First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta Devotional Booklet

J E S U S THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

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ADVENT DEVOTIONAL BOOK, 2014

First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta

A D V E N T

D E V O T I O N A L

B O O K ,

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J E S U S THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

This book is a compilation of devotions written by friends and members of First Presbyterian Church for Advent 2014.

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Th e M o s t Wo n d e r f u l Ti m e o f t h e Ye a r ?

By Tony Sundermeier “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”

Psalm 80:3

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wo years ago, right after Thanksgiving, our then ten-year old Jonny and I were in a conversation about his favorite time of the year.

He said, “I love October through December! We have Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day…that is so awesome!” From family gatherings and holiday parties, to worship services and activities at the church, there is plenty to celebrate and a lot of meaning packed into this season. As Andy Williams sang it, “It’s the most wonderful time of year.” It is, right?

Well, not for everyone. There are many people who see this time as anything but “awesome” or “wonderful.” It’s not the long shopping lines or the holiday music that starts playing mid-November or the over-scheduled calendars that causes this dissonance. Instead, it’s an empty chair at the dinner table where a loved one once sat. It’s the deep and abiding grief that remains at the end of a relationship or the loss of a job or the brokenness of a family. It is the depression that no good cheer can remedy. It is the poverty that makes our children and neighbors long, not for the latest fad Christmas gift, but for food and opportunity instead. No, not everyone sees wonder, beauty, hope or magic in this time of year. For many of us, to celebrate means betraying the entrenched feelings we carry and the difficult and hard realities we face.

One of the lectionary texts for the first Sunday of Advent comes from Psalm 80. I am particularly interested in verse three; it’s printed above.

In this simple line, we hear the Psalmist’s longing for God to be present, for God to restore, and for God’s light to shine in darkness. Advent is a season where we wait for the light to shine in the darkness. Advent is a season where we hope that God will restore, make new, and save.

For all of us that feel less than awesome, for all of us that struggle to see the wonder in this Advent season, don’t lose hope! Keep waiting on the Lord who will come, who will show up, and who will bring comfort, restoration, healing, and hope.

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C h r i s t At Th e C e n t e r

By Pete Hasbrouck “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

John 10:27-28

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or over ten years the Session at First Presbyterian Church has adopted the theme, “Christ at the Center.” This theme grew out of a two year strategic planning effort conducted at the church in the early 2000’s. The genesis of the “Christ at the Center” theme among the committee was that all members of the church are on a journey of faith, and therefore, we are learning within our church what it means to be “Christ-Like.” The committee also embraced the notion that each person’s journey of faith is personal, and there is no singular path that one must follow to be on the “right journey.” The important thing was to acknowledge Christ at the Center, seek what that means to each individual, and to work in concert with others in the church to explore what that means to them.

During Advent we do keep a Christ-centered focus, acknowledging the coming of the birth of Jesus. We also celebrate with all the trappings of Christmas, from the manger scenes to the worship services to the gathering of family and friends and even the coming of Santa Claus which excites the children. This sense of joy and excitement during Advent and building to the Christmas Eve/Day climax reenergizes our faith. It causes us to renew our joy of being Christians and helps us focus on our individual and collective journeys of faith.

The question, however, is what do we do the other eleven months of the year to nurture our desire to be “Christ-like”? How do we clarify our faith journey? How do we keep Christ at the center of our lives? Let us not only celebrate the coming of Christ during Advent and the joy of Christmas Day, but also carry that same enthusiasm the other eleven months of the year as we each walk our Journey of Faith.

Heavenly Father, please help us follow you and become more like Christ.

Help us remain centered in our faith during this season and all year long.

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Awa y i n a M a n g e r

By Carlton Hughes “And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:16

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uring the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, we played host to family and friends who came to watch the games. Plans had been made for many months, but we were concerned about the spare room we were offering our guests. Would it be comfortable enough? In preparation, we had the double bed refitted with new sheets, pillows and comforter.

The curtains and carpet were cleaned, and a new chair was purchased for one corner of the room. All of this was done in expectation of guests who would only sleep there for a few days.

During Advent, how do we prepare our hearts for the Christ-child who comes to stay—not a few days, but forever? Notice of his coming has been given, but will he find a warm welcome or cool indifference? Do we spend all our efforts on the external trappings of the season and forget to prepare our own hearts? The most humble of hearts prepared for Jesus is better than the grandest room at a five-star hotel.

