12th. December. 2020. Daily Devotion.
3rd December 2020 A Candle in the Window Peter Millar
Words to encourage us in tough times. ionacottage@hotmail.com
A favourite poem from the great Welsh poet R.S. Thomas:
There are nights that are so still that I can hear the small owl calling far off, and a fox barking miles away.
It is then that I lie in the lean hours awake listening to the swell born somewhere in the Atlantic rising and falling, rising and falling wave on wave on the long shore by the village that is without light and companionless.
And the thought comes of that other being who is awake, too, letting our prayers break on him, not like this for a few hours, but for days, years, for eternity.
The burden of reality – words from Henri Nouwen:
Can we carry the burden of reality? How can we remain open to all human tragedies and be aware of the vast ocean of human suffering without becoming mentally paralysed and depressed? How can we live a healthy and creative life when we are constantly reminded of the fate of the millions who are poor, sick, hungry and persecuted? How can we even smile when we keep being confronted by pictures of torture and execution?
Maybe, for the time being, we have to accept the many fluctuations between knowing and not knowing, seeing and not seeing, feeling and not feeling, between days in which the whole world seems like a rose garden and days in which our hearts seem tied to a millstone, between moments of ecstatic joy and moments of gloomy depression, between the humble confession that the newspaper holds more than our souls can bear and the realisation that it is only through facing up to the reality of our world that we can grow into our own responsibility. (Nouwen’s many books have encouraged so many people around the world. Look him up in Google.) PM
Christmas is not always easy. Here is an excerpt from a busy mother’s take on her last Christmas Perhaps her suggestions may be easier to realise this year.: CA
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. ~ Luke 2:7
These are typical words we hear during the Christmas season: merry, peace, happy, joyful, jolly, cheer, and good will. But for many, Christmas is just the opposite of these terms. It can be a time when many sink into deep depression. The days are shorter and so are the pocketbooks. The only thing brimming over is a barrage of commitments: concerts, parties, school plays, church programs, shopping, wrapping, baking, etc.
I have been a church musician most of my life. I have enjoyed doing this, but at Christmas a musician is spread very thin; everyone wants music, old carols, and concerts. Not only was I a church musician, but I also had several part-time jobs, five children, a husband, and a dog. It’s no wonder I ended up in the hospital in January. I was never so worn out in my life. It was not a merry, joyful, jolly, peaceful time of cheer. The only relief I had was an I.V. in my arm and a not-so-comfortable bed.
I think maybe the time has come to make a new Christmas reality checklist. Maybe we need to put a limit on our commitments. Could the decorations be less? Could we limit our card sending? Could we buy less? Could we commit to only the very important things? Could we still have Christmas without Christmas having us?
Jesus’ birth was a simple event, just a couple, Mary and Joseph; a long trip to Bethlehem; and no room at the inn. My goodness, the royal King Immanuel was born in a stinking cow stall and wrapped in rags. Luke 2:12 says, “This shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Maybe our sign is that we need to follow in His humble footsteps and focus on things much more important. He tells us not to be anxious for anything, so maybe we could scale down all the things that give us anxiety and cast all our cares on Him. That’s what He wants anyway. We give Christ our hearts, and He will fill us with peace, love and joy.
We can still do the Christmas things that give us pleasure. It’s always good to show love to others, but when all the activities become a burden, we let God draw the line on our Christmas reality checklist. Then, when our friend sends out 100 handmade Christmas cards while we send out zero, we do not feel bad because we did not cross God’s line. This is the way, at the very least, to a more peaceful, manageable Christmas.
Thank you, God, for the simple birth of a royal King, my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Amen. ~ Jenny Calvert
Advent Prayer
Holy Lord, as I wait for the dawn that will arise with the coming of the Christ child, I do so with anticipation of new and unexpected challenges. Like Mary, I sense the birth pangs of a new era, a new kingdom waiting to be born. Grant that I, like Mary, be filled with courage and openness to bear the Christ-child, by receiving and bringing forth the Good News. Let me be witness to your truth and justice, as I walk along the path of peace, as I am strengthened in my love for Christ and my fellow man. Amen.
Prayers 3-5 for Sunday evening at 7:00 pm Scottish Christians’ Advent Prayers
Lord, we are those who journey on
Towards the horizon where light shall surely break.
We journey in times where we are distanced
And trust that in time the distance shall be overcome.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for those who care for the living
And for the dying.
We pray for the bereaved and for the bereft
And ask that you draw near to them in your compassion.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer.
Lord, we are those who have heard
Of the true light that is coming into the world.
We ask that we might become your messengers
And bear witness to Jesus Christ, the light of God that is to come.
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Amen.
