Welcome to the Sunday Devotion for 8 January 2023. As of this morning, we have completed 7 days of the year 2023. How have those 7 days been going for you? Have you been able to rewind, refuel and regain a calmer, less stressful life? We can find ourselves so focused on the secular part of Christmas, we get tired and worn out. Let’s take a deep breath and turn our mind’s focus on what we were really celebrating at Christmas – the amazing gift of God coming to earth through the embodiment of Jesus.
As I look through our church’s worship resources, I see “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos' as our weekly worship theme. Being curious about the literal interpretation of these words, I go to Google Translate and find it is Zulu meaning “We walk in the light of the Lord”. We have a song in our Community of Christ’s Sings Hymnal where we sing this song “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos'” - “We are Marching in the Light of God”. I get excited and imagine drumming along on my djembe as the congregation sings with strong rhythm and joy-filled voices. If you are not familiar with this song, listen to it on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyNn5nPW57Y . "We are marching in the light of God. We are marching, marching, marching. We are marching in the light of God.” This song shines light in my life’s path. It helps me refuel and I can feel God’s spirit swell within me. It draws me to the love of God by reminding me we can live and move and work in the light of God. How do we walk in the light of God? The Bible states in James 1:17 that light comes from the Lord God, the “Father of the heavenly lights”. In John 1:3-5 John states, “What has come into being [God] is life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” And “If we walk in the light as He [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)” The lesson we learn from scripture is that as we walk with God, we walk “in the light of God”, which also means we walk with Jesus whom we consider as “the light” in this world. We “walk” in Jesus’ light by following His teachings, drawing upon His power, and putting his lesson of love and grace into action. In John chapter 8, Jesus said again to the people, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” I find refreshing hope, generous love and a blossoming spirit when walking with Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos'” Let us walk in the light of the Lord together. Let’s create testimonies of peace and love, generosity and grace as we claim the peace of Jesus Christ and make Christ’s mission our mission.
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Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. It was so beautiful to wake up this morning and realize, “It’s Christmas!” My head is full of the images from last night’s Christmas Eve candlelight service and the live nativity performed by the children. We hadn’t been together for the Christmas Eve service since Dec 2019, so it was very special to be together again and hear the story of Jesus’ birth through scripture and song and then ending the service with our traditional handheld candles whose flames originated with the Christ Candle of the Advent Wreath. May this special season of Christmas bring to mind the great love God has for you, and may we all strive to share love, hope, joy and peace daily as we find ways to reach out to all people with a generous heart.
“O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Immanuel” Today the Chesapeake Bay Mission Center offers a pre-recorded Christmas Day worship service. Friends throughout the Mission Center have offered their ministry in this worship video. Link for this video is below. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DO5H7rMIu9LIwskelD3u3MSXjJOxMb9S/view Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. We are so close to Christmas and it is exciting. One of the things I love most are the immense changes in all that we see and hear. It means something’s different. I love the Christmas carols. We are taken back in time to hear the story of Jesus’ birth and all the hope and love it promised. The words are timeless, however, because the hope and promise are still so important today.
One song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and the story about its origin really speaks to me. Phillips Brooks, a young preacher and staunch abolitionist, found himself exhausted from years of the Civil War and longed for rest, so he went to the Holy Land, hoping to find peace. There, he visited the small town of Bethlehem. He found a silent spot and looked over the land, bathed in the darkness of night, and the lines jumped to his mind: “O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, a silent star goes by.” There is so much to experience as we read through the verses. The first two lines of the third verse is not well known but comes with a special message that Jesus, God’s amazing gift to us, entered the world with no pomp and circumstance, but in the quiet stealth of night. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. Someone recently suggested I go to the last verse of the carols, because there we often find a profound message so needed by today’s world. The fourth and final verse reads: O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us; abide in us, Our Lord, Immanuel. What better words are there for us to pray? O come to us; abide in us, Our Lord Immanuel. Amen. Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I love finding inspirational stories and today I want to share the following story. This week the Advent theme is Joy. What better way to add joy to someone’s life than do something unexpected for them. Give of yourself. Be generous. You can make a difference.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought his paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him. While painting, he noticed a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it. When he finished painting, he received his money and left. The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting. The painter was surprised and said “You've already paid me for painting the boat Sir!” “But this is not for the paint job. It's for repairing the hole in the boat.” “Ah! But it was such a small service... certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant.” “My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened: “When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention the hole. “When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip. “They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time. “When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole. “Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing. “Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! “You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your 'small' good deed.” So no matter who, when or how, continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively, and carefully repair all the 'leaks' you find. You never know when one is in need of us, or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone. Along the way, you may have repaired numerous 'boat holes' for several people without realizing how many lives you've save. ❤️ Make a difference....be the best you... Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In this second week of Advent, we light the candle of Hope. Advent is a time of preparation as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus. As we move toward Christmas, we must take advantage of this time of preparation. Otherwise, Christmas Day will come and go in a flurry of wrapping paper, cards, and cookies. We could miss the real reason and all the peace and hope that we experience on the path. It is the power of hope that moves us forward.