Away in a manger, no room for a bed, The little Lord Jesus lays down his sweet head.

The stars in the sky look down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Our God, help each of us, at this most favorite time of the year, to not lose sight of your Son’s birth. With all our preparations, help us to save time to prepare our hearts for the blessed birth of our Savior. Amen

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G o d ’s A d v e n t

By Chris Moore-Keish “…and Salmon father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the King.”

Matthew 1:5

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he story of Naomi and Ruth has long been popular for its example of love and devotion, but what does it have to do with Advent?

I believe there are two reasons this story is more appropriate for Advent.

First, Ruth’s son, Obed, becomes David’s grandfather, and it is King David who received the promise this his line would reign forever. That promise is what came to be known as the Messianic Covenant. God will save God’s people through the line of David, and we know that the Messiah promised by the covenant first given to David, Obed’s grandson, is Jesus, whose coming we prepare for during Advent. The story of Naomi and Ruth is a part of God’s preparation for the Messiah; this is why Matthew includes Ruth in his genealogy of Jesus. It is appropriate that we celebrate this and God’s other acts of preparation for the coming of the Messiah during this season.

Secondly, Ruth was a Moabite. She was not an Israelite. That is why she speaks of God’s plan to include all peoples in God’s plan for salvation.

Since most Christians are indeed Gentiles and strangers of the covenants God made with Israel, we find great hope in the story of Ruth. God included Ruth, a Gentile stranger to the covenants, as part of God’s own preparation for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Our inclusion in God’s salvation was not an afterthought or even a backup plan for when the first plan fell through. God intended to include us in God’s great act of salvation from before the Messianic covenant was even spoken.

God loved us while we were yet sinners and did not know the true God. God showed God’s love for us by including someone like us, Ruth, in the salvation history. Thus during Advent we celebrate God’s amazing love for us through Ruth’s story.

Almighty and merciful God, we praise you for your love that reaches out to us from of old. Teach us to reach out to those who are still strangers to You this advent season. Amen

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L i f e C e l e b r at e d , Life Renewed

By Evan Few “Jesus said to Thomas, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father, but by me.’”

John 14:6

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oday I learned of the birth of a child, and my heart leaped. I hear they’ve decided to call him Martin, but at another time he might also have been called Kurt or Xander, Javier or Gilbert. His mother is family to me, though it’s not blood that binds us. And so Martin, though thousands of miles away and still more an idea than breathing, transforming flesh and blood, is family too - the newest link, the littlest member of our funny, wandering, modern family.

He is, in fact, just one more person in the crowd of this seething globe, but in truth he is family because he simply is. When I learned that he finally was, and had been for a few days, goodness, distilled, welled up inside me and flowed over into the moment. The world was flooded, saturated. I, moved to stillness. The seething crowd, a murmur. Life, so constant, so redundant, is so startling, so miraculous.

At yet another time, the child might have been called Jesus. Can word of that boy’s birth have described a stillness less absolute, less staggering, in the minds of those who heard it? Or summoned a goodness less pure? Certainly it breached the banks of their hearts and flowed out into a world renewed, rendered in fresh saturations of color and light.

Life, ever going, ever ageless, awes and humbles.

Life celebrated, life tasted, life enveloped in the smoke of a bonfire.

Life shared through music, through dance, through adventure; life spontaneous and mundane by turns. The lifelong pursuit of the perfect drop of sun, the silent moment. Life renewing, life renewed. Living, life itself, binds us — across continents, oceans, millennia.

Father thank you for life today. Thank you for the blessings and the beauty of life. Above all, thank you for the life we have through Jesus, born so long ago.

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O C o m e , L et Us Adore Him!

By Mary Archer “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31

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ur Tiffany window depicting the Nativity is a lovely ‘Christmas Card’ to worshippers. We see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the beautiful portrayal of Mary and Joseph, the baby Jesus, shepherds and sheep, wise men and their gifts, the background of royal purple and the Christmas star. Divinity has arrived!

On Christmas Eve, we are present in the sanctuary filled with candlelight, surrounded in worship by our beautiful windows, moved with gratitude. Contemplating this holy gift impels us to forget our ‘to do’ lists, our racetracks, our busy-ness. We embrace love and good will. Christ is Lord in our hearts and we heartily sing, “O come, let us adore Him.” He dwells in our inmost being, our smiles, our unselfish giving, and our good will to all. When have you felt God’s love more strongly?

