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| Day 13 | Day 14 | Christmas Eve | Christmas Day |
As a preface,
this 2 week collection of devotions is more or less something I do every year. Sometimes the format is a lot different, but the idea is the same.
The goal is to connect more to our incarnated Savior. One little church service the night before exchanging gifts just never quite cut it for me. I mean, the whole point of this holiday is to remember that Christ came to save us. But I would go to these services and feel like… like we didn’t really need that much saving. And when the whole message focuses on Mary and little baby Jesus, it’s easy to lose sight of how Christ saves us.
Enter this devotional. I hope to lead you through topical reflections and prayers about how much we need saving and how much THE WORLD needs saving (which, honestly, shouldn’t be too difficult to do this year). I intend to connect those reflections to the promises of God. All that will lead up to the celebration of those promises’ fulfillment in Jesus, Emmanuel, on Christmas Eve. Finally, on Christmas day, I plan to share a reminder of how Jesus has worked and is still working to fulfill God’s promises of salvation.
Peace (on Earth and to people of goodwill),
Rich Pack
P.S. When I say “salvation” I don’t mean the generic and incredibly non-descriptive “salvation from sin.” I mean how he saves us from trials and troubles, from mistakes and failures, from evil and assaults, and even from death itself.
P.P.S. I’m a med student and might not be timely with all this…
Day 1 (Friday, Dec 11): Refugees and Refuge
A central part of the Christmas story is the coldness of the world our Savior was born into. Each year we are reminded of how a young woman, who just gave birth hours earlier, who just finished a 90 mile journey, was forced to stay with her newborn in an animal pen. Each year we are reminded of how that same family, shortly after the wisemen visited, escaped political persecution by uprooting their lives and hiding in a different country for years.
Reflection
Today, take a few minutes to reflect on the ways the world rejects foreigners and refugees. Think about the way the world refuses to welcome and accept others. Consider any times you’ve been rejected or excluded. Think back to when you’ve seen friends or family be hurt by inhospitable people. If you need help, I would suggest considering and imagining yourself in the place of the people affected by:
- The refugee crisis–1% of the world’s population have been forcibly displaced from their homes and there are 26 million refugees worldwide (but the U.S. allowance for refugees dropped from 110,000 to 15,000 in the last 4 years)
- Children separated from families at the U.S. border and imprisonment of asylum seekers to the point that other countries’ federal courts say we are no longer safe for asylum seekers
- The U.S. eviction crisis
- Homelessness–there were over 500,000 individuals homeless in the US at the beginning of 2019 (100,000 of them children, 200,000 of them unsheltered). They are at extreme risk for experiencing violence and local governments generally try to relocate them rather than help
God’s Promises
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
~Deuteronomy 10
So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against… those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.
~Malachi 3
The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
~Psalm 146
Prayer
O Lord, you are a refuge to the refugees. You are a sheltering tree to the homeless. You hold the stranger, the foreigner, the exile, the asylum seeker in your hand. Those who feel they do not fit in anywhere else fit perfectly in your arms.
God, we see millions of people who have no country, yet we cling to your promise that there is a kingdom made for them. We see hundreds of thousands who are homeless, yet we hold onto your promise that there is room in your house for them. We see people crying out for justice, and we still hold onto your promise to lift them up.
Come swiftly, Lord. The world awaits your salvation.
Day 2 (Saturday, December 12): Reaching Out, Welcoming In
When we hear the Christmas story, we jump to empathizing with Mary and Joseph when they are put out of the inn. But we forget that we can be as inhospitable as the innkeepers of Bethlehem.
Reflection
Think back to the times you have not been welcoming to others. Confess to yourself the times you have intentionally excluded others from your home, your group of friends, or even from God’s kingdom as you decided not to share the gospel with someone. What opportunities to reach out to people have you missed? What opportunities to welcome people are you still not ready to take?
