tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42108496522472641552024-03-12T20:52:09.156-05:00Grace and PeaceMusings and ramblings of a United Methodist pastor.Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.comBlogger400125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-85993020763586836992016-12-13T09:08:00.000-06:002016-12-13T09:08:19.972-06:00Music of Advent - O Come, O Come Emmanuel<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 3, Tuesday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348638568" target="_blank">Isaiah 7:10-15</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/o_come_o_come_emmanuel_and_ransom" target="_blank">O Come, O Come Emmanuel </a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">original Latin 9th century; other authors are Henry Sloan Coffin (st. 2), 1916 and Laurence Hull Stookey (st 4, 5, 6, and 7), 1986<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">O Come, O Come Emmanuel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">And ransom captive Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">That mourns in lonely exile here<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Until the Son of God appear<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Shall come to thee, O Israel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Have you ever waited for something to happen and held out hope in spite of not seeing that hope realized? I was not a very patient youth or young adult. I would often get agitated if I felt things were not coming together in a timely fashion. After agitation, then came worry, and then doubt, and then second-guessing myself. If it continued, it could turn into a full-blown crisis and I may become completely confused over how I could have possibly missed it. There was one such occurrence when I was in my twenties. I felt God leading in a direction that I thought I followed, but things didn’t seem to be going well. Then they went from not well to worse. Was I wrong? Was I doing something wrong? Maybe I understood it wrong? Wait...what? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">After having this type of situation happen a time or two in my life, I became more patient. Okay, to be perfectly honest, I got older. I simply didn’t have the energy to twist around like that anymore. So patience often looked more like resignation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I cannot imagine a multi-generational holding pattern</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That is something to think about as we are in the middle of Advent and the waiting.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We can barely wait the four weeks of Advent to rush to Christmas.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And once we get to Christmas, often we do not take the appropriate twelve days to appreciate the gifts of the season.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We rush to take down the decorations and move on with our New Year’s plans.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Humans in general can be terrible at waiting.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If it came naturally, you wouldn’t see self-help gurus trying to teach patience.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> But our waiting is nothing in comparison to the years of waiting the </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Israelites</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> endured. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">However, as Christians, we also wait. We wait for the return of the Christ. This is a multi-generational hope that Christians have held onto through the centuries. Only it varies from group to group. There are the groups who make elaborate claims, take out billboards, speak on radio and television about the exact date that they have come up with based on this calendar or that sign. We have seen at least three in the past 5 years. Then there are those who have given up this hope and figure we understood wrong, and try to find other meaning in the passages of scripture foretelling return of the Lord. Some of these theories may have some validity, but I think in our effort to have a literal interpretation, we have forgotten to try to figure out the initial meaning in the first place, which is God came to live among us and in us. The Kingdom of God is not a someday when we die location, it is a here and now place we live into as Christians. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">One time I heard a story about Martin Luther that has been my answer should anyone ask me about what I felt about the ‘second coming.’ Martin Luther, is the German monk who tried to reform the Catholic Church only to have to flee for his life. He was asked if he felt Christ would return in his lifetime, to which he indicated he did feel the return would be during his time. He was then asked what he </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">would</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">do if he knew Christ was returning tomorrow.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Plant a tree today,” he replied.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meaning, he would continue to live, making plans for the future.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">‘</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">We do not know when Christ may return, or if the return will be during our lifetimes. However, we have a job to do, and we cannot cut out early—we make disciples, we bring heaven to earth, we look for the good in the world, we speak truth, and above all else, we love one another. We sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel with new understanding. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>O come, thou Wisdom from on high</i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>and order all things far and nigh</i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>To us the path of knowledge show</i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><i>and cause us in her ways to go.</i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Shall come to thee, O Israel </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">and shall name him Immanuel. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah 7:14</span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-22732834999236460292016-12-12T09:39:00.004-06:002016-12-12T17:16:56.974-06:00Music of Advent - Blessed be the God of Israel<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 3, Monday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348556954" target="_blank">Luke 1:68-79</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/blessed_be_the_god_of_israel_who_perry" target="_blank">Blessed be the God of Israel</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Michael Perry, 1973<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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My father was 47 years old when I was born. I can only imagine the conversation between he and my mother. “We are going to have a baby, I’m pregnant.” “You’re what!” Of course, ‘how did that happen’ is an in appropriate question, but often a thought. I can’t imagine my coming was expected. There was probably a bit of “we’re past all that now. We have teenagers for Pete’s sake!” In spite of my parents age or how much of a surprise I must have been, I never doubted my parents love for me. While not expected, I was nevertheless a joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I would imagine that Zechariah had similar thoughts at the pronouncement of the angel that left him literally speechless. The billion and one reasons why the thought is madness, the worries, the fears, the feelings of inadequacy that go through the mind in a split second. Then at the end of the second of scrolling worries, comes a flash of shining </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">thought—pure joy!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Zechariah waited silently through the term of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. At the moment of the birth of John, and his writing down the name of the child, he was delivered from his silence and began to speak. What did he say first? He praised God, then he began to sing “Blessed be the God of Israel!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">May we all sing for joy at the good news of the Christ child. Praise God of all people, because he has come and has brought salvation to the people of God. We are saved from darkness and death, and God will guide our feet to peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">By the tender mercy of our God,<br />
the dawn from on high will break upon us,<br />
to give light to those who sit in darkness <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">and in the shadow of death,<br />
to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Luke 1:78-79<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-68213484025101014782016-12-12T08:59:00.003-06:002016-12-12T08:59:40.326-06:00Music of Advent - Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Third Week of Advent—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348554529" target="_blank">Psalm 24</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/lift_up_your_heads_ye_mighty_gates_behol" target="_blank">Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Georg Weissel, 1855<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates;<br />
behold, the King of glory waits;<br />
the King of kings is drawing near;<br />
the Savior of the world is here! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I have been known to go a bit overboard on decorating the house for Christmas. In recent years I have scaled it back a bit, not really because I find it prudent to do so, but because my children are grown and are no longer around to help me decorate. Most years of my ministry I hold an open house at Christmas. I do this so I can invite the church to come and see the parsonage that they lovingly provide. I also do this because I like decorating for Christmas and I want others to see it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Right before the open house there is what can only be called a cleaning frenzy. It’s part of the tradition of Christmas now. Some people have spring cleaning, we have advent cleaning. We prepare the house to receive honored guest and treasured friends. I try to do this in plenty of time that I can de-frazzle before the guests arrive. It wouldn’t do for the house to be perfect and my attitude to be poor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This hymn echoes the words of Psalm 24, “Lift up your heads, O gates! It is a call to prepare to receive the King, at his arrival. Part of the preparation told about in the Psalm is the preparation of the people of the city to greet the coming King. They should prepare themselves by having clean hands and pure hearts, to be loyal to what is true and to be trustworthy and true themselves. I think this is a great message for Advent. Prepare yourself to receive the coming King. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Have clean hands, meaning do that which can be considered clean. It is what we do, more than what we think. Do you treat others honestly? Do you steal? Do you harm? Have clean hands with which to receive the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">You should have hearts that are pure, that does not think about all the bad, but think the thoughts of <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348554510" target="_blank">Philippians 4:8</a>.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Dwell on the </span>positive, rather than the negative. See good in people and in yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">To receive the King well, we should focus on what is true, and not give loyalty (or attention) to what is false. And we should not be false ourselves, meaning we do not gossip or pass along bad information. I think this is an important part of preparing our hearts in our day and age of satire in the media and the perpetuation of false stories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Go to the extent to receive the Lord as you would to receive honored guests. I find that once my guests arrive, I look at the house through the eyes of my guests. I notice all those things I had not noticed before. I forgot to dust the cobwebs from the corners. That window blind has a slat that is askew. The tile on the floor seems to be coming up just a little in that area over there. I find this as much part of the process as anything. Noticing what they notice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">How does that relate to preparing for the coming of Christ? What would you start to see in your life that in the light of the Light of the World, and through the eyes of Jesus comes starkly into view. What cobwebby corners have you neglected? What in your life is askew and not in line with the teachings of the Christ child? What areas need repair, need cleaning, need clearing out? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Lift up your heads, O Gates! Give us clean hands and pure hearts! Let us prepare for the coming of the Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,<br />