Turning our attention to the balcony, we see a window depicting another Biblical prophecy, yet to be fulfilled. It is Christ’s second coming and it shows our Savior with a crown, revealing Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Notice that He is surrounded by people of all ages adoring Him. Just think, we could be among those portrayed in that window!

Yes, come, let us adore Him! I am sure you know that the real miracle of Christmas is not only the holy baby’s coming to Bethlehem. Beyond this season, if we truly continue to keep Christ as Lord in our hearts and continue to be filled with His Love, our everyday lives will be deeply transformed into another miracle of true commitment and service to our Eternal King in 2015 and beyond!

May it be so for you and for me.

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel. Amen

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Je s u s A m o n g Us

By Beryl Graham Kalisa “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food . . .”

Matthew 25:34, 35

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very day Miss Hattie cheerfully greeted the homeless sleeping on the church’s front steps. Miss Hattie, 80 and eldest of 30 remaining church members, was sad to see the many homeless who congregated outside the church, a testament to how life was often cruel and unfair.

On Wednesday morning, December 10, she had a chat with the church’s new young minister. He was excited to be assigned to a church, even though this one seemed to have a limited future. He enjoyed meeting Miss Hattie for she was a natural-born story teller, knowledgeable of the church and the surrounding community’s history. What the young minister appreciated most were her encouraging words and her optimism that the church could become vibrant again. The minister was dejected by the church’s dwindling membership, but Miss Hattie cautioned him not to give up.

“We have too much rich history here,” Miss Hattie explained. “You can’t walk away now. God sent you here for a reason. You clearly have a heart for the dispossessed. Maybe God wants our church to focus on the poor.” They prayed and fasted for a week, seeking God’s will.

On December 17, Miss Hattie could hardly wait to meet with the young minister. But before he could say a word, she smiled and said, “Let’s open a soup kitchen to serve lunch to the homeless on Christmas Eve!” He knew the church had limited resources, nevertheless, he agreed.

At noon on Christmas Eve, the church opened its kitchen. The love of Jesus was reflected in the faces of the homeless guests through the lives of those who served the food. From this humble beginning on a snowy Christmas Eve, in time the church expanded its outreach services. The church’s soup kitchen weathered the early storms and within two years had expanded into a full-fledged homeless center.

Heavenly Father, help us to be aware of those around us who are hungry and thirsty need to feel your love.

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Th e Tr u e L i g h t

By Connie Lee “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only son from the Father.”

John 1:14

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ecently, my husband and I drove to Callaway Gardens to experience the beauty of the gardens and the natural surroundings. It was after school had begun for the fall and after all of the tourists returned to their homes and places of work. There were no long lines, so we quickly parked in front of the normally packed Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center. As we walked the beautiful pink and white azalea lined trails, we encountered very few people exploring the paths and saw even fewer people enjoying the white-sand beach.

One night as we were dining in one of the nearly empty restaurants, we asked our waitress if they had been very busy during the summer. She told us they certainly had and needed twice as many wait staff persons in order to accommodate the crowds. “But” she added, “We will need four times as many to handle the crowds that will come for the Fantasy In Lights.”

We were surprised to learn that during the Advent season, more people come to Callaway Gardens to see the more than 8 million lights that shine throughout the gardens than those who come to enjoy the natural beauty during the summer season.

According to John, “Jesus is the true light which enlightens everyone.” During Advent, we have a wonderful opportunity to serve as witnesses for “the true light” we each need in our lives. This light shines brightly and empowers ordinary people to live as the children of God in the world. This special season allows us to prepare the way for the true light to shine into the lives of those around us. How will you let that light shine in this Advent Season?

Gracious God, show us ways to be mirrors of your light in this dark world.

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C o m e , Th o u Long-expected Jesus

By Nancy Culp “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’”

Isaiah 9:6

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ow many times have you responded to a question or comment from someone only to realize afterwards, “I did not mean that”; or, “That’s not what I meant to say”? That happened to me recently and it reminded me of something that happened a few years ago.

