you ever heard an Amish adult yell?” 

I think we, as Christians at this fraught time in history, have something to learn from those Amish parents. Actions, particularly in the form of good examples, truly speak louder than words. It’s not that we in the Church can’t have deeply or passionately held political convictions. I certainly do! The way we relate to people who may not share our opinions though…that we can use as a powerful witness to a world that needs to experience the love and kindness that Jesus expects of his Church. Anger is an unavoidable emotion. Sometimes, that anger may even be considered righteous or justified. One thing is certain though, Jesus taught us that it is never OK to hate our neighbor! In the congregation, it can be as simple as being slow to criticize one another when something or someone may not meet with our approval or live up to our own arbitrary expectations. “Out there”, it means modeling those “fruits of the spirit” St. Paul lifted up for us in his letter to the Galatians: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Just think about how different last week would have looked had those fruits been operative! To be sure, we Christians have our work cut out for us in this often troubled world, but that is exactly why Jesus has commissioned us as ministers in his Holy Church, and set us loose on said troubled world. I’m not a big one for New Year’s resolutions, but maybe we could all, as a family of faith, commit ourselves in the coming year to be kinder, more loving, and more Christ like in our relationships, in or out of the church. The results are transformative…and as Jesus said, everything depends on it!

Let us pray…

God of all goodness, we come to you at this difficult time in the life of our nation, and ask that you make of us ever kinder and more patient. May we be slow to judge and quick to try to understand. As Your Son has shown us, loving You and each other are the two most important tasks of a disciple. Help us to be a people committed to this principle in all of our relationships. We ask these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe!

Blessings,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

2 Corinthians 4:6-7   For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.   But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. NRSV

As is usual this time of the year, I find myself looking to the months ahead. There is a certain rhythm to congregational life; a consistency and predictability that is familiar and comfortable. Of course, we all know now just how quickly such notions of normalcy can be irrevocably changed. As I write this, it is the very last day of Christmas. Tomorrow, when you are hopefully reading this, is the traditional celebration of the Epiphany. Easter isn’t until early April, so we have these important weeks after the Epiphany to continue to ponder God’s gift of Himself as the Light of the World. This year, in just about a week actually, my son Ian will turn 18. Looking back across those 18 years, I remember so clearly how those images of Epiphany, light, hope, and the possibilities of new life, resonated for me then. Perhaps this year, as we look to move past the difficulties of 2020 and the real hope that 2021 brings, taking extra time to focus on the transcendence of God’s Light piercing the darkness will prove to be even more beneficial.

Yes, the images of God’s Light shining in the darkness of our lives are quite powerful. They offer us a great insight into God and ourselves. In some of his most poignant writing, St. Paul gives us a beautiful discourse on God’s Light and how it is reflected in all our lives. God has “shone in our hearts” that we might catch a glimpse of His true glory. God’s light outshines any darkness. We have only to turn its beam in the right direction to watch what happens as the power of God overcomes all that sin would produce.

One of the other potent insights Paul gives us in this familiar passage is a picture of our humanity and how that is used by the God who created and cherishes us.  As God’s faithful ministers and co-workers, we are charged with the task of bearing His light; illuminating the dark corners of sin and death and bringing hope in the face of despair. Yet Paul says “that we have this treasure in clay jars”; not golden chests or jewel encrusted bowls, but common, breakable clay. We are like the clay jars. Through the cracks that appear in us, the light, which is the love of God, shines through; proving once again that some of God’s greatest works are done with the most ordinary parts of His Creation. That is Good News for us and for anyone else who sees the light shining through us. God accepts us, cracks and all, and allows us to take part in His Plan for all of Creation. As we move through these next few months and once again look towards the more somber season of Lent, let us remember that we are still God’s instruments of light and love; shining beacons of hope for a world that could use a bit more illumination. Shine the light and show others the way to the Father!

May the brightness of Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit allow us continually to turn darkness to light and sin into new life.

Let us pray…

God of Epiphany light, we realize that we, like the times we live in, do not always live up to potential or expectations. Help us acknowledge the cracks in ourselves, and offer them to you. As Paul reminds us, Your Light shines even through our own sin and imperfections. Keep us ever mindful You always value our efforts, and continually provide us the forgiveness and strength we need to carry on. We ask these things in the Name of Jesus, the Light of the World. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe!