What God asks of us
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
~Leviticus 19
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
~Isaiah 58
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness[a] will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”
Prayer
O Lord, you are the God who welcomed us with open arms. But we have not been so willing to embrace others in kind. God, you reach into our lives to help us, only asking that we reach into others’ lives with the same concern. Despite all your love, we’ve found ourselves letting down others as we let go of you. When we let go of you, that’s when we need you to grab us even tighter.
Forgive us for the way we’ve made strangers feel even more strange or outsiders even more foreign. You promise that if we stop pointing fingers and blaming those outside of our circles, that if we shelter those wandering into our communities and clothe those that we wander into, then you will regard us as the ones who redeem our broken cities. We admit, Lord, that our churches are not always recognized as the ones who raise up our cities.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our own inhospitality. Save us from slipping out of your reach.
Day 3 (Sunday, December 13): Orphans and Widows
Maybe it’s only a little related to the Christmas story, but there is at least one widow who makes an appearance around the birth of Christ. Anna, the prophetess, makes her way to see baby Jesus when he is presented at the temple for consecration. We are told that she “was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Her identity, for the majority of her life, was wrapped up in the consequences of her husband’s death. But that person, identified by her loss, was the one chosen to pronounce Jesus as Redeemer.
While there may not be any children who lost their parents in the Christmas story, the story does include a number of parents who lost their children. We see the them when we read that Herod “gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under.” Then the prophecy was fulfilled that read “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel [the mother of Israel’s tribes] weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Reflection
Part of the Savior’s work is winning victory over death. While important for the people facing their own death, it is incredibly important for those dealing with the death of others. We look for the Savior to rescue us from grief–a “valley of the shadow of death.” And God hears those cries for help. That is why so much of his heart is dedicated to the “orphans and widows” in Scripture.
Reflect on the weight of grief in this life. As nearly 114 people on this planet die every minute, consider how many people in this world, in this country, or in your community need God’s hand to lift them out of that darkness. Consider how those who are experiencing loss look for a particular kind of salvation. Reflect on what kind of comfort from an “invisible God (Col 1)” they might look for. Are they just looking for a voice from heaven to tell them everything will be okay? Or would they prefer that their God appear in a way that can hold them in his arms and wipe away their tears with his hands? Would they want God to appear in a way that will assure them he understands the pain of navigating life while the lives of those you love are taken away?
God’s Promises
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
~Psalm 34
On this mountain [Mt. Zion] the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.
~Isaiah 25
Prayer
God, you give life. As you tell us, “in you is life, and that life is the light of all mankind.” But we are surrounded by so much that takes life. We see death overshadow friends, family, and neighbors. We look to you to light up that darkness. We see children lose their parents, parents lose children, and spouses lose partners. May they find comfort in your arms, God.
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Day 4 (Monday, December 14): Comforting self before others
I’m gonna be honest… I thought I could tie this into the Christmas story but I don’t think it fits in there. There are countless ways that the world is broken. We might be imperfect for just as many reasons. Even if a problem doesn’t tie in directly to the first two chapters of any of the Gospels, that problem is still something we look to God for help with. We still look for salvation from that issue.
Like we talked about yesterday, there are always people around us in need of comforting. They look for comfort because of all the losses and griefs they are faced with. But how often do we offer that comfort?
Reflection
How many times have you avoided a conversation with someone because their emotions made you uncomfortable? Can you think of a time that you had an opportunity to comfort someone when they brought up something concerning, but chose to change to the subject anyways? How often do you think you prioritize maintaining your comfort over helping others in their distress?
What God asks
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
~James 1
Prayer
Your heart breaks for the broken-hearted, Lord. And we have all allowed for someone to sit even longer in their heartache. Forgive us, God, for the times we ignore the people who might feel the most isolated. We pray that you have patience with us. At the same time we ask that you give us patience to sit with the grieving like Job’s companion’s did in his loss, while giving us the wisdom to offer comfort instead of emotionally detached advice.