A friend and I were waiting for an elevator, when we spotted a young boy and his mother hurrying toward us. We held the door open for them and upon entering the elevator, the five-year-old said, “Thank you for holding the elevator for us.” We praised him for being such a polite young man.

When the elevator stopped at our floor his mother quietly prompted him what to say, after which he looked up at us, smiled, and said, “After you, ladies!,” and immediately ran out of the elevator before anyone else!

His mother, embarrassed, just stood there and sighed. While this incident was quite humorous and typical of a young child, how many times do we adults make comments that we do not support with our actions?

Throughout Advent we are reminded over and over of God’s promises. Isaiah, in his prophecy hundreds of years earlier spoke of the coming of One to save his people: “Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7: 14).

In the words of Charles Wesley, we find God’s promise fulfilled in the birth of his son, Jesus: “Come, thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Dear God, thank you for your faithfulness and that you keep your word.

Amen.

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O u r H a p p y, H o l l y C h r i s t m a s Tr e e

By Brenda Crayton-Pitches “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:17

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ne of my many wonderful memories of Christmas in small town Opp, Alabama, is Grandaddy taking us out to the woods to pick a tree. For several years, this trip was a special time for us until we ordered the fancy artificial tree from the Sears, Roebuck catalog.

As the oldest child I think I influenced my younger brother and sister to choose a holly tree by exclaiming, “It already has decorations!” I was enthralled by the tiny red berries which adorned a large, beautiful tree, but Grandaddy said it was too large.

So, we settled for two or three saplings which Grandaddy tied together and set up in a bucket of dirt near the dining room window. We knew ours was a strange kind of tree, but we loved it, and we decorated it just like regular trees with lights, tinsel, colorful balls and a sheet around the bucket where gifts would be placed.

The only downside to our tree was that by the time Christmas Day came, it had begun to dry out. Reaching through those prickly holly leaves to extract our gifts from under the tree was quite a challenge. Granny, Grandaddy and Mama always asked us to retrieve their gifts, which we did, gladly. It was, after all, a magical time … when everything was perfect.

We would deal with the scratches later. The scratches were a small price to pay for the joy we experienced in that family time together. Zechariah exhorts us to not despise the small things, but find joy in those small things, the good ones and the difficult ones.

Heavenly Father, help us find some small thing to delight in today.

Show us an opportunity to create a small thing that will bless someone else along the way,

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V u l n e r a b i l i t y & Tr u s t

By Mary Ellen Vian “And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.

And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger.”

Luke 2:6-7

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newborn baby – the most vulnerable being there is – completely incapable of assuring her own well-being, her future, or even her survival.

The Incarnation means, among other things, that God placed God’s own self in exactly this position of the vulnerability and dependence of a newborn baby, trusting in mere human beings for absolutely everything.

God placed God’s own self in the hands of the newborn Jesus’ parents, his family and his community, completely vulnerable and dependent upon people just like us!

The very idea is mind-boggling, even scandalous, and inspires mystified awe. Psychologists tell us that by feeling intense needs while helpless and vulnerable, and then experiencing the relief and comfort of those needs being met by the caregiver again and again, time after time, the newborn learns to trust.

As a newborn baby, and in fact, even as the unborn child whose birth we now await, Jesus shows us the Way – calling us to recognize and confess our ultimate vulnerability and dependence, calling us to trust wholly in God and not ourselves to meet all our needs.

And in this call, as in every other claim He makes upon our lives, God in Christ asks us to do nothing that He has not already done for us Himself.

Holy God, when we think about the babe in the manger this season, help us humble ourselves to be like Him. Lead us to respond to your call to vulnerability, and to acknowledge even our most hidden places of hurt and need. In doing so we will experience the comfort and joy of your loving care and healing, and learn to trust wholly in You alone.

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A Dangerous Journey

By Rebekah LeMon “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Matthew 25:35

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hen I think of Christmas, I prefer to dwell on the moment in the Christmas story when all is well – when Jesus is warm and safe in a manger, and Mary and Joseph can finally exhale with the relief and gratitude of new parents. That moment glows. But there was a dangerous journey on either side of our Savior’s birth, and I learned from my parents years ago that experiencing the whole of our Christmas story will sometimes call us out of our safe and warm places.

My parents, my brother and I had visited family one Christmas Eve and were driving home on Interstate 85. We pulled into a rest area, hurrying to get home. I remember how cold the air felt after the warmth inside our car.