Epiphany Blessings,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. NRSV

Happy New Year! Of course that’s the traditional greeting for this time of year and it is truly an appropriate one.  2021 is facing some serious expectations from all of us! 2020, has been tough. There’s no sense in trying to claim otherwise. Still, hope abides for the New Year. As is always the case, the old makes way for the new. Past experiences, both good and bad, are put aside as we ponder yet another year in ministry together. We should be happy about it! We’ve just celebrated one of the holiest and most festive times of the year. To be sure, it looked and sounded a bit different this year, but the glory of Christmas is still that one small life, born in a stable in Bethlehem; that one small life that banished darkness and sin forever. We bask in the reflected light of God’s love in Jesus Christ. The coming season of Epiphany is all about light; true, physical light that illuminates the season and the light of new understanding that comes with the knowledge of our salvation.`

The New Year will no doubt bring with it many joys and sorrows, triumphs and setbacks. That will be no different for us as a family of faith. The people of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will experience all of the highs and lows that life has to offer as we minister to God’s people in yet another New Year. What I pray we can remember is that the wonder of Christmas, the wonder of that little child, Emmanuel, God with us will not diminish as the year moves on. God love is not seasonal. He does not come to us at Christmas only to abandon us for the remainder of the year. God is always there, through Word and Water, Bread and Wine, Community and Fellowship. The Holy Spirit is blowing through and around us, constantly inspiring us to new and greater deeds in Jesus’ Name. In short, there is still plenty to do as we seek to live faithfully…and all of it helps to make the New Year a truly happy one. May we look fearlessly to our future and embrace the challenges God sets before us. We have but to trust in Him to see the miraculous happen!!

May Almighty God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit continue to show us the joy of service in the coming year.

Let us pray…

Once again, you have shown how your light shines in the darkness. As we turn from celebrating the wonder of your Incarnation to pondering the needs and challenges of the coming year, help us to continue being Christ in the World; serving our neighbors and reflecting your love around us. Anywhere we see need, merciful Lord, give us the strength and vision to meet it. We pray these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe.

Blessings Always,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…”  NRSV

…and it may seem as though our favorite festive season has blown right by us yet another year. As I write this, Christmas is three days away. Soon the Christmas Trees will, for the most part, be taken down; the ornaments and decorations stored for the year. The bright paper and ribbons will have made their way to the trash. The kids’ toys will likely already be half broken and all we’ll have to look forward to is the “boring” month of January and holiday bills coming due! “So, what’s your problem, pastor!?!” you might say.  “Are you trying to induce early post holiday depression!?!?”

No, I’m really not trying to depress anyone. I’m just recounting a common attitude that is prevalent during the post holiday months. It can seem almost like we have been let down; that the “high” of Advent and Christmas has simply been replaced by the same tired old routine of life. Well, it’s true that we can’t live at Christmas all of the time. Even the celebration of Christmas itself has had to be adjusted this year for the realities of the pandemic. Nevertheless, regardless of how they are experienced, all of life’s mountaintop experiences must end so we can put those experiences to good use. Advent and Christmas are no different. Through the celebration of our Lord’s Incarnation among us as a little child, we are put in a better position to face the coming year with the confidence and determination that comes from hearing that transcendent Good News. Accordingly, there is still work to be done! “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…” (That verse may well be one of the most useful in scripture!!!) The post holiday months need not be seen as uninteresting or lackluster. God has given us ministry to do and lives to live!  Our Lord is still calling to us all to place our very selves in His care and to continue the work He started with a baby in a manger so many centuries ago. There’s no time for boredom! The Lord and His Holy Church have need of us! As we approach the end of this admittedly difficult year and ponder the one ahead, I pray that we not lose sight of the ministry to which God called us. If you see your neighbor in need, and can help, please do so! If your financial situation permits, I would also ask that you remember your Good Shepherd family as well, as it has been a financially challenging time for the church at all levels. Regardless, God, in Jesus Christ has promised to be with us always; helping us through the “lows” of life and rejoicing with us in our successes. Is Christmas over all too soon? Well maybe, but there is plenty to keep us busy in the coming year. Let us strive to meet the opportunities God places before us with open hands and willing hearts.

May the power of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit invigorate us and comfort us as we rise to answer God’s invitation to service.

Let us pray…

God of Joy and Light, we come to you during this blessed season to ask that you fan the flames of our faith and help us recommit to the challenges of the coming year. We know that through easy or difficult times, you never leave us alone to our own devices. Help us always to take the Light you bring and shine it into the dark places; bringing hope and peace wherever it is needed. We also raise up to you prayers for health, healing, and continued hope in the New Year. We pray these things in the Name of Jesus, God Incarnate. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe.