At times we have allowed grief to grow. Forgive us for the times we hurt others with our own coldness or inattention. We have let others pay the price for our emotional comfort. Even with that toll taken on others, it costs us authentic relationships with those distressed people, isolating both sides as a result.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our own indifference.
Day 5 (Tuesday, December 15): Slavery Today
Israel’s identity is partly found in their past enslavement in Egypt. Following that, there was their exiles to captivity in Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. As a result, God’s promises to his people have always been rooted in the assurance of their freedom. Our God desires for the people he made to be free from violence. He desires their freedom from hurtful people, freedom from addictions, freedom from debts, contracts and labor arrangements that are unjust and inescapable. He desires their freedom to be the best version of themselves, freedom to do enjoyable work, freedom to create a better world instead of just surviving a world that condemns.
A sense of that freedom is available to most, but slavery still exists in more than one form.
Reflection
For the sake of reflecting on the world’s brokenness without feeling too depressed and broken yourself, lets stick with just the sex slavery side of just human trafficking.
As of 2016, “An estimated 3.8 million adults were victims of forced sexual exploitation and 1.0 million children were victims of commercial sexual exploitation in 2016 The vast majority of victims (99 per cent) were women and girls.” The numbers have been decreasing gradually each year for the past decade at least. While around 77% of those were estimated to be in southeast Asia, those estimates mean that at least 1/1600 people on the planet have been victims of forced sex labor.
Reflect on what evil exists that a global industry exists which steals women’s entire lives away so that someone can make a profit from their bodies without their consent. Consider how wicked the world is that there are millions of people (yeah, likely millions of Americans even) who create the demand for trafficked prostitutes.
God’s Promises
A messianic prophecy:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
~Isaiah 61
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Prayer
Lord, the world was not made to be this way. You have a dream for every person. More than that, you have made every person capable of making beautiful dreams into reality… given the time and freedom to do so. There are people across this planet who have devoted their life to taking away time and freedom from others for their own profit. And there are countless more who work so they can hand over their income to those same slave traders.
God, there are some fractures in our world that seem to large for any amount of human effort to repair. The trade of one person’s life for the temporary pleasure of another is one of those fractures.. We look to you for help in freeing the captives and prisoners. We look to you for their comfort and redemption.
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Day 6 (Wednesday, December 16): Perception of Sex
In the Christmas story, Mary is scandalized and ostracized for her pregnancy out of wedlock. Even with the Christian belief in the virgin birth, we witness a broken view of sexuality when we hear that Mary, a young and single woman, was rejected outright by her family (at first) and by strangers later when she was found pregnant. Even more so when Joseph was no longer able to be called righteous for choosing to associate with Mary.
Reflection
As we celebrate the virgin birth, take time to consider your own sexuality. How much have your own desires or distastes affected your relationships with other people? How much have you looked at others’ bodies in terms of what you want without thinking about what they might need? To what extent does your assumption about other’s sexuality influence your willingness to extend grace to them?
What God Asks
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
~Matthew 5
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.
~Acts 15
Prayer
God, you’re heart is pure and your will for us is simple. Your hope is that we should be as pure and focused as you are. But our desires are far from pure: They are mixed with selfish wishes for control and wishes for fantasies instead of realities; wishes to hold people closer than is healthy for them and wishes to let go of people we ought to hold; wishes for our most intimate needs to be satisfied apart from the relationship that satisfying them fosters; wishes for approval from other hurting souls. Forgive us for the ways we look to sex to fix things that sex cannot fix
Forgive us for the times we assumed hypocritical sexuality to be an isolated character flaw, before considering it a consequence of deeper pain. Forgive us the times we have held sexuality, ours or someone else’s, to be any more significant than other aspects of life which can bring health or ruin.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our lust and from judgements on others’.