In Romans 15:4, Paul talks about how the scriptures “were written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” When I read that statement I decided to query the internet for scriptures offering hope and encouragement. In Isaiah 41:10 the scriptures say, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." In Philippians 4:6-7 we read, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I personally find strength and hope as I read these passages. In Joshua 1:9 it says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." I worry about too many things and sometimes I get discouraged. But when I read even these few lines of scripture, I feel a sense of peace and hope. I am reminded that God is always with me. When I close my eyes at night, I try to look back at my day and be thankful. So many times, I have witnessed God’s hand in my life and felt blessed. Intentionally reminding myself of specific times that God has eased my fears and allowed me to be hopeful, even confident, about future outcomes, strengthens me and bolsters my faith. I pray you find a bit of hope every day that speaks of God’s presence. And as you find the presence of God, remember the hope that Jesus represented. For generations, people spoke of and longed for the Messiah, God’s son, to come among us. We are fortunate that we know the Messiah did come. We must use this very short time to once again prepare the manger. Prepare it with love, peace and hope. author: Bonnie Barber Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I expect there are still leftovers in the fridge from your Thanksgiving meal. And, I pray, you have some meaningful and special memories of time spent either in person with family or friends, or via phone, texts, or social media. This is a wonderful time of year when we get to transition from a swelling of thankfulness to the special meaning of Christmas.
This is the first Sunday of Advent and as we progress through the weeks leading to Christmas, we often assign Peace, Hope, Joy or Love to one of the four candles of the Advent Wreath. This week we assign Peace to candle #1. If you are feeling euphoric from your season of thankfulness, it might feel natural to move into the sense of peace emitted from the flicker of the Advent candle. God gave us His son, Jesus, to further His love and peace into the world. However, there is not peace in the world today. There are warring nations, heartbreaking acts of violence, and politically-divided people. As we face unrest, frustration and brokenness, this is a perfect time to gaze into the flame of the Advent candle and remember the immense love and grace of God as we reflect on the birth of His son, Jesus. One of my favorite scriptures foretelling of a peoples’ move toward peace is in Isaiah 2:1-5 where “[people] will beat their swords into iron plows, and their spears into pruning tools. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war.” In Isaiah, the people of Judah were being invited to take the first steps toward creating Zion and the reign of God: “Let us walk in the light of the Lord” (v. 5). We must also walk in that light and we keep alive the hope of peace to come. But how can we do that? Remember in your preparation for Christmas to mindfully move through each step, allowing God and God’s call for peace, to be part of it. What gestures or generous acts, big or small, can melt the weapons and words of war into a spirit of love, compassion and oneness? Let’s begin our Advent season with peace. May God’s spirit fill you and give you inspiration and resolve to be an ambassador for peace and justice as you walk your journey in this world. Amen. (author: Bonnie Barber) "Witness the Suffering Servant" Christian liturgy on this day calls for us to remember the suffering Jesus went through on the last day of His life. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it’s to realize in times of need our solace is in our relationship with the Divine.
When the time came for Jesus to embark on his final journey, he asked for time alone to talk to God. His disciples waited under the olive trees while Jesus walked ahead and prayed. He lay his burdens at his Father’s feet for he was troubled, however he wasn’t afraid of death or pain. His very heart was heavy-laden with the weight of the sin of the world on it. Like Jesus, we need to surrender our fears and turn to Him in meaningful prayer and discernment. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it’s to recognize that as Jesus walked that lonesome Calgary Road, so must we. In the lyrics of hymn “Jesus Walked this Lonesome Valley, Community of Christ hymnal #452, it reads: “You must go and stand your trial, you have to stand it by yourself. Oh, nobody else can stand it for you. You must stand it by yourself.” Yes, there will be difficult times, but we must have faith and be comforted by the knowledge that we don’t walk the valley alone. God is with us. There was only one path for Jesus and that was to the cross. So must we too carry our cross in the same manner and surrender wholly and fully to God’s will. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it is to remember that hard times don’t last forever. For three days after Jesus’ death, darkness descended over the world. Many might have thought it was the end of days, not fully understanding it wasn’t the end, but the beginning of true salvation for everyone. We are all worthy of His compassion and His forgiveness – be assured. That assurance is dawn in the distance, light on the horizon. It is HOPE for all mankind. The world reawakened with Jesus’ resurrection and so, too, on this day, we must remember Jesus’ suffering not as a reminder that His life ended, but the new beginning his sacrifice gave us all. What possibilities do you see for the compassion of Christ to be transformational in today’s world? And how can you be part of that transformation? (author: Deb VanHeest) Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Happy World Kindness Day! And it couldn’t have come at a better time, right? World Kindness Day is an international holiday that was formed in 1998 to promote kindness throughout the world. As part of the World Kindness Movement, it is observed annually in many countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia and the U.A.E. Beautifully stated, the theme of World Kindness Day this year is “Be Kind Whenever Possible,” which was taken from a Dalai Lama quote: “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