There at the rest area we found another family – two parents and two children like us – but with a broken-down car, no money, no phone, and no way to get anywhere else. They had visited their grandfather and the children had gotten their only presents for that year – a coloring book and crayons each. Their parents asked my parents for help. I sat in our warm car, feeling uneasy. Here we were, talking with strangers, at a place where people avert their eyes and pass by quickly. I wanted to help, but wanted more to stay in my safe warm place, and get on home. I assumed my parents would call for help or give the family some money. But then our car doors opened, and that family of four got in. We drove them into the night to their small town, to their mobile home. It was a humble home, but dry and safer than a parking lot off the highway. That was Christmas – a moment of need and risk and trust and hope all around, maybe a little like another so long ago – when a young couple, expecting their first child any day, had no place to sleep.

O God, help us to see the needs all around us, and to take a risk to give hope to those we meet.

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Sing Hallelujah !

By Meredith Bradshaw “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

David’s Psalm, Psalm 150:6

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ould you ever imagine a Christmas without the carols of Jesus’ birth? I can’t separate the preparations for this Holy Day from particular melodies that seem to radiate a natural and necessary Spirit of praise. From Thanksgiving Day to Christmas itself, every conceivable style of vocal artist seems to vie for the exalted solo, “O Holy Night.” I don’t mean vying in a competitive sense, but more like vying with the challenge from “something” within that is leaping to praise God, a “something” consciously implanted there by the Spirit to remind us that He has come among us.

Somehow “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” just doesn’t have the same effect, nor does “All I Want for Christmas” or “Santa, Baby.” Though “Winter Wonderland” is charming and nostalgic, it can’t possibly come close to “Joy to the World!’’ Not for many of us, or at least not for me.

Last year, our family foursome decorated the house and Christmas tree to nearly the entire Handel’s Messiah, and nothing could contain us from breaking into vocal parts on “Hallelujah!” We even replayed the piece several times as though we were preparing and rehearsing for a BIG recital. That’s exactly what it felt I like, a momentous occasion of invisible preparation. It was “invisible” in that no one except God Himself will ever hear our imaginary Bradshaw Quartet, and no human would want to. But we were compelled to practice it again and again. For days and weeks afterwards, something made us hum it under our breaths, and that memory is an insistent echo of “King of Kings, Forever and ever! And Lord of Lords, Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of music, especially at this time of the year.

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Th e B e s t C h r i s t m a s Pa g e a n t E v e r

By Gail Price “And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child;” Luke 2:16-17

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ow does one prepare for the birth of a child? In a perfect world, a baby would be born in a hospital or a safe home, surrounded by loving family and friends. Mary and Joseph did not have the choice to have their baby born in their home village; instead, they had to travel far from home because of a decree from Emperor Augustus.

This incredible story of Jesus’ birth is retold by children as young as 3 years old in our church’s annual Christmas Pageant. Over a hundred children play the parts of Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, the Innkeeper, the Wise Men, and animals, telling the tale of inconvenient travel, poor accommodations, and the least ideal place to have a baby. A stable! What parents, given the choice, would have their new baby in a stable surrounded by animals?

Many months of planning go into making our pageant the “best Christmas pageant ever.” Instead of being the “best ever”, though, sometimes song lyrics are forgotten, melodies are mangled, cues are missed, lighting may not work as planned, children wander off towards their parents, or prop animals may be knocked over. Much like the actual circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth, the pageant is never “perfect” in that everything goes exactly as planned.

Our children’s Christmas pageant IS perfect, though, in the spirit in which it is given to our church family. God’s love for us shines through the joyful eyes of our children retelling the ancient story of Jesus’ birth. God’s love continues to shine through Jesus Christ – God’s perfect, unexpected Gift, presented to the world in the most humble of stables.

Dear Lord, Thank you for giving us the account of your birth in the Scripture. We are even more thankful for the gift of your Son who came to redeem us. Amen

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Step Back and R eflect

By Jens Korndörfer “For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

John 3:17

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n the first Sunday of Advent in 1996, I joined the choir of my church for the first performance of J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in my little hometown, Lauf, Germany. The professional orchestra and soloists who also participated in this concert made a lasting impression on me, especially in the opening chorus “Shout for Joy.” I will never forget how the brilliant fanfares of the trumpets, the rolls of the timpani, and the exuberant runs of the violins resounded in the festively decorated—and packed—church. I was reminded of this profoundly moving musical and spiritual experience last year, when the FPC chancel choir and the St. Cecilia Consort performed this piece in our beautiful sanctuary.