Day 7 (Thursday, December 17): Poverty
Mary is described as poor in a number of ways. When the mother of John the Baptist announces her pregnancy, Mary bursts into song: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,/ for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble./ He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”
Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on the extent of poverty surrounding you. Currently more than 7% of Americans are considered unemployed (not including disabled or underemployed). Additionally, an estimated 10.5% of Americans were living in poverty–as in, they were not making enough to afford food, clothing, utilities, and food. That number has certainly increased in 2020. Beyond the US, the numbers are much more staggering. As of 2019 about 8% of the world lives on less than $2 per day.
Reflect on the life of a person living in American poverty. What does it feel like to have your home threatened? What does it feel like to choose between food or a growing debt to the utility company? How do you feel asking friends and family for money that they can barely afford to share?
And those in extreme poverty: how obvious is it that you are on the bottom of society? Do you feel like you are worth less because you have next to nothing? What is it like to depend entirely on someone else’s generosity? How often have you been taken advantage of because you know less and need more?
God’s Promises
I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. ~Psalm 140~Psalm 140
He raises the poor from the dust,
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them. ~1 Sam 2
For the needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.~Psalm 9
Prayer
God, we worship you as Lord over a immeasurably rich kingdom. Your character is tied to the blessings you promise, and your kingdom is tied to the promises inside. You say the poor will not be forgotten–show us, God. Give comfort to those losing shelter and possessions. Give food to those who struggle to afford it.
You are the God who humbles the rules of earth and uplifts the humbled. Let us see a hint of what it will be like to live in the fullness of your kingdom: bring justice to the poor. Hold them close, God.
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Day 8 (Friday, December 18): Not Sharing is Not Caring
Upon discovering herself pregnant with the Christ, Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist who would prepare the way. Elizabeth was “advanced in years,” but had went into relative seclusion. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s husband was mute. They clearly could use some assistance, and Mary helped her for the final trimester. She couldn’t do too much in the way financial assistance, but she still gave help.
Additionally, Elizabeth and her husband, a priest, also provided a home and food for Mary for the first trimester of her pregnancy–a pregnancy that was scandalized for obvious reasons, probably leaving her in a precarious situation back home. Have you considered the generosity hospitality of this person who was supposed to represent the holiness of God in a puritanical and legalistic society?
More than that, consider the gifts of the magi. Matthew’s gospel tells us they first went to Jerusalem and spoke with Herod, expecting the newborn “King of the Jews” to be in a palace, or at least the capital. They brought expensive gifts of gold and spices. But when they found Jesus, Mary, and Joseph living away from closest relatives in a small town, commoners with rumors swirling about them, they did not withhold any of the gifts. They were expecting someone of royalty, but when they found the child was just your normal toddler living out in the country, they still lavished them with the finest gifts they had.
Reflection
Christmas is the holiday of giving, regardless of whether it’s celebrated religiously, culturally or commercially. This makes it a time to reflect on how much we give. How much space in our homes do we give to friends or family or even strangers who need it? How much of money goes towards ourselves and how much is given to people or organizations in need? How often have we withheld money from someone who we thought needed it?
What God Asks
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
~Proverbs 19
If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.
Deuteronomy 15
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
~Acts 20
If someone takes away your cloak, give him also your coat. If someone takes from you what is yours, ask it not back, for indeed you are not able. Give to every one that asks you, and ask it not back; for the Father wills that to all should be given of our own blessings (free gifts). Happy is he that gives according to the commandment; for he is guiltless. Woe to him that receives; for if one having need receives, he is guiltless; but he that receives not having need, shall pay the penalty, why he received and for what, and, coming into straits (confinement), he shall be examined concerning the things which he has done, and he shall not escape thence until he pay back the last [penny]. But also now concerning this, it has been said, Let your alms sweat in your hands, until you know to whom you should give.
~The Didache, Chapter 1
Prayer
Father of heavenly lights, every good and perfect gift comes from you. Help us to recognize our privileges and blessings as free gifts from you–gifts to be shared. Forgive us for the times we come to you with open hands, asking for more, yet come to others with hands clenched tight. Forgive us for the times we have let others endure more indignity, more hunger, or more exposure because we were not willing to listen to your convictions, leading us to give.