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,<br />
and do not swear deceitfully. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> Psalm 24:4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-12344001753335471332016-12-11T07:57:00.001-06:002016-12-11T07:57:30.591-06:00Music of Advent - Emmanuel, Emmanuel<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Saturday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348464538" target="_blank">Matthew 1:18-24</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/emmanuel_emmanuel" target="_blank">Emmanuel, Emmanuel </a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Bob McGee, 1976<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Emmanuel, Emmanuel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">His name is called, Emmanuel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">God with us, revealed in us<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">His name is called, Emmanuel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">When we think about the God of the universe, we often think of a deity with supreme power, larger than life, invincible. Then Advent rolls around year after year and tells us of a child born that shall be called “God with us.” Suddenly our perspective changes and we ooh and coo like we would with any infant entering our world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">When I was fifteen, my niece was born—the first grandchild loved by one and all. Even though I was old enough to babysit, I was given all the typical instructions on how to hold her. “Keep her head up,” “Support her neck.” “Don’t drop her!” I chuckle to think about how we fuss over the littlest of us. This is how it should be; babies are vulnerable and fragile. They are not capable of walking or feeding themselves. They must be supported and hand fed for most of their first year. They cannot defend themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">How can the God of the universe come as one so fragile? How can the supreme deity, invincible and powerful, subject Godself to the whims of humanity? What if the parents God chose to bear this child fail to keep the baby safe? What about other children, who can be cruel? What about powerful, evil rulers who enact decrees that can harm children and their families? Why would God come in human flesh at all?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">From the very beginning, God sought to be in relationship with creation and with humans instilled with the very image of the divine. So much potential we have for good! So much power we have for evil! The God who desires relationship couldn’t let a little thing like flesh distance humanity from God. No, God continues to seek out relationship with all of humanity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">The song, </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Emmanuel, Emmanuel,</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> reflects the words of the angel in Matthew 1. We sing “Emmanuel, God with us.” The phrase after that is the line to which we do not give significant weight—”revealed in us.” God is revealed in us!</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">God desires relationship with humanity and comes in the form of a fragile baby. As we ooh and coo, we might remember the God who loves us so much, that God stepped into flesh to struggle, hunger, sweat, and tire along with us, and in the end, to die as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps this child brings out the divine in all of us. How are you revealing God remembering the child of the manger?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,<br />
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,<br />
which means, ‘God is with us.’ <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Matt 1:23 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-63050589407467509072016-12-09T19:56:00.001-06:002016-12-09T19:56:10.968-06:00Music of Advent - What Child is This<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Friday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348334797" target="_blank">Luke 1:51-53</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/what_child_is_this_who_laid_to_rest" target="_blank">What Child is This</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by William C. Dix, 1865<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">What child is this who , laid to rest,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">On Mary’s lap is sleeping? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">while shepherds watch are keeping?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">This, this is Christ the King, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">whom shepherds guard and angels sing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Haste, haste to bring him laud, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">The babe the son of Mary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This beautiful hymn of the babe of Bethlehem helps us keep things in perspective. This child is not born in a palace, where boy kings might be found. It was not in the home of the wealthy, where children of status might be found. This child was found in hay, next to cows and donkeys. This child was born to homeless, immigrant parents; his mother was most likely seen as a woman of questionable character.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This child was heralded by the angelic choir, but the angels missed a turn, because they ended up giving their Hallelujah Chorus concert to dirty, nomadic sheepherders, who slept with their livestock, something they had in common with the child of the stable. And then this child’s royal guards were those same shepherds who left their flocks—their livelihood—and went to see what the angels had been singing about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This story is so upside down it is right-side up. As Mary sang, “God has brought the lofty down and raised the lowly up.” It is something we forget to notice when we talk about Jesus, King of Kings, Savior of the World, Majesty, Lord. We like these titles because they make us feel like we are part of the in crowd. There are even t-shirts for children that say “I am a child of a King,” which I think gives them entirely the wrong idea, unfortunately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">In proper perspectives we are servants who follow an unemployed, drifter going from town to town proclaiming a radical message of rebellion. He hung out with the poor, the unclean, the shady characters of his time. You know, something we would frown upon from our lofty positions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This Christmas, let us remember the places once again. The powerful are brought down, and the lowly shall be lifted. Which place are you going to be?</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> This question is an important one that only you can answer for yourself. Who do you side with when social justice issues arise? When there are marginalized or oppressed peoples, where are you to be found? While others are standing against injustice, what are you doing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">What child is this that we follow? May we prepare our hearts to receive the lowly child of the manger this Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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He has brought down the powerful from <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-60621898983231510942016-12-08T17:05:00.001-06:002016-12-08T17:07:57.379-06:00Music of Advent - Tell Out My Soul<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Thursday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348238389" target="_blank">Luke 46b-55</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/tell_out_my_soul_the_greatness_of_the_lo" target="_blank">Tell Out My Soul </a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/tell_out_my_soul_the_greatness_of_the_lo" target="_blank"> </a>by Timothy Dudley-Smith, 1961<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Tender to me the promise of God’s Word;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In God, my Savior, shall my heart rejoice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I cannot tell how many times I have extolled the greatness of God. I’m also ashamed to say I cannot tell how many times I have whined to God about the circumstances in my life. I would suspect we all do that. Praises when we are happy; complaints when we are not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Yet, here is Mary singing the greatness of God. In this hymn I imagine her singing at the top of her lungs—much like Julie Andrews singing “...the hills are alive….with the sound of music.” Only Mary sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord...and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Oh, what would it be like for us to sing God’s praise with such reckless abandon, regardless of our circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">One time at a youth summer camp we were all gathered in the tabernacle with the camp band playing and the whole building was singing at the top of our lungs. One young preacher that was working the camp also, came up beside me and with a big, beautiful grin on his face said, “I imagine this is what heaven will be like.” I had to agree. Singing praise with reckless abandon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This is a long way from some of the more uptight ways we worship. I’m not talking about worship style, I’m talking about the spirit of the worship service. Are we worshiping God? Or are we more concerned with the social aspect of a congregation? I find that those who are worried about what others think tend to not worship with that uninhibited spirit that I believe Mary showed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;">This time of year we look at welcoming the child Jesus; God in human flesh. This God living among humanity gives us cause to sing and praise and celebrate with wild joy the coming of the Lord. Our souls cry out about how great our God is and we </span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">rejoice.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let us celebrate the season only concerned with praising God, and not worry about what others think.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me,<br />