Later, I also came to appreciate the more meditative and reflective pieces such as the arias and hymn settings. The hymn that I find particularly intriguing today is “How should I receive you?” Bach decided to set the first verse of this advent hymn (see below) to the melody of “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.” In the middle of the exuberant joy over the birth of the Messiah, Bach is inviting us to take a step back and to reflect, not only upon how we should prepare ourselves for God’s Son, but also upon Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

How should I receive you And how should I meet you?

O longing of the whole world, O adornment of my soul!

O Jesus, Jesus, place Yourself, your lamp by me So that what gives you delight I may know and understand!

Heavenly Father, as we prepare for your Son’s birth, help us remember why He came.

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Th r e a d C o u n t

By Kevin Knab “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:12

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s we draw our eyes toward the birth scene in the Gospel of Luke, we are told that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloth and laid in a manger.

What might the thread count have been for the swaddling cloth?

Thread count is the measure of how many fibers a particular fabric has per square inch. Since higher thread count means smoother fabric, the desire for higher thread count is important in the search for the best sheets and pillow cases. Softer and smoother are the goals. This is also true for clothing.

Well, the manger would have been full of hay, so imagine the prickly, allergy-and-itch inducing, thick thread count of a pile of hay. There is little comfort from the hay unless one would be protected with clothes. But swaddling clothes themselves, particularly among the poor, would have been put together piecemeal, made of scratchy wool or maybe cotton if one was fortunate.

So the baby Jesus’ introduction to the world of thread count began with a roughness of fabric that would have stunned his senses in his first hours. Soon, Jesus himself would be stunning us with his call to take up our crosses and follow him. (Note the theme of textures we face when we follow Christ!).

We might ask the question of ourselves – with what do we wrap ourselves, literally and figuratively? Our anticipation of the coming of the Christ-child in Advent sets this question before us and asks us to prepare for rough wrappings. Things will not be easy, but they will be transformative. Things will not be smooth, but they will be redemptive.

Things will not be silk and satin, but they will carry the joy and hope of Christ into the world.

Heavenly Father, when times are not easy, please help us remember that even your Son experienced the roughness of life. Thank you for the joy that comes from knowing you and the hope you bring us in Christ. Amen.

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Ne Ti m e a ! Do not be afr aid!

By Nancy Harris “And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.’” Luke 1:30

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t wasn’t unusual for the people in Mary’s time to hear God speaking through the appearance of angels, visions, or dreams. Mary was brought up in a Jewish home where she heard stories that were passed down from generation to generation and psalms that were sung in temple worship, reminding all of the great and powerful acts of the God of Israel.

A grand example of the appearance of an angel was when God’s messenger, Gabriel, announced to Mary that she was the favored one.

She was about to enter the realm of joy anticipated for centuries, the birth of the Messiah, her Son. Her purpose in life was to be the mother of the Savior of the world. This week I have been thinking about those first thoughts Mary might have had after Gabriel’s announcement.

She might have thought, “Who am I to be worthy of such a manifestation of God’s glory.” The angel said, “Be not afraid. God is with you... nothing is impossible with God.” In faith Mary replies, “You see before you the Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me as you have said.”

Has the fear factor kept you from listening, hearing, or answering God’s call in your life? Are you afraid of what might be required? What you might have to give up or suffer? Do you question God’s thinking?

Do you feel God has asked the wrong person? Do you hide or turn your back on God? Do you fear?

Shamefully, I have to answer that I have struggled with all of the above. Mary teaches me over and over again in the retelling of The Annunciation, that what was true over 2,000 years ago remains. God’s faithfulness and love for us is eternal. We are all his favored ones, invited to proclaim his greatness by reflecting his image to everyone in all we do.

In our weakness, brokenness, sin, and abandonment, the name of Jesus, The Christ, still reclaims us as God’s own. If we really listen, we can hear the angel Gabriel, saying, “Be not afraid! Ne timea!”

Dear God, help us hear the words of Gabriel today and cast aside all fear that has been keeping us from doing your will. Amen.