Help us to love others as ourselves. Give us eyes to see what parts of our reputation, income, time and possessions are worth giving up to support those in need around us. And please extend your grace for the times we’ve refused to look before.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our greed.
Day 9 (Saturday, December 19): Politics
Luke and Matthew’s gospels (the ones that include the birth of Christ) both include genealogies of Jesus in their introductions–genealogies that include over a dozen kings, good and evil alike. Caesar Augustus and Herod the Great are two names that are prominent in both gospels. When the angel appeared to Mary, telling her she was to conceive a son, it also said, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” And when Mary sang a song to Lord, she sang, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” When the magi came to visit Jesus they asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” Plus, the prophetess Anna held the child Christ and proclaimed the redemption of Jerusalem, the capitol of Israel.
Politics and earthly government are firmly embedded in the story of the Savior’s birth. In fact, struggles with those politics and evil political figures were what Christ came to save his people from.
Reflection
It should not be hard to see problems in our governments. Look at the corruption, greed, and self-serving nature that American politics are known for (at the local and federal levels). Remember the callous responses to police policy that lead to international protests–responses which incited more violence from both sides of the political spectrum.
Reflect on the amount of political unrest this past year: elected officials’ actions which led to both loss of life and the economy during a pandemic; international conflict nearly triggering wars; countless cases of corruption exposed; mishandling of public funds; outright lies shared by appointed and elected officials; or any other issue you want to point to. There is no shortage of them.
Reflect on what salvation from those problems would look like. What would it be like to have a ruler who sees and hears their people’s suffering? What would it be like to have a leader that kept every promise? Can you imagine a ruler who is willing to sacrifice for his people?
Think about what Israel’s King David’s throne represented to Israel: a king who was a general, willing to die for his people; a king who was a writer, singer, and poet; a king who suffered when his people suffered; a king who went down with his people to lift the kingdom up out of out of conflict and into peace, instead of separating from his people to fulfill his agenda while instigating turmoil that puts the kingdom in danger and debt; a king who invited the disabled to his dinner table every day; a king who danced in the streets, celebrating God with his whole heart; a king who understood what it was to live on the edges of society, small and overlooked; a king who understood the significance of forgiveness and mercy, as well as the consequences of his judgements.
God’s Promises
Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
~Psalm 47
Then Samuel said to the people… “you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king…”
~1 Samuel 12
…
The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord… for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”
“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.”
In the last days: the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;
~Isaiah 2
it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Prayer
King of all the earth, we need your direction. It seems like we can’t go a day without more news unfolding of how misdirected our society’s leaders. God, it feels as though our world is constantly unraveling, spiraling further away from your light and goodness. Yet there is no one person among us that we can turn to, no one who can serve all of our interests… not that all of our interests are good to begin with.
Save us from this broken and fragmented society. Save us from leaders who risk people’s lives to profit in theirs. Save us from bad shepherds, who do not hear the cries of the people they are responsible for.
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Day 10 (Sunday, December 20): Tribalism
Remember the divided world the Savior was born into. It was full of political factions with the Herodians, the Romans, and the Zealots. It was full of religious factions with the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. There were age-old ethnic conflicts between Jews and Samaritans. And additional biases based strictly on geography and upbringing such as those of Hebraic Jews against Hellenistic Jews.
Reflection
Take some time to think about how much of your identity is tied to what groups you are not. How many times have you insulted and belittled a group you don’t belong to? How many have you participated in or watched arguments–people getting angrier at each other–without intervening?
It is hard to accept responsibility for this kind of problem. After all, an argument takes two. If the other person, the other party, or anyone on the other side is flawed or in the wrong, then we feel justified in leaving alone our issues that contribute to the dissension. But there is pride that leads to strife.
It is this sin of tribalism that leads to racism and ethnic prejudice, to estranged friends and fragmented families, and to the political stalemates that have left our country without functional government. Consider how much you have allowed for any of those things.