and holy is his name. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-81590507588346652122016-12-07T06:59:00.002-06:002016-12-07T07:18:49.096-06:00Music of Advent - My Soul Gives Glory to My God<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Wednesday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348116692" target="_blank">Luke 1:26-38</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/my_soul_gives_glory_to_my_god_my_heart" target="_blank">My Soul Gives Glory to My God</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Miriam Therese Winter, 1987<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">My soul gives glory to my God, my heart pours out its praise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">God lifted up my lowliness in many marvelous ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Praise God whose loving covenant supports those in distress,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Remembering past promises with present faithfulness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This hymn is the sweet song of Mary, the young unsuspecting girl who God chose to be the bearer of light and life—the very divine. How her life would change! While her immediate thought could have been of her reputation, she risked herself. She could have been afraid of being shunned by her village, the pain of childbirth, or being alone, but she showed courage. Of all of the many ways she could have responded to such a vision, she chose to respond in faith, and not only in faith, but in praise!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Mary is the point of pure innocence coming together with the divine in the best way possible. I do not mean innocence in the sense of naïve, immature, and ignorant. What I mean is the heart that is good seeing the good in others—the wisdom and gentleness Jesus spoke of in <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348115528" target="_blank">Matthew 10:16</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">At this point, in the story of God’s redemption, Mary is the sacrifice. The hope for humanity rests with her. Her obedience to God should not be understated. Even after giving birth, her heart would be broken by the cruelty of the humanity her son would save, and her obedience would be rewarded by deep sorrow. This does not seem fair. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Then I think of all the other souls who have sacrificed for the sake of God’s redemption in the world. We read stories of these people who willingly risk life, status, and reputation, and we applaud them all the while knowing we would never make that same sacrifice. Today let’s remember Mary’s faithfulness that brought redemption to the humanity that would wound her very soul which gives glory to God eternally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-897522680697304942016-12-06T21:58:00.001-06:002016-12-06T22:05:10.050-06:00Music of Advent - To a Maid Engaged to Joseph<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Tuesday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=348083449" target="_blank">Luke 1:26-38</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/to_a_maid_engaged_to_joseph" target="_blank">To a Maid Engaged to Joseph</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Gracia Grindal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">To a maid engaged to Joseph, the angel Gabriel came. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">“Fear not the angel told her, “I come to bring good news.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">“Fear not for God is with you, and you shall bear a child. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">His name shall be called Jesus, God’s off-spring from on high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">And he shall reign forever, forever reign on high.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Angels are crucial to the story of Advent. Angels appearing to Mary and Joseph, to the shepherds and the magi, and to Zechariah herald the message: “fear not” and “good news!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I find their initial statements of “fear not” to be both comforting and discomforting. Comforting in that we are told we should not be afraid. Discomforting because it is likely we will be afraid of what they say. This is like your child calling you and saying, “I’m alright,” before they break into the terrifying story of the accident they were just in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Messages of “good news” are kind of backhanded blessings found throughout the scriptures. God’s favor tends to be coupled with something other mortals would hate to have to go through. Mary’s predicament of being an un</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">wed mother in ancient Jewish culture is one example. This favor and promise of God’s presence do not eliminate the very real consequences of Mary’s situation. But God’s favor and comfort probably go</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">t her through the tough times, at least with a little comfort and encouragement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">What tough times are you facing? Perhaps it is social or cultural, and you are ostracized by your peers or family. Maybe it is simply having to endure unpleasant or downright awful circumstances. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Or you may have other forms of a backhanded blessing—a medical condition that reveals something more serious in the nick of time. Know that there is a messenger from God telling you to fear not, no </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">matter the circumstances.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. 'But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-65736657144706814742016-12-05T10:31:00.000-06:002016-12-05T10:31:45.397-06:00Music of Advent - Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 2, Monday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347955288" target="_blank">Isaiah 35:1-2</a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/lo_how_a_rose_eer_blooming" target="_blank">Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">15th century German, trans. Theodore Baker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!<br />
Of Jesse's lineage coming as men of old have sung.<br />
It came, a flower bright, amid the cold of winter<br />
When half-gone was the night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This particular Advent hymn is not usually a favorite with the congregations I have served. I think maybe it is because it has no time signature. Knowing little about the technicalities of music, what I do know is that the tune can be a little awkward. Nevertheless, I like it and it has become one of my favorite Advent tunes, not in spite of the timing, but because of it. It is haunting, and a bit nostalgic. You can almost see the sepia tones coming up around your memories as you sing this hymn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Of course the rose to which this hymn is referring is Mary, mother of Jesus. There is no end to tunes about Mary at Advent and Christmas. But this one does not directly reference Mary of Nazareth, but a Rose of Sharon. In the Isaiah passage, it tells of a crocus, but biblical scholars have attributed to the “<a href="http://www.bibleodyssey.org/HarperCollinsBibleDictionary/s/sharon.aspx" target="_blank">crocus growing as a lily among the brambles</a>” as the Rose of Sharon. There are other ideas of this, but I think the lily among the brambles is a good image for this particular hymn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">In Isaiah, without knowledge of Mary of Nazareth, the writer tells of a crocus that “shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.” Mary’s song in Luke 1:46-55 rejoices, singing of God’s glory and majesty. In her expectant condition, Mary is a flower “in bloom” with the glory of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">As we prepare for the birth of the incarnate God, let us remember Mary who was the lily among the brambles of troubled Nazareth and Ceasar’s reign. In spite of her circumstances, she rejoiced with song and pondered in her heart the things of God.</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,<br />
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;<br />
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,<br />
and rejoice with joy and singing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;">Isaiah 35:1</span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-2141131629802226962016-12-05T09:12:00.000-06:002016-12-05T09:12:48.696-06:00Music of Advent - Hail to the Lord's Anointed<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Sunday, Second Week of Advent—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347950258" target="_blank">Psalm 72</a></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/hail_to_the_lords_anointed" target="_blank">Hail to the Lord’s Anointed</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by James Montgomery, 1821<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Hail to the Lord’s anointed, great David’s greater Son!</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Hail in the time appointed, his reign on earth begun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">He comes to break oppression, to set the captive free;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">To take away transgression, and rule in equity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">The prayer of confession came up during the service. Since I had not been to a church with a liturgical style of worship before, this was foreign to me. People of the congregation—even the pastor—were all confessing with one voice that we were less than perfect, that we were repentant and were seeking reconciliation with God and one another. No one was claiming to be a better Christian than the other. This was a radical and progressive thought for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I was brought up in a church that seemed to have a congregation of the holier-than-thou folk and the poor degenerates. I fell in the later category. Of course, this was my perspective at the time and was perhaps a bit skewed by my age. I found in later years that various congregations regardless of denomination can have those divisions, but during my teen years I felt this acutely. I could never be “saved” enough. My rebelliousness in my late teens sealed the deal. At the tender age of 19, I believed I was doomed to hell. Yet, in spite of my damnation, here I was in a church that not only conveyed God’s grace in my life, they all said they needed it too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This is my understanding of breaking oppression and taking away transgression—the unison prayer of confession. The captivity to the constant reminder of my past failures no longer held me. I was free, and although I had been raised in church and had attended my whole life, it was probably the first time I felt that freedom in Christ. This is the kind of relief you feel when you do not know how heavy the burden on you is until it is lifted. Then you feel awkward by the lightness of your spirit. Of course, you want to shout “Hail!” and “Blessed be!” It seems natural at that