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O h B e a u t i f u l S ta r

By Kathy Bess “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.

And they fell down and worshipped him.”

Matthew 2:10-11

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y Mom grew up in the mountains of Strange Creek, West Virginia, where she had to walk miles to catch a bus to go to school.

After graduating from high school, she eventually moved down to Covington, Virginia, where she enjoyed more mountains. After a few years of dating, Mom married Dad and settled down in a lovely house that they bought, the first and only house that they purchased. A few years later, I came along, after many hours of labor by Mom.

When I was old enough, my Mom told me that her favorite song of all time was “Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem.” Over the years, the song has made a lasting impression on me. I discovered that, in approximately 1940, R. Fisher Boyce gave the song to James D. Vaughan to be published, and then to other individuals to be published for small fees.

Through the years this song has stayed with me. It has a lovely, folksy side, with a clear description of what happened so long ago. That star that the wise men followed guided them to worship Jesus. Most importantly, the song resonates with me as I worship Jesus, the Star of Bethlehem, during Advent.

Oh, beautiful Star the hope of rest For the redeemed, the good and the blest, Yonder in glory when the crown is won, Jesus is now that Star divine Brighter and brighter He will shine Beautiful Star of Bethlehem shine on.

Dear Father, thank you for leading the wise men so very long ago.

Help me to follow you in obedience, just as they did. I worship you today.

Amen.

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We A r e B e l o v e d

By Florida Ellis “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!’”

Luke 2:13-14

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an you imagine the work and planning involved in preparing for and offering a “family vacation” to 20 troubled teens? Our daughter Lindsay worked for The Dale House in Colorado Springs as her first job after college. It is a residential facility for kids who are wards of the State of Colorado. Among them are some who have been on drugs, while others have been abused. The Dale House offers a stable “family” for these kids as they develop practical and social skills for life on their own.

One aspect of the program is to offer the kids an experience of a “family vacation,” taking them during the week between Christmas and New Year’s on a western trip culminating in a visit to Disneyland. In reflecting on the trip, Lindsay wrote, “Making joyful all our motion, making light our steps is the melody of our belovedness. We make tangible this profound love -that God has time to spend a life with us.”

It is my hope that during Advent, in the midst of the entire busyness involved in getting ready for Christmas, I will remember what Lindsay said and that it will be an invitation to remember my own belovedness and let it “make light my steps and make joyful all my motion.” I want to remember that God has time to spend a life with us and make that tangible to others.

O Lord, your blessings to me are overwhelming.

Help me to share and spread these blessings to others through this holiday season and each day of the coming year.

Amen.

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Th e L i g h t i s C o m i n g

By Jami Wise “What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

John 1:3-5

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ne Christmas, after I was grown and childish wonder had faded, my dad hung colored, flashing lights in the windows of his apartment. When I came to visit, he sat me down and turned off the indoor lights, leaving the room bathed only in the glow of the brightly colored bulbs. “Watch this,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing.”

He turned on some Christmas music. I don’t recall what it was, but it was lively. The lights continued to flash.

“Do you see it?” he said.

I didn’t. I shook my head.

He grinned expansively, swinging out his arm as if throwing open a curtain. “They flash in time to the music! It doesn’t matter what you play. They always get in sync! Isn’t that something?”

Suddenly, I saw. I smiled. For a long time, my dad and I sat together in the darkened room, watching the lights make their song.

Truth was that we both knew that the lights did not magically sync up to the music. But we chose to see them that way, because we believed.

My beloved Dad and his magical spirit departed this world without warning this past July, just three months after my stepfather. So this Christmas, I’m having trouble getting the lights in sync. But I’m hanging on there in the dim glow, waiting for the light to overcome the darkness, knowing that eventually, if I keep looking, it will.

Dear God, even in the darkest times of our lives, help us believe that you are the Light.

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Th e L i g h t o f t h e Wo r l d

By Cheryl Hughes “Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world.

He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’”

John 8:12

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ne particular part of our Christmas Eve service is my favorite.

Usually it comes at the end of the service, but that is not why it is my favorite. It is the time when the lights are turned off, and one candle is lit. That flame is then passed to each of us until the entire room is lit with little candles. Yes, I enjoy when each of us has our own candle, and they are all burning brightly, but there is something special about just ONE little candle.

