Thought for Friday December 30

Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;
let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Colossians 3: 12 – 21  Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another,  if one has a grievance against another;  as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.  And over all these put on love,  that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.

Am I holding on to any grievances?  Does peace control my heart?

Action:  Make a list of all of the things you need to leave in 2016 and leave them there.  Enter the New Year committed to compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness.  Put on love.  And be thankful.

Thought for Thursday December 29

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

 

Luke 2: 22 – 35  The parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,

 

How do I think Mary and Joseph felt while presenting Jesus to the Lord?   How do I think the God felt?

 

Action:  Present yourself to God and ask him what he wants you to do today.

 

Thought for Wednesday December 28

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Matthew 2: 13 – 18  The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.  Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

Is “run away and hide” the advice I would expect from the God who sent plagues to Egypt, wiped out the Amalekites, and destroyed Jericho?  Does the birth of Jesus seem to usher in a new era in God’s dealings with his people?

Action: Make a point of doing something nice for the “innocent” people around you.

 

Thought for Tuesday December 27

Rejoice in the Lord, you just!
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

John 20: 1 – 8 They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.

Do I ever feel like Jesus is missing?  Do I ever wonder where he is?

Action:  This is the Christmas Season keep celebrating even though most of society is putting away Christmas.

Thought for Monday December 26

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Acts 6: 8 – 10, 7: 54- 89  Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people.

Who is working great wonders among the people today?  Am I doing anything good?

Action:  Bear witness to Christ and the message of Christmas.

Thought for Friday December 23

Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

Alleluia, alleluia.

Luke 1: 57 – 66  Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.

What do I see God doing for other people?  Do I rejoice with them?

Action:  Rejoice with your family and friends for the next week or so – eat great food, sing carols, cheer on your favorite teams and don’t forget to thank God for everything he has done for you and them.

Thought for Thursday December 22

Alleluia, alleluia.
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Luke 1: 46 – 56  From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

What great things has the Lord done for me?  Who do I call “blessed”?

Action:  Start relaxing into Christmas confident that you are blessed and that the Lord will continue to do great things for you.

Thought for Wednesday December 21

Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
Alleluia, alleluia.

Song of Songs 2: 8 – 14  My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! “For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

Does this passage/promise brighten my day (the shortest of the year)?   Do I associate the coming of Christ at Christmas with the arrival of a lover?

Action:  Make the most of the shortest day of the year – it is my best chance to “be good all day long.”

Thought for Tuesday December 20

Alleluia, alleluia.
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Luke 1: 26 – 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

Mary took the news of her “situation” pretty well; how would I have handled it?  Do I have enough inner peace to accept whatever God asks of me?

Action:  Offer yourself to God as Mary did, or acknowledge why you can’t.

Thought for Monday December 19

Alleluia, alleluia.
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!

Alleluia, alleluia

 Luke 1: 5 – 25  And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

Does the way I live my life  bring joy and gladness to my parents?  What could I do to make people rejoice over my existence?

Action:  Do something today your Mom & Dad and God the Father would be proud of.

Thought for Thursday December 15

I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Isaiah 54: 1 – 10  So I have sworn not to be angry with you, or to rebuke you. Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken,  My love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

Do I ever question God’s love for me?  Am I better able to love others because I am confident in God’s love for me?

Action:   Be loving.

 

Thought for Wednesday December 14

Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.

Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior.

Isaiah 45: 6 – 25  I am the LORD, there is no other; I form the light, and create the darkness, I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things.

Do I ever take credit for something God did?   How important is it to acknowledge that God is God?

Action:  When you light your Advent candles, take a moment to thank God for creating the light.

Thought for Tuesday December 13

The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

Matthew 21: 28 – 32  A man had two sons.  He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’  The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went.  The man came to the other son and gave the same order.  He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go.  Which of the two did his father’s will?”

Which one am I?  Which way do people usually respond to my requests for help?

Action:  The next time God asks you to do something (probably through someone else) say “Yes” and then do it.

Thought for Monday December 12

You are the highest honor of our race.
Your deed of hope will never be forgotten
by those who tell of the might of God.
You are the highest honor of our race.

Zechariah 2: 14 - 17  Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!

When am I silent – without TV, radio, books, gadgets, etc. – in the presence of the Lord?  Is finding time to be silent part of my Advent?

Action:  Find time for Silence.

Thought for Friday December 9

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

Matthew 11: 16 – 19  But wisdom is vindicated by her works.

What works have I seen wisdom produce?  Do I respect wisdom?

Action:  Talk to three wise people this weekend and heed what they say.

Thought for Thursday December 8

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

Luke 1: 26 – 38  Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

How hard is it to say yes to God?   Would I ever give God such an open-ended yes as Mary did, or do I want more control?

Action:  Say yes to something God has been trying to get you to do. 

Thought for Wednesday December 7

O bless the Lord, my soul!
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
 O bless the Lord, my soul!

Matthew 11: 28 – 30  Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

How tired am I?  How important are the things I have accepted as burdens?

Action:  Let go of some burden that wasn’t really important anyway.

Thought for Tuesday December 6

The Lord our God comes with power.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice.
The Lord our God comes with power.

Matthew 18: 12 – 14  Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion?  If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?

Does my answer change depending on whether I see myself as the 1 rescued or one of the 99 left alone?  If I am one of the 99, what responsibility do I have to the shepherd and the stray?

Action:  Look out for the one likely to go astray.

Thought for Monday December 5

Our God will come to save us!
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
Our God will come to save us!

Isaiah 35: 1 – 10    The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Do I have a picture of the promises of God that is as clear as Isaiah’s?    Can I imagine the dramatic change that would occur if a river sprang up in the desert?

Action:  Take the time during Advent to develop a clear picture of what God has promised you.

Thought for Friday December 2

The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Matthew 9: 27 – 31  Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done for you according to your faith."

Do I really want something done to me according to my faith?  Does God care for me based on my faith or his love?

Action:   Treat people better than they treat you.