point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">If you are one of those who feel that others have put you in the “poor degenerate” category, do not despair. God doesn’t see you there. God desires relationship with you and for you to know the pure freedom of forgiveness and the unburdening of your soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">After a bit, assured of my life in Christ, the relationship with God (as many relationships go) became stale. Shouting God’s praises seemed rehearsed and trite. I looked around at others who seemed to be going through the motions as well. I realized then this is how “holier-than-thou” starts. Rather than being authentic about the ups and downs of our faith, we fake it. If you are in this demographic, I just want to let you know you are not fooling anyone, and no one can fool God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">It was in an intentional act on my part to remember the joy felt at that first act of radical belief that God’s grace was in my life regardless of what others may think about me. I found this re-connection once again in the unison prayer of confession. Only this time I was the pastor leading the congregation. At this time, it was the words of the assurance of pardon that I get to say, knowing without question that the God I fell in love with, was the God that was in love with me and my congregation. I fell renewed once again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I would invite us all to pray a <a href="http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/prayer-of-confession" target="_blank">Prayer of Confession this Advent</a>, recognizing that we often fail God, but God never fails us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">PRAYER OF CONFESSION:<br />
Lord we confess that we suffer today because of sin, both the sins we have chosen and the sins committed against us. We have done things we should not have done, and we have neglected to do those things we should have done. Save us from ourselves; save us from the forces of Evil in this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">We do not have the power to undo what has already been done, so grant us grace to bear present burdens and courage to change things that can be changed. Teach us how to live as those prepared to die and dwell eternally with you and your Boy Child, our Savior, Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">SILENT CONFESSION (offer personal prayers of confession)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">WORDS OF ASSURANCE<br />
Jesus has, indeed, come to save us and show us the way to experience God's love. Jesus will strengthen us to the end, so we may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Hear the good news: you are forgiven!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-87296924480911477282016-12-03T15:38:00.000-06:002016-12-05T10:08:48.218-06:00Music of Advent - Toda la Tierra (All Earth is Waiting)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Week 1, Saturday <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347954030" target="_blank">Isaiah 40:3-5</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/all_earth_is_waiting_to_see_the_promised" target="_blank">Toda la Tierra (All Earth is Waiting)</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">by Alberto Taule, 1972<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">And the open furrows, the sowing of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">All the world, bound and struggling seeks true liberty<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">It cries out for justices and searches for the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">It hadn’t rained. The earth was parched and cracked. Most wheat didn’t make it to the ground. Much of what did dried up and blew away. It was pretty bleak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">I look around today and see a world bound and struggling. Listen carefully, and you will hear the cries for justice and truth, which is growing louder every day. How do we proclaim “Joy to the World” at such a time in human history? How do we explain peace on earth good will to all humankind to our children?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">It hadn’t rained. The earth was parched and cracked. Most wheat didn’t make it to the ground. Much of what did dried up and blew away. It was pretty bleak. Then</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> came the glorious summer rain blessing the earth, kissing the ground.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It was warm and sweet and lasted for hours.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Children were dancing in it.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Birds were bathing in puddles.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Farmers, with hats off, lifted their faces to it, their tears mingling with the drops hitting their faces.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The dried furrows were filled with life-giving water from heaven.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">All the earth is waiting. How are you giving hope and courage? How are you like the rain that blesses the earth? Do you fill up the low places with life-giving speech? Or do you dig the trenches deeper and drier? Do you bless and give life? Or do you crush and oppress? There cannot be a somewhere in the middle in this current climate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">All the earth is waiting to see the Promised One. The world, bound and struggling, desire freedom, justice and truth. Do you bear the child of promise? Or do you bear the curse of Herod on the world? We are waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Every valley shall be lifted up,<br />
and every mountain and hill be made low;<br />
the uneven ground shall become level,<br />
and the rough places a plain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Isaiah 40:4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-67286766609357820282016-12-03T10:02:00.003-06:002016-12-03T10:02:57.109-06:00Music of Advent - View the Present Through the Promise<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;"> Week 1, Friday--<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347600337" target="_blank">Isaiah 40:3-5</a></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/view_the_present_through_the_promise" target="_blank">View the Present Through the Promise </a>by Thomas Troeger, 1994</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">View the present through the promise,</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Christ will come again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Trust despite the deepening darkness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Christ will come again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Lift the world above its grieving <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">through your watching and believing <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In the hope past hope’s conceiving <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Christ will come again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">There was a time when the religious powers-that-be thought the best course of action was a “scared straight” approach to the divine. That same idea has repeated over time with faith being the beautiful beginning to relationship with God devolving into religion (in the worst sense of the word) being the ultimate ending of that faith. I do not mean to say that I believe that churches or denominations are bad, I don’t. I think ecumenical cooperation among denominations is important to being able to see how vast and diverse God truly is. I just mean when suddenly those that follow the Christ begin to look like the Pharisees and the empire that crucified Jesus, we have gone astray. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">In this passage of Isaiah, we are told of a </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">solitary voice crying out.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We have often skipped the punctuation though.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It does not say that a voice in the wilderness is crying out, it reads that the message of that voice is that the way of the Lord should be prepared in the wilderness.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This gives us a whole new meaning.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The divine is coming not in the bustling city or the fertile farmlands, but in the desert wilderness.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Barrenness.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Of course!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Where else should God come first, but to the barren places.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Our faith begins with waiting, hoping, and watching for an appearance of the divine in our world. We often lose sight of this faith as our waiting is not realized. Then we turn to law and penalty as opposed to the grace with which we first began. Holding on to the waiting without becoming discouraged is important, so we must be renewed. Where do we look for the Lord? We look in the desert places of our lives and in our world. Where do we see God at work, while we watch and wait?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This hymn allows us to lift up our voices with confidence proclaiming Christ will come again! It is in the very darkness that the light shines brightest. Let us renew our faith, trusting that we are here in this place for such a time as this watching and waiting. Watching for God’s work in our world. Waiting for the revelation of the divine in our lives. Even if we never see what we believe to be a triumphal return, if we watch for the smallest things in the barren places we will not miss the Advent of the divine. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">A voice cries out:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,<br />
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;">Isaiah 40:3</span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-36340246846915977232016-12-01T07:16:00.000-06:002016-12-01T07:23:28.576-06:00Music of Advent - Prepare the Way of the Lord<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 117%; mso-pagination: none;">