That little candle reminds me of the birth of Jesus, and how the birth of one, Jesus Christ, Son of God, changed the world. At that very moment, darkness became light, just as in our church sanctuary, darkness becomes light with the flame of just one little candle.

We are not Jesus, but we are His ambassadors here on earth. So perhaps with just one little word from us, with just one little smile from us, with just one little act of kindness from us, we can cause the darkness in someone’s world to dissipate. We can be their one little flame. That would be the outward display of Jesus living in us.

Dear Lord, help me remember that I may be the only candle in someone’s darkness today.

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I G ot G ood News!

By Martha Stringer “And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.

And the angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”

Luke 2:7-11

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e were living in Huntsville, Alabama, when my son Mark was in kindergarten. Christmas was approaching, and Mark came home each day full of the Christmas story as told by his teacher, or rather Mark’s version of the story.

“Mary and Jovis went to Beflehem and the innkeeper said, ‘I got no room. But the cows and horsies won’t mind if you sleep with them.’”

“And the angels said to the shepherds, ‘Fear not. I got good news.

There’s a little baby been born in Beflehem and you should go and see him.’”

I treasure Mark’s account. And whenever I hear the words read from the Bible, I hear a little voice saying, “Fear not. I got good news.”

Heavenly Father, when we hear your voice as you said, “Let the children come to me and do not hinder them; for to such is the kingdom of heaven,” help us keep that child-like faith during this busy season.

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O L i t t l e To w n of Bethlehem

By Rose Emily Bermudez O holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us, we pray.

Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell; O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel

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rowing up in Colombia where I was born, I learned to appreciate the traditions that are unique to that country. One of my favorite things was building the Nativity. The little town of Bethlehem was put together with little wooden homes my dad had been constructing throughout the year for this occasion. We would go as a family to the beach (one block from our home) and pick up the prettiest shells and pebbles, and together we would craft the town of Bethlehem.

It contained animals, roads, lights, Mary and Joseph and the Wise men, and of course the “Star.”

Matthew records that the birth of Jesus was accompanied by an extraordinary celestial event: a star that led the Magi to Jesus.

Family would come to our house to hear stories that either my parents or friends would share. The singing that was part of the evening was accompanied by friends playing their guitars. As we sat on the sofa or around the Nativity, we enjoyed the peace, love and happiness of being together as one family of God.

Christmas is about giving and sharing our blessings. It is about thanking people for the smile they brought into our life. It is about love, forgiveness, second chances and starting all over again. It is about renewing one’s hope, dreams and faith. What a great time to reflect on the significant events we have experienced throughout the year, whatever they may be.

Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angels’ song and for the infant’s cry in lowly manger.

We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child.

We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance.

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Listen to Linus

By John Baum “And the angel said to the shepherds, ‘Be not afraid; For behold, I bring you good news of a great joy Which will come to all the people; For to you is born this day In the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.’”

Luke 2:10-11

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rowing up I had a friend whose father decided they would have a Christmas tumbleweed instead of a tree. This is true; I saw it—an actual tumbleweed parked on top of a clay pot in their living room. I felt sorry for them. I still do.

And now, as an adult, I see to it (with the help and vision of my wife) that Christmas blooms in spectacular fashion at our house. We usually begin the day after Thanksgiving: lights, trees, a Snow Village, holiday pillows, a singing reindeer, garland, Christmas glasses, coffee cups, coasters, exterior illumination, and music. Lots of music. Yes, it’s all Christmas all the time in the Baum household.

I have a friend, however, who does not like Christmas at all and, only because his wife insists, does a Christmas tree grace their living room each December. He makes some good points: yes, the commercial aspects of the season can outshine the true meaning of the season’s celebration. Yes, an extra-thick layer of sappiness often drips from holiday reunion specials.

And, yes, the inflatable grinning Santa Claus behind the wheel of a pastel yellow inflatable twin prop plane on his neighbor’s roof has little to do with a special star, swaddling clothes and an inn with no vacancy.

Peanuts creator Charles Schultz shared this concern, and so he wrote the “Charlie Brown Christmas Special” in which Linus stands alone on a darkened stage and recites verses 8-14 in the second chapter of Luke, reminding Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and the gang what the hubbub really is all about. The auditorium is silent and Charlie Brown returns home with his little tree, pleased.

So