Blessings Always,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, 

the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. NRSV

The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding. 

Martin Luther, Table Talk.

From my illustration archives…

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, “I am your king!” The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn’t. Instead he said, “You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the coarse food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!”

God is willing to make most any accommodation to have fellowship with us. Even becoming human.

_______

God is willing to make most any accommodation for us. What an amazing truth! This God we worship simply will not tolerate a diminished relationship with His cherished children. With all that we celebrate during the “holiday season”, this is perhaps the most profound of God’s gifts. In the church, we call it the Incarnation, the “Word living among us” as John the Evangelist reminds us in that deeply theological first chapter. Of course, with the two millennia of hindsight we enjoy, we know the true breadth of that gift. What will culminate at Easter began in that stable in Bethlehem. I think it is also important that we take note of just how God chose to come among us. While the Son of God could have legitimately become incarnate with great fanfare and splendor, he chose poverty and the humblest of circumstances. Strength through weakness, power through humility and service; these were the hallmarks of Jesus’ earthly ministry and the example he set for us all. While the need to serve our neighbor and relive the plight of the poor will always be at the heart of faithful, Christian ministry, 2020 has brought into extra high relief that perpetual need. Like the innkeeper who provided the Holy Family with what he was able, so do we look around us, see the needs of our brothers and sisters in our communities and beyond, and do what we can to meet those needs in the Name of Jesus. There is no greater witness to the eternal truth we celebrate at Christmas. God has given the gift of Himself. May we also continue to give of ourselves; making the glad tidings of Jesus and his love known to all people! 

Let us pray…

Incarnate God, you came among us to show us the way to live in service to you and our neighbor. Through your Incarnation, you showed us the truest examples of love and self-giving. As we celebrate your nativity at Christmas, help us never to lose sight of the plight of the poor and needy. The Holy Family depended on the kindness of others. May our lives and our good works show the world that all people can depend on us. We ask these things in the Name of Jesus, Our Lord Immanuel. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe!

Blessings,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Luke 2: 10-11

 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. – NRSV

The seasons of Advent and Christmas are times I really cherish.  The warmth of a loving God, revealed to us in the birth of His son, is made all the clearer to us as we celebrate together in the brisk cold of our Northeastern Winter. The weeks prior to Christmas are filled with a living tension and expectancy. God is coming!! After this, everything will be different. Even the festive, secular, and often overly commercial side of the season merely seems to add to the wonder, the beauty, and the sheer magic of this most blessed of celebrations.  

I recently watched, for the umpteenth time, one of my favorite movies, based on one of my favorite book series’, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Now many of you may think that’s a strange place to go for inspiration in writing an Advent devotion. Perhaps, but one thing I always take away from the film, which was very close to the book, was the sense of wonder in the eyes of the main character. Young Harry’s entire world was changed practically overnight. The dreary, joyless life he had led heretofore was transformed into one of limitless possibility and continual amazement. The look of pure, unadulterated delight in Harry’s eyes as his new life unfolded was poignant and quite touching. This is the look that can be seen in the eyes of the believer when we realize that God, in the person of a helpless little child, has transformed our existence into something new and wonderful. Life as it was known before is no longer. Now we see everything in the context of our new life in Jesus Christ.  

As we travel together the journey of Advent towards the miracle of Christmas, I hope we can capture some of the breathless amazement at the blessings our God has given us. Yes, this will be a Christmas like no other. COVID, once again, is forcing us to do things differently to keep one another safe. Nevertheless, COVID cannot change the fact that we are a family of faith, united together in the great hope that was first realized in a stable in Bethlehem. God has come among us and has changed us. Sin’s attempts to enslave us have been rendered futile and we have been set free to tell God’s story to the world. Let us stir up in ourselves and in those around us the wonder that is Christmas. It is the most miraculous story ever told. May we always tell it with the delight and wonder of a child!

And may Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit grant us a truly blessed celebration of His Son’s Nativity.

Let us pray…

God of all wonder and joy, we come to you in this most blessed of seasons to give you thanks for the advent of Immanuel in our lives. Help us always to show others the way to joy of living life in the light of your grace; shown in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is in his name we pray. Amen.

Be well, be kind, be safe, and be joyful! Immanuel is coming!

Blessings always,

Pastor Wes †