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">(Because I originally prepared this for print, I have forgotten the brilliance of the internet for information at our finger tips! I have put in links to the scripture and other information in this one and will go back later to put them in previous posts.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">(For the beginning of this series of readings go <a href="http://revsonja.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-music-of-advent-1st-sunday.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">Week 1, Thursday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347597069" target="_blank">Isaiah 40:1-5; 52:10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><i><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/prepare_the_way_of_the_lord_prepare" target="_blank">Prepare the Way of the Lord </a></i>by Jacques Berthier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><i>Prepare the way of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><i>Prepare the way of the Lord,<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><i>And all people will see the salvation of our God.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">On a trip to Israel and Palestine, our group of fairly sedentary Americans, were struggling with walking the streets of the villages and towns in which we stayed. Every step was either uphill or downhill and rocky, so much so that to step into a flat surface was quite a relief. One particular literal uphill struggle we had stopped to rest halfway up, and as we were resting we see a little boy running and kicking a soccer ball up the hill, seemingly without effort! The ease with which he moved was quite the cause of conversation among our little group. One of us remarked that she wished nothing more at that moment than the valleys had been lifted up and the mountains brought low in preparation for the Lord, so that we who visited the area later might enjoy it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">The prophet Isaiah speaks of preparing the way of the Lord so that all people will see the redemptive glory of the Lord. After experiencing the terrain of the land, I appreciated more fully the “valleys and mountains of the scripture. I thought not only of the ease of movement, but also the ability to see for a distance, which only happened at mountaintop moments. What if we could see clearly without any obstruction all the time the salvation of God? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">This hymn from the <a href="http://www.taize.fr/en" target="_blank">Taizé </a>community is a repeated chant, and after singing it a couple of times through becomes so deeply rooted in our hearts and minds that we recognize that <u>we</u> are to prepare the way of the Lord so that all people see the salvation of our God. What can we do this season while we watch and wait for the Advent of the Christ to prepare the way for God’s salvation for all people? How have we either with or without intention caused those places that people struggle and stumble, and we block the way of the Lord, rather than prepare the way for God’s salvation to be known? Wherever we have caused hardship for others, we have caused it for ourselves and have kept ourselves from fully seeing God’s salvation as well. How can you remove obstacles so that you too may experience God’s salvation?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><i>Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’</i> Isaiah 40:5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-37603379072784975962016-11-30T07:35:00.000-06:002016-12-01T07:22:41.488-06:00Music of Advent - I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 117%; text-align: left;">
<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">(For the beginning of this series of readings go <a href="http://revsonja.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-music-of-advent-1st-sunday.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">Week 1, Wednesday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347598243" target="_blank">John 1:9-18<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/i_want_to_walk_as_a_child_of_the_light" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/i_want_to_walk_as_a_child_of_the_light" target="_blank">I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">by Kathleen Thomerson, 1966<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to follow Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">God set the stars to give light to the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">The star of my life is Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">In him there is no darkness at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">The night and the day are both alike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">The Lamb is the light of the City of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">One time, to explain to youth the biblical truth about light and darkness, I took the opportunity to turn off the lights in a completely windowless room. It was pitch black and you could not see your hand in front of you. Of course, there was the ruckus you might imagine from the kids, but then I lit a candle. This one candle changed the complete darkness of the room to one of light and shadows. I explained that the light is Christ coming into the world. The shadows in the corners of the room were those places where the light had not yet reached. Then I gave them all candles and we lit them. With the glow of the additional candles, almost the entire room was lighted. They each bore the light of Christ wherever they went, and so do we.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">This simple illustration helps us to see what it means to be disciples. Each follower of Christ takes this light into the world and illuminates the darkness wherever we go. The youth and I then listened the song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frobrm1t61A" target="_blank">Go Light Your World</a>” made popular again by Chris Rice in 2004. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">We who follow Christ all have this light burning within us, but sometimes we do not shine; sometimes we do not light other’s candles; sometimes we allow our candles to be snuffed out by situations and then we feel overcome by the darkness around us. We need to tend this flame and keep it burning within us that we may walk as children of the Light carrying this light to everyone around us. We do this by being continually in the light of the Christ—the light of Christ found in true relationship with the Light of the World, through the flames of other children of the Light around us, and through our desire to be light-bearers to the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">This Advent as we look at the coming of the Light of the World into the darkness of human lives, let us sing this Advent hymn as a prayer. “I want to walk as a child of the light, I want to follow Jesus...Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.” And then let us go light our world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God . </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">John 1:12<br />
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-23962181507019665252016-11-29T08:42:00.001-06:002016-12-01T07:27:34.089-06:00Music of Advent - Send Your Word<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 117%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(For the beginning of this series of readings go </span><a href="http://revsonja.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-music-of-advent-1st-sunday.html" style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.)</span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">Week 1, Tuesday—<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347598347" target="_blank">John 1:3b-5</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/send_your_word_o_lord_like_the_rain" target="_blank">Send Your Word </a></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">by Yasushige Imakoma, 1965<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Send your Word, O God, like rain falling down upon the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Send your Word. We seek your endless grace, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">with souls that hunger and thirst, sorrow and agonize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">We would all be lost in dark without your guiding light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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This Japanese song is slow and somber—set in a mood more like Lent than Advent. Its tune is contrary to the unwritten score for the song of John playing around in my head. The prologue to the gospel of John has trumpets and fanfare, or maybe flowing, earthy, harp music with a babbling brook behind it. Never in my mind has </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In the beginning was the Word</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">, been a dirge. Now that I think about it though, perhaps it should be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This beginning to the gospel sets the stage for a tragic drama. The hero, an ill-fated figure who the audience knows dies at the end, is foretold. This cannot be the triumphant fanfare or the soothing meditation music that I first thought. It is too important to be taken lightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus, the child of Bethlehem, of Egypt, and of Nazareth is the promised Messiah in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is the Jesus that sweats and cries, sleeps and eats, and has a need for companionship. Jesus in the Gospel of John, however, is the very divine, light, God, the Word spoken in creation. This gospel’s Jesus shows us God incarnate (in flesh), light in a world of darkness. The Jesus of John is the divine who touches earth and brings all of creation to a single point—the Word, the Light of the World, the Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This Advent let us look for those like us who need such a hero. Those whose lives are in darkness and those whose lives are in shadow. The light shines in the darkness, and the light triumphs. This is good news. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 119%;">The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;">John 1:5 </span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-12411481207855366582016-11-28T08:13:00.000-06:002016-12-01T07:25:28.598-06:00Music of Advent - Of the Father's Love Begotten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">(For the beginning of this series of readings go <a href="http://revsonja.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-music-of-advent-1st-sunday.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">Week 1, Monday –<a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347598490" target="_blank"> John 1:1-14</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/of_the_fathers_love_begotten" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/of_the_fathers_love_begotten" target="_blank">Of the Father’s Love Begotten</a> by </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 117%;">Aurelius Clemens Prudentius trans. 1859<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">he is Alpha and Omega — he the source, the ending he, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">of the things that are, that have been,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">and that future years shall see evermore and evermore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">While we are busily looking at the manger, the shepherds, the magi, and the virgin this time of year, let us not overlook the nativity story found in John 1. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In the beginning</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> reflects the beginning of Genesis, the story of divine creation. God’s love for creation began at the very beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Much like the love of a mother for a child long before the child takes his or her first breath in the world, so is God’s love for us. God does not love us because we are perfect, but because God is perfect—not because we are good, but because God is good. The idea of the Christ, the salvation of humanity, came at the very beginning because of God’s great love for us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This extraordinary love of God in spite of our humanness, even toward the worst of humanity, does not give us </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">carte blanche</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">, to be able to do whatever we want. God also gave us the ability to respond to the divine love with love of our own. Our response in love to the God who dreamed us into existence is the only way we can truly appreciate the salvation of Christ during the Christian year, beginning with Advent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">As we look for mangers and nativity sets with Christmas tunes playing in the background, let us not forget to look for signs of the creation around us and remember that in the beginning we are God’s beloved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. </span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">John 1:1-3a</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-54591463074367140662016-11-27T18:31:00.005-06:002017-11-14T07:14:21.271-06:00The Music of Advent - 1st Sunday - Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>First Sunday of Advent</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>– <a href="http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=347598639" target="_blank">Psalm 65</a></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"><a href="http://www.hymnary.org/text/come_thou_long_expected_jesus_born_to" target="_blank">Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus</a> </span><span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">by Charles Wesley, 1744 <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Come, thou long-expected Jesus, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">born to set thy people free;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">From our fears and sins release us, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">let us find our rest in thee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Israel’s strength and consolation, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">hope of all the earth thou art;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">We begin the Advent journey with a prayer—a plea for the coming of the One who would free God’s people, heal the sick and liberate the oppressed, the fore-told Messiah. God enfleshed and living among us and with us that we may come to know God in a human way—a God who can relate to humanity as we never understood before. This prayer is the inhalation of breath just before we hold it for a moment. It literally takes our breath away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">As you begin Advent, do you find that you are holding your breath? Waiting. Perhaps the waiting is one of anticipation of good things to come—family gatherings, church activities, communities events, parties. Or perhaps the waiting is one of dread—memories of loved ones gone, of bouts of depression or anxiety, fear of the future, pain. Maybe we even have a little of both anticipation and dread as the Advent season begins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">Advent is a time of prayer, a prayer of petition for all that troubles us and a prayer of praise for all that blesses us. This prayer has been echoed throughout all time, from the beginning of Creation to the end of our existence—Come, Lord come. Show us the Divine, that we may reflect God’s glory, even in the midst of troubled or joyous lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">The psalmist, the singer of songs of praise and petition, writes in Psalm 124, a tale of remembrance of God’s provision of salvation in the turmoil of life. Much like we anticipation the saving work of God through the Christ, the one who delivers. Let us remember as we begin this season of waiting...</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;">By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. </span><span lang="en-US" style="line-height: 117%;">Psalm 65:5</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 117%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-41340415952825747582016-11-09T09:15:00.001-06:002016-11-09T09:22:57.888-06:00The Day After Tomorrow...Do you remember the movie, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319262/" target="_blank">The Day After Tomorrow</a> </i>released in 2004? In it, Dennis Quaid warned others in various venues about his environmental concerns. His words fell on deaf ears, probably because their heads were buried ostrich-like in the sands of self-interest. The rest of movie was predominately about his trek across a frozen, snow covered New York to rescue his son and others during the catastrophic superstorm. <br />
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However, it is the end of the movie that I woke up thinking about this morning. In the end, while the northern third of the world was covered with uninhabitable ice and snow, everyone below the Mason-Dixon line was being evacuated to Mexico. In 2004, I thought it ironic that the demographic who hated the immigration of our neighbors to the south into our country, now found themselves crossing the river headed south to get into a safer place to live. Today, however, it wasn't the irony in my thoughts.<br />
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I wonder why I woke up thinking about this today. Could it be that our country is precariously perched on a precipice that prophets have warned about, but no one heeded? Could it be that our country is so virulently divided that we are devouring ourselves? You can taste the acrid bitterness in the fall air. <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At the very end of the movie, after many deaths and much trauma, faced with the reality that they were wrong and the buried heads are plucked from the sands, they seem to work together--because they must to survive. When they were forced by circumstances, they became what they should have been all along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am reminded of Galatians 5:14-15 which says, "</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;">For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;">If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;">We have broken the law of love. We have devoured one another, and we will pay the price, even if we weren't the ones purchasing the end product. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;">Now what? What will we do the day after tomorrow? The choice is ours, we can continue on stubbornly fighting with one another. We can despair and respond in fear and anger. We have choices. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #010000; font-family: inherit;">Let all who are under the law of Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves, to pray for those who persecute us, to love our enemies, and to love so that the world might know we are Christ's followers humble ourselves and pray this pray</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">er of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">confession found in the Book of Worship of the United Methodist Church:</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Merciful God,</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We have failed to be an obedient church. </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We have not done your will,</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> we have broken
your law, </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">we have rebelled
against your love,</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> we have not loved
our neighbors,</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and we have not
heard the cry of the needy. </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Forgive us, we pray. </span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Free us for joyful obedience,</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.</span></span></blockquote>
And let us keep repeating this daily...hourly...until we begin to be recognized once again by our love for one another. And let us keep working for the rights of all humanity to live in peace.Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-89715228226390971622016-10-13T08:24:00.001-05:002016-10-13T09:23:32.187-05:00The Holy Spirit and Coffee<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a coffee lover.
I started drinking coffee as a child, when my mother would put coffee in
my milk to entice me to drink the milk. As
I got older, the less milk was in my coffee.
Long ago, I weened myself from any additives that would take away from
the rich flavor of the coffee. No sugar, no creamer, no froth, nothing. Just pure, rich, dark coffee. The older I got and my tastes matured, the
darker the coffee roast I preferred. As
soon as I awake in the morning, I make my way in the dark through the house to
the kitchen where, without turning on a light, I reach into the cabinet for my
cup and the rack where we keep the K-Cups holding my preferred blend. I lift the arm of the machine, insert the
cup, lower it and select the largest brew size possible. Making sure my cup is placed on the drip tray
in just the right spot, I wait the minute for my fresh steaming cup of coffee. I then will make my way to the chair I sit in
to have my morning time of prayer, email, journaling, and meditation (not
always in any particular order). I sit
the cup on the coaster on the table beside my chair, sit down and situate
myself, and then pick up my cup, holding it close just smelling the wonderful
aroma and watching the steam rise. Then…I
take my first sip of the day. It is the
best thing ever. The rest of the cup is
wonderful as well, but it isn’t nearly as celebrated as that first sip. Then I continue with my day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This morning as I was performing this ritual, and as I was
meditating on blessings and things I am thankful for, and people to whom I am
grateful, I thought, “hey, the Holy Spirit is like coffee!” Let me explain. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I love God. I love
all the natures of God, and the Holy Spirit, in my thinking, is the most
important nature of God. The Holy Spirit
represents that presence of God with us, not just in the cosmos. We are all unique and important to God, <u>and</u>
God is the God of all nature. Not
either/or, but both/and. This is all a
part of our understanding of the Holy Spirit.
The divine presence of God is made possible in the Spirit of God. The guidance, comfort, wisdom, and
inspiration from God comes from the Holy Spirit at work in our lives and in our
world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Long ago, I was introduced to the knowledge of the Holy Spirit
in diluted ways. Stories in Sunday
school and VBS, snippets of sermons a few times a year, other little ways the
Holy Spirit was referenced. I was not
brought up in a Pentecostal or charismatic church so the Holy Spirit was
referenced in less imminent ways. Gifts
of the Spirit, baptism of the Spirit, all of these doctrines were foreign to
me. As I got older, I began to develop
my own understanding, my own experience of and with the Holy Spirit. The less diluted my experience, the more
significance I found in the working of the Holy Spirit in all our lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now, as I have matured in faith, I feel that the Spirit of
God is with me and that I can find my way through the dark of the world to
where I can sit and experience the presence of Spirit that is always present. The more I removed anything that would dilute
my experience of the presence of the Spirit, the richer my experience
became. I savor the presence of the
Spirit in my life, and every morning, that first “good morning God” is always
the best. I prepare myself and my
surroundings to be able to clear my mind, engage my spirit, and to observe the
Spirit at work in the world. The Spirit
is present with me throughout the day, but occasionally, I will re-enact that
first good morning sip of the Spirit at other times of the day when I
especially need to feel that presence of God with me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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See, God is made known in many ways through the work of the