What God Asks
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
~Matthew 5
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
~Romans 12
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
~Philippians 2
To sum up all in one word — what the soul is in the body, Christians are in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world. The invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars against it, though itself suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned in the body, yet keeps together that very body; and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they keep together the world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling in the heavens… God has assigned them this illustrious position, which it were unlawful for them to forsake.
~Epistle to Diognetus, Chapter 6
Prayer
We believe you are God who embodies unity. You’re very nature brings together polar opposites into perfect harmony: you unite justice and mercy, three persons into one Godhead, the beginning and the end, the created with their Creator. We pray to you, knowing that you are the Prince of Peace. We pray to you, knowing that we have not yet attained that peace.
Forgive us for the ways that we separate and divide. Forgive us for the times that we set ourselves or our own factions up on a pedestal, knowing that we are just as far from your standards as those we presume to be better than. Help us to remain humble when we need to step away from anyone else’s position. Help us to hold the world around us together, though our inclination is to stand on either side of the divide.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our discord.
Day 11 (Monday, December 21): Health
Surrounding the birth of Christ, the key biblical figures model what it looks like to care for your own and for other’s well-being. When Elizabeth and Zechariah become pregnant in their “advanced” age, they removes themselves from the hub-bub and drama around to rest and recover. When Mary hears that her cousin has become pregnant, she moves to go take care of Elizabeth for several months.
Reflection
Ask yourself how well you take care of your own body. Bear in mind that health is not a state or a goal, there is no official measurement of whether or not you are “healthy.” Health looks different for each person, but in every case it means making healthy decisions and moving towards a healthier lifestyle. Have you been moving that direction? Would you be proud to report on the things you put into your body or the things you chose to put your body through?
Think about how you could (respectfully) encourage good behaviors and habits in others. Consider the people you are able to help with their healthiness. Have you been?
What God Asks
Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord… Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord… Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
~Matthew 10
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
~Proverbs 3
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
~1 Corinthians 6
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
~1 Timothy 5, The apostle Paul giving personal advice to Timothy
Prayer
O Lord over our lives, you hold our life in your hand. You look at your creations with love and with desire to see us grow. Forgive us, God, for the times we stood in the way of our own life and in the way of our own growth. Have mercy on us for the ways we betray our own biology.
You ask us to look after our family and neighbors. You ask us to care for the sick and afflicted. You ask that we attend to the elderly and disabled. Search our hearts, Lord. Show us how to do so. Lead us in the way to build others up. Forgive us for the way we allow our peers’ self-destructive behavior to go unchecked without a word of caution. Forgive us for our disregard for the health of others.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from our self-destructive habits and save us from disinterest in wellbeing of others.
Day 12 (Tuesday, December 22): Pandemic
In the middle of Luke’s telling of the birth of Christ, the story reverts back to the birth of John the Baptist. There, Zechariah bursts into verse immediately after John is born, prophesying:
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.
He ties the work of John and Jesus together with the promises of God to those “living in darkness and in the shadow of death.” God’s promise is mercy and peace coming from heaven to whoever would receive it.
Reflection
Take a moment to think about factors that have made this pandemic a time of darkness for so many, especially in America. Consider first the deaths–the lives lost and their families who had to watch them die from a distance. Think about the terrible response from leadership–contradictory claims, obscuring the seriousness of the crisis, leaving people unsure of how to react or even manage the symptoms if positive, spreading unsubstantiated claims, making arbitrary policies that put an unbalanced burden on many people, delaying relief, messing up basic public health needs on a federal and state level. Remember the sacrifices of many health care workers–workers who had to separate themselves from family for months, who dealt with overcrowded ICUs, and who clocked in overtime for weeks on end. Reflect on the fear and isolation experienced by so many. Reflect on the joblessness and hard decisions so many people have had to make.
Then take a moment to think about what it is people have been looking for in this pandemic. What have people been hoping for? Community? Joy? Good news instead of increasing bad news? Support? Routine and order? To breathe again without fear? Security in the future?