As I look at my statement earlier when I said World Kindness Day couldn’t have come at a better time, I realize that I need to retract that statement. It infers that we need World Kindness Day to make us kind. But it is not a day delegated to kindness that will make a difference. We need to make a difference. And we shouldn’t need one day of the year to remind us. But, unfortunately, perhaps we do. Kindness must go beyond a fleeting trend or a singular act. Kindness needs to be a lifestyle and mindset that implores us to live our lives with greater empathy and justice. Kindness asks us to go beyond niceties and good manners. Kindness must be a transformative action that offers compassion, inclusion and love. Did you know that there are scientific facts about being kind? Experiencing acts of kindness makes kindness contagious. We experience kindness and we react by offering acts of kindness, as well. I googled for inspirational quotes and found these: “You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead “Because that’s what kindness it. It’s not doing something for someone else because they can’t, but because you can.” Andrew Iskanders Yes, we can go to modern quotes and inspirational phrases about kindness, but the best words of kindness are rooted in scripture. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV) “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 ESV) We must celebrate and live kindness every day. “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great.” (Luke 6:35 ESV) In offering kindness, we can be like patient zero – we can start an epidemic of kindness. Be well, my friends. And be kind. Welcome to the Sunday morning devotion. Our theme today is “Have Courage” and our scripture reference is from Haggi. This reference is basically the story of the Jews who were banished to Babylon returning to Judea. They want to restore the temple that was trashed by the Babylonians, but resources were scarce, and the people put off restoring the temple. Eventually God lets the people know that it is time to stop procrastinating and get on with rebuilding the temple. However, the people are still reluctant to do the renovations. Their hearts were not in it and resources remained scarce.
Have you ever put off doing something which you knew needed done because you were uncomfortable and didn’t think you had the resources to do it. I have. There was a time not too long ago that I knew it was time to relocate, sell my house and begin a whole new chapter in my life. I kept putting it off. I felt that my life was over and not worth moving on. Eventually, with the help of my family and my church family I began to move forward. God paved the way for me to sell my home and find a new place to live. It’s not the same but it is fine for my needs. I found the courage to move forward as did the people of Israel. The temple that they built was not as glamorous as Solomon’s temple, but it was good in God’s eyes. They knew that God had not deserted them and loved them for their efforts. There are going to be many times in life when we have to do that which is scary and uncomfortable, and it will take courage - the courage that comes from a close relationship with God. God can do marvelous things and he wants to walk with each of us as we move into new territory. As we go into this next week with a national election, may we use the courage that God shares with us to vote with confidence and courage. Author: Kathy Wolfe Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. As I explored the worship resources for this week, we find in Habakkuk 1:1-4 and 2:1-4 that the prophet Habakkuk is among those who no longer find satisfactory answers to the concept that if you are disobedient, you will be cursed (punished). Today, I find it unfathomable to apply punishment to victims of violence, let alone the horror of conquest and devastation.
I find myself feeling anxious as I witness the injustices of today. For me I think about everything from homelessness to the war raged upon the people of Ukraine. I feel broken over the mass shootings and the drills for children ages 5 – 18 should a shooter come into their school. I see even more injustices in our laws, minimum wages, and issues of health insurance. What injustices come to your mind? Have you ever felt like protesting against the injustice you see in the world? What did you do? In the DC area we have opportunities to participate in a protest virtually every week. Some think that protests are not for them. This is where I ask, “Do you vote?” Voting is a way of protesting. By voting you make your voice heard and our Election Day is only a week away – November 8th. We could spend hours discussing the injustices we see in our communities, our country and the world. How do we apply our faith in today’s world? God reminds the prophet Habakkuk that the righteous live by faith, even when circumstances are difficult and the result unclear. As I reflect on personal parts of my life that were very painful, I do know that it was my faith that held me together and gave me strength. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chronicles 16:11) "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11) "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6) I pray that as we face injustice, violence and devastation, we turn toward the divine. God inhabits the very breath that we breathe. Take a deep breath. Scoop it up in your hands and let it flow over you. Then find a way to make a difference. Face the injustice by becoming informed. Talk about it and challenge the minds around you. We are told to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus also used his voice. Let’s use ours. Let’s use our voices to bring the peace of Jesus Christ. Author - Bonnie Barber |
AuthorVarious authors throughout the Chesapeake Bay Mission Center and beyond provide these thought-provoking weekly devotions. Archives
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