Spirit, even in observing my own patterns and deep love of coffee. Do you have any rituals that you can relate
to the presence of the Spirit? Perhaps
your preferred beverage of choice is a soda or a cup of tea? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Good morning and may your day be filled with the experience
of the Holy Spirit in your life. <o:p></o:p></div>
Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-6006666369234506882016-10-06T10:28:00.001-05:002016-10-06T10:28:02.637-05:00Changes<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I was logging on to begin today, I see that my last post was December 2015. I really should do better, but every time I say I will, I don't. However, I am trying something new. I have it written into my calendar that "blog" pops up periodically on my things to do list. I'm sure I have never put off anything that is on my to do list! *chuckle*</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Blogged while listening to <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Kyl0HP1T0" target="_blank">Changes by David Bowie</a></b>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have recently moved to a new appointment. (Ch-ch-ch-changes) Many changes are taking place. Change of address, work, community. Change of people, routine, and staff. I love some changes and hate others. I like the change of season from scorching hot to cooler fall. I hate software updates that do not ask my opinion on whether or not I want it. Moving to a new community has its challenges and blessings. There is no Pizza Hut here for delivery, but I love my new house and feel very comfortable here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time may change me...</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, this is the oldest I have been to move into a new appointment (duh). I find that perhaps I am not adjusting as well as I have in the past. Perhaps it is because this time I am taking time to figure out how to ease in, rather than rushing in. I find I am much more comfortable with coming in and making changes. Churches even expect it. New pastor, new ideas. Maybe this time we can grow! But then they become trained to do what the pastor wants, rather than to come up with something lasting that is truly the congregation's identity. I want to hold out for the quality that comes with patience. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps this is why I have been reflective about change in general. During a recent morning meditation, I had the thought:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't believe anything will change, you will not do what you are doing for very long.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meaning if you are doing something, putting time and energy into something, that you hope will bring about something better--a better world, a better community, a better church, or even a better you--you must believe that the change can and will happen. I find we often think we want change, but our own actions defeat the very change we want to make because we really do not believe it is possible. We want to be ecologically friendly, but do not think any actions we put into place will make any real difference. So we continue on as before. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This brings to mind the prayer of Mother Teresa now Saint Teresa of Calcutta:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.<br />If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.<br />If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.<br />If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.<br />What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.<br />If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.<br />The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.<br />Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.<br />In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.</span><br /><i>-this version is credited to Mother Teresa</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thought I had that morning was:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you do believe things will change as a result of your work, you must be open to change. </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That may seem to make sense, if you work toward change things will change. I do not know how many congregations that want change (more funds, more members, more outreach, more impact), but do not really want things to change. It seems they want to bring in more money and new people, but want these new people to do exactly the same things that have always been done. Another example, I want to lose weight, begin an exercise program, and overall become a healthier me. However, I find that as much as I want this change, I also want cookies, pie, candy, ice cream, and all the other goodies I can find. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Cue <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoDh_gHDvkk" target="_blank">Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie</a></b>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I have noticed in life is that change happens whether you want it or not (software updates, etc.), and you have a choice in how you handle it. You can work actively to bring about change that is positive, helpful, and makes things better. You can actively work against change which will bring about change that is negative, detrimental, and makes things worse. You can passively accept whatever the wind and life blow your way. The choice is yours. When we work toward positive change, it is life-giving and life-bringing. When we work against change, that will happen anyway, it brings death. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What changes are you facing in your life? Even good changes like a new baby or new job bring stress. Other changes such as a divorce or death, being fired or an illness, bring even more. How can you actively work to bring about change that is good and positive, knowing that we can never stop change from happening. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grace and peace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-59544227146978695282015-12-05T10:09:00.000-06:002015-12-05T10:09:12.662-06:00Advent Calendar Day 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Can you imagine how Mary must have been feeling? Think of all the emotions that one goes through when they find out they are expecting a child. Excitement at the possibilities, worries and doubts of what kind of a parent you might be, fears for all the things that can possibly go wrong, joy of new life, love for the child you carry, and did I say doubts and fears... and that is just the first minute or two. Then you revisit all of the multitude of emotions in depth as time goes on.<br />
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Mary wasn't married. She did not have any knowledge of sex or men or much of anything up to that point in her life. I would imagine that the last thing she worried about was what to name the child, but the angel took that worry off of her shoulders. This may have been good news, but it is unlikely that she felt all that good about it, even if she was obedient to God.<br />
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We want to think that she the epitome of serenity and peace, just like we have pictured her in art over the years. But let's think how we would respond--or maybe even have responded--to God laying "good news" on us. We may know where God is leading us, but we have thought of all the ways that will affect our lives, the lives of our families, our friends, We have pondered the changes we will have to make, things we may have to take on or perhaps give up. We have worried about our inabilities, our desires to do something else, that if we are obedient to God, our lives will never be the same again. <br />
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So, let us not be so quick to dismiss the value of Mary's obedience by thinking it was easy for her. Let us not discount our need and ability to be obedient to God. God calls us, just as God called Mary. God desires our obedience. And just as all our lives were changed by Mary's act of obedience--even though she may not have been aware of it all--we do not know how lives might be changed by our obedience--or disobedience. <br />
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As we journey down the Advent road, let us recommit ourselves and our lives and futures to God for the purpose of God. <br />
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Mary Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-92185400473440629992015-12-05T09:47:00.003-06:002015-12-05T09:47:58.997-06:00Advent Calendar Day 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Signs of things promised. This is what the prophet spoke of -- the sign to look for the coming of the promised Messiah. Of course, I wonder how popular the name Immanuel was or became at that time. Young women are pregnant all the time. I think this was one of those vague pronouncements, like 'when the sun rises on the third day of the week, this shall be a sign.' Well this happens 52 weeks a year for as many years as we are in existence. Which week, which year? Which young woman? Which baby named 'God with us?'<br />
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But that is the thing with signs isn't it. They are everywhere for those who are discerning. They are also everywhere for those who are looking for the latest sign. I knew a young man one time who saw signs from God, God telling him to do something, in everything that happened. It is one thing to have a series of things occur that you realize is God showing you the way; it is another for a multitude of "signs" carrying you in different directions. I do not think God is either fickle or a tease. <br />
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So, how do we know when something is of God? How can we tell that it is a true sign? I think it is much like anything else really--we will understand more if we truly know the one sending us the sign. Knowing God and how God speaks to you, not just floundering around thinking everything is a sign from God, but knowing the one sending the sign well enough to be discerning.<br />
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Discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who is the interpreter between us and God. Through the Holy Spirit we can be sensitive to the leading of God and attune to God enough to understand. <br />
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Also, discernment is affirmed on hindsight, in that we can tell if what has come to pass is from God. This is why I think those who are focused on watching for the signs of the "last days" can be so harmful. Not only are they floundering around, believing everything is one of the signs of the apocalypse running around like Chicken Little declaring the skies are falling, they are diluting the importance of the occurrence. There will come a time when the earth shall come to an end, but Jesus himself said that he doesn't know when that will be, so what makes these rapture-theorists think they know better. And what is the purpose? What do they think their sleuthing will accomplish? <br />
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Much like the coming of the anointed one of God to a young pregnant woman who would name her child "God with us," it could have happened at anytime, been anyone, happened anywhere. So what are we to do--we who watch and wait, the same as those who watched and waited before. Recognizing in hindsight that this child was something extraordinary--something divine--but living in the moment of the God who is with us always. Living as we are in God's very presence always, for we are.<br />