God’s Promises
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
~Psalm 23
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
~Psalm 103
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you.
~Psalm 41
I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Prayer
God, you turn to you for your mercy. As we watch our nation, our communities, and our friend circles (ourselves included at times) make choices which would increase the burden of this pandemic, we turn to you for help still.
This time has been filled with anxiety and frustrations, grief and depression, conflict and disregard for others. Lord, please shine into this darkness. Grant us the strength, peace, and wisdom to navigate these circumstances. Comfort us in our grief. Provide us purpose and motivation in our despair. Please redeem the pains we suffer together, God.
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Day 13 (Wednesday, December 23): Choose Your Own Sin
In Matthew’s telling of Christ’s birth, we are told of a conversation between Joseph and an angel.
“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
That Christ was born to save us from our sins is essential to the celebration of Christmas. He came to save us from many of the consequences of our own mistakes. He came to give us hope besides the cycles of bad habits and poor choices. “The Word became flesh” so that we could be set in a new, different, and better direction.
Reflection
Consider what it could mean to be “saved” from a sin/mistake/bad decision/debt/wrongdoing/crime/guilt.
Pick a sin to reflect on–it could be one from this series of devotions that hit home with you or just something you’re already working on. What makes you feel like you would want that out of your life? What would it take to get that out of your life and off your mind?
What God Asks
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their family; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.
Romans 1
Prayer
God, we look to you for guidance and direction, knowing that you are an unshakeable standard of goodness. You are good. We are often far from that. And we are often far from you as a consequence. We consciously shoot ourselves in the foot. We intentionally make choices that look very different from your light, love, and wisdom.
Forgive us, Lord. Help us to see your will more clearly so that we can align ours with it.
Shape our hearts to be more like yours. Save us from [sin] and all it’s pitfalls.
Day 14, pt 1 (Thursday, December 24): Godlessness
Every issue brought up in this devotion so far points toward this. The God we believe in and look to for hope, the God hoped in for millennia by people experiencing troubles and evils, is the God of goodness. We believe in a God of love and of light. We believe in a God who is truthful, ordered, just, peacemaking, hospitable, creative, compassionate, dependable, forgiving, loyal, secure, and attentive. Godlessness refers to anything less.
Reflection
Time to reflect on what the world is missing. Kindness? Think about how unkind the world is. Commitment? Think about how unreliable and wishy-washy people are. Think about the consequences of the lack of commitment, kindness, self-control, fairness, respect, and just love in general. Consider the pain people suffer as consequences for any ungodliness.
God’s Promises
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
~Psalm 14, a psalm of David
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Do all these evildoers know nothing?
They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
~Isaiah 32
Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil:
They practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty and from the thirsty they withhold water.
Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes
to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
…
The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted;
citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,
till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.
The Lord’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field.
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
~John 1
Prayer
The world awaits your salvation. Come swiftly, Lord.
Christmas Eve
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
~Luke 2
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Tonight we celebrate the appearance of the Savior. This evening we celebrate the fulfillment of so many promises. As the song goes:
“It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Recital of Promises
He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.
~Deuteronomy 10
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
~Psalm 34
A messianic prophecy:
~Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
He raises the poor from the dust,
~1 Samuel 2
He lifts the needy from the ash heap
To make them sit with nobles,
And inherit a seat of honor;
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
And He set the world on them.
In the last days: the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains;
~Isaiah 2
it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
~Psalm 103
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
~John 1
Reflection
Take some time to think through the promises of God you are most looking forward to. Imagine someone told you that your Savior just showed up. What things come to mind that you might want saving from? Relationships? Illness? Habits? Money issues?
Remember that Christ has come to save you from everything you feel trapped by–in your life and in the world around you. Pray through that and offer up thanks.
Christmas Day
Christmas Eve always seems to revolve around the birth of Christ–as in, the coming of our Savior. Following that, Christmas day seems like the perfect time to celebrate the presence of our Savior. Christmas Eve appears to say “YES! He’s finally here!” Christmas day should be about the “what now?”