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I do not believe it does any good to get caught up in trying to foretell what the future may bring when there is so much to do to make the here and now happen. There are hungry to feed, naked to clothe, oppressed to liberate, empires to stand up to, and life to be lived. As we watch and wait, let us remember is while we are in the midst of living that we watch and wait for the one who was and is and is to come. <br />
<br />Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-90591511343784187412015-12-03T08:31:00.000-06:002015-12-05T09:22:42.903-06:00Advent Caledar Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Falling to their knees, the honored him." Worship. These travelers from the east--not Jews--worshipped this child that was foretold by the Jewish prophets. We tend to categorize people into at a minimum of two categories--in or out. But these non-Jewish travelers, who were possibly followers of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster" target="_blank">Zoroaster</a>, traveled a great distance from their homeland to bring baby gifts. Why would they do this? Traveling that far was perilous. Why the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?<br />
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Much is unknown about these travelers told about only in the Gospel of Matthew. However, there is a great deal of fascination with them and a great deal of speculation which has become accepted as fact, although there is no basis for it. We do not know how many of them there were, though it is presumed there were three because there were three gifts. We do know there was more than one because the word which is translated as <i>magi </i>in Latin (<i>magoi </i>in Greek) is<i> </i>a plural form of the word <i>magus. </i>This is the word we get our modern-day words <i>magic </i>and <i>magician </i>from; although there is nothing that indicates that these travelers were <i>magicians</i> or <i>sorcerers</i> in the modern understanding of the word. They were probably scholars or priests, rather than foreign dignitaries visiting a newborn dignitary. Regardless of our understanding, they were not Jewish leaders who rightly interpreted the signs for the coming of the foretold anointed one of God. They were outsiders.<br />
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As for the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, there are two primary understandings of the meaning of the gifts--political or spiritual. Political would indicate that they are presents you would present to a king as an indication of respect and good faith. Spiritual significance would indicate that their worship was one of more than adoration or respect, but acknowledging the presence of the divine. <br />
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Gold, a symbol of earthly kingship, seems a fairly practical gift--it was the ancient form of gift cards or just cold, hard, cash. Money, which they did not specify to be put in a trust fund until the child reached some age of maturity. It was for the parents to use to raise the child. The gold likely funded their flight to Egypt where the family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) were considered refugees fleeing from political tyranny and death. We would do well to remember that when we consider our modern feelings of political refugees. <br />
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Frankincense and myrrh were much more spiritually symbolic. Frankincense carries our prayers to God and is a symbol of divinity. Myrrh was a perfume or spices used in embalming or preparation for burial. Western Christianity has interpreted this to mean that the child born was a king, a god, and a sacrifice (from "<b>We Three Kings</b>",a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., in 1857). As we know that Jesus, himself said that his "kingdom" or "realm" was not earthly, then it would be more appropriate to interpret the gifts listed in Matthew with a spiritual understanding rather than an earthly or political one.<br />
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While we do not know what happens of the magi, these travelers from the east, following their encounter with the child, there are many legends about them. What we can surmise is that they were observers of another religion, from another culture, that should show us how to worship the Christ. How often do we go out of our way to worship? How often do we bring expensive and significant gifts to God? How often do we worship in the manner becoming a follower of Jesus?<br />
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As you continue the advent journey, consider the journey of the travelers from the east. What can you do this season that would be symbolic of the effort and sacrifice of the magi?<br />
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<br />Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-37117686431659714952015-12-02T08:00:00.000-06:002015-12-02T08:00:06.393-06:00Advent Calendar Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Terrified. We read
this story each year as a sweet, pastoral example of the message of God coming
to the poorest of the people. <i>Terrified</i>. The shepherds were minding their own
business--the sheep--one sleepy night.
Some were probably pondering life while others were preparing to bed
down for the evening. Perhaps there were
some who had already drifted off to sleep.
Then BAM, angels. They were not
merely startled or honored or curious as we sometimes portray, but terrified (frightened,
horrified, scared, petrified, shocked, panicked, alarmed—scared stiff!) I think of all the ways people who are afraid
respond in fear. I suppose they could
have whipped out their slingshots and began firing at the light of the
Lord. They could have run away, leaving
their sheep and responsibilities.
Perhaps they could not respond with either fight or flight because they
were scared motionless. Adrenaline
coursing through their veins, but their muscles were rebelling against them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We live in a world of terror. Terrorism seems to be such a talked about
topic that it has become a caricature of what terror is actually. The media, pundits, and politicians whip people into a
frenzy—an irrational, foolish, crazy-people-run-amok frenzy. The talking heads tell us who to be afraid
of, who to blame, who to fight, who to flee, but <u>not</u> how to have calm, how to
have peace, how not to be afraid. The
purpose of terrorism is to incite terror.
For terrorism to win, we must be terrified and live out that terror in
our actions and relationships with one another.
All those who stir up this fear in the public (media, politicians,
religious folks, others) are terrorists—in that they promote terror. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Those things we do to protect ourselves, are often the very
things that wind up hurting us the most.
Those safety mechanisms, like closing ourselves off from others or
refusing to help others, end up doing more damage to our spirit—our souls—than any
possible physical damage that is unlikely to happen anyway. We are terrified, and so we respond, often
without thought as to the long-term consequences. But this is not the way God created us to live. God created us to be in community with one another, even those we do not know at all or very well. God created us to live out the example of Christ in caring for the least, the last, the lost, the marginalized.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As long as we are scared and reactionary, our fear gets the
better of us. Did you know the opposite
of faith is not doubt, but fear? Fear
grips us and keeps us from fulfilling the life we have in Christ as children of
God. We either want to fight at things
that we cannot possibly see or engage, or we want to run from our
responsibilities and soothe our souls by telling ourselves the world isn’t our
responsibility. Or we are scared stiff,
motionless, unable to do anything right or wrong, and so we do nothing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The shepherds could not respond to the message of the angels
if they hid in their fearful and closed off cocoons. They would not have witnessed the birth of
the one to save their people. They would
have hidden away, never living out the potential God had for them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How do you hide from the things that you fear? Do you give your fears to God? Or do you cling to them like a security
blanket, telling yourself that worry is what keeps the worst at bay? This Advent, how can you move from reacting
in fear to stepping out in faith to the message of God?<o:p></o:p></div>
Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4210849652247264155.post-30104374650172814442015-12-01T08:00:00.000-06:002015-12-01T08:00:05.664-06:00Advent Calendar Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Joseph was told that his fiancé, Mary, was to have a
baby. Enough of a startling revelation
as it was, but to be visited by an angel who tells you this child is the
promised coming Messiah is almost too much.
I think of the emotions swirling about in Joseph’s mind. After all, any ordinary man would have a mixture
of such emotions—the internal adjustments you make as you process in your mind
and heart that 1.) your fiancé whom you have not yet been intimate is pregnant;
2.) you realize, perhaps by surprise, that your love and compassion outweighs
your need to save face; 3.) that this child who isn’t yours is to be raised by
you; 4.) that this child is the promised one of God, who will save you from
your sin. You would feel—what, doubt and
skepticism, fear and worry, overwhelmed, joyful, sorrowful—this is almost too
much for anyone to grasp. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet Joseph, a good man who wants to do right by his promise,
has the very human idea of distancing himself from the entire situation; not to
extract vengeance as was his right and not to play the wounded lover, but to
simply, quietly, give her back to her family and call the whole thing off. She and her family can deal with repercussions
of the situation. But, that is not the
way God wants it to be. He is to marry
her, care for her and the child, and all of this knowing that this child may
indeed be the anointed one of God who would come to save Israel. Could you be this obedient in the face of
personal humiliation?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Good men, truly good men, the kind with ethics and morals
that are uncompromising and true are hard to come by. It is as difficult for today’s men to live up
to the Captain America standard (manly, brave, a moral compass that points true
north, looks good in a costume), as it is for women to live up to the Proverbs
31 woman (in charge of the home, makes her husband and kids look good, while
still having her own career). I think,
however, Joseph was not some illusive image of a good man, but truly one who
shows mercy, loves justice, and in spite of the emotions that follow, walks
with God humbly. Are you a Joseph kind
of person? One who simply does what you
believe to be right quietly and without fanfare, without seeking your rights,
but rather protecting the rights of others.
I think Joseph is a good example for all of us—male and female—this season
of Advent when there is so much going on in the world that gives us the
opposite understanding of what is right and wrong. <o:p></o:p></div>
Yellow Sun Soapshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434678812733919129noreply@blogger.com0