We ask God for salvation from poverty and greed, from tyranny and tribalism, from illness and apathy, and a myriad other things… how do we see Jesus saving us from those things? We call out to God when the darkness closes in, but do we see the light?
The Savior in the Gospels
- Where did Jesus help the refugees and foreigners? While Jesus was going through the land of Israel, ministering to his Jewish people, a Greek woman appeared begging Jesus to heal her daughter. After a little discourse he proclaimed that she had greater faith than most in Israel, welcomed her into his fold, and healed her daughter (Mark 7). He opened up his kingdom to any who would follow him and encouraged his followers to do the same.
- Where did Jesus save people from their inhospitality? Some examples include when he ate dinner with tax collectors and “sinners” (Mark 2) or when he a allowed a “woman who led a sinful life” to enter Simon the Pharisee’s house and pour perfume on his feet… then defended the woman and convinced the Pharisees they were wrong in their own home (Luke 7)!
- When did he help the grieving? Also in Luke 7, Jesus is recorded as bringing to life the only son of the widow of Nain. Throughout the gospels, he is constantly praising, defending, and comforting the widow, the orphan, and the bereaved parents.
- When did he save people from comforting themselves instead of others? Calling the Apostle Matthew and the disciple Zacchaeus from their work as tax collectors seems like prime examples (Luke 5; Luke 19).
(I got tired and stopped making the list here… but know there’s solid examples of the other topics covered too.)
The Savior Now
At the end of the gospels, we read that Christ’s ministry did not stop when he ascended into heaven. In the book of Acts, Christ works on behalf of his followers over and over again. He continues to forgive. He intervened and saved the Apostle Paul from a life of vitriol and hate. He is not seen “seated on the throne” for most of the New Testament. Instead he is seen standing on the throne (sidenote: throne refers to the platform where the chair is), ever vigilant and ready to receive his disciples. And in John’s vision described in Revelation, Christ is seen continuing to act as the sacrificial Lamb, continuing to offer himself to save the souls and hearts of people, and continuing to act as a general at every literal and figurative war that was ongoing or about to happen.
So how does he still save? Look to the church, his body:
- Saving refugees and foreigners, by providing safehouses for immigrants.
- Saving people from inhospitality, leading churches to act contrary to popular beliefs and xenophobic notions in America’s landscape.
- Saving the grieving from despair.
- Saving some from disease miraculously or providentially (why some and not others is a question for a theologian, not a devotion writer).
- Saving children and youth from human trafficking.
- Saving the poor and houseless, as the majority of missions and soup kitchens are faith-based and faith-based organizations provide at least 30% of shelter beds in America alone.
- For longer reading, you could also see my interviews with Jackie and Mark for reminders of how Christ has saved people from a wild range of issues.
Celebrating the Light of the World
Christ shines into this world in many mysterious ways. I can’t tell you exactly how Christ may save you, or me, or anyone in particular. But I can guarantee that he will. A Christmas tradition of mine is to recite the following poem. Merry Christmas. I hope the Light of All Mankind (John 1) finds you well this year; or at least that it finds you.
How the Light Comes by Jan Richardson
I cannot tell you
how the light comes.
What I know
is that it is more ancient
than imagining.
That it travels
across an astounding expanse
to reach us.
That it loves
searching out
what is hidden,
what is lost,
what is forgotten
or in peril
or in pain.
That it has a fondness
for the body,
for finding its way
toward flesh,
for tracing the edges
of form,
for shining forth
through the eye,
the hand,
the heart.
I cannot tell you
how the light comes,
but that it does.
That it will.
That it works its way
into the deepest dark
that enfolds you,
though it may seem
long ages in coming
or arrive in a shape
you did not foresee.
And so
may we this day
turn ourselves toward it.
May we lift our faces
to let it find us.
May we bend our bodies
to follow the arc it makes.
May we open
and open more
and open still
to the blessed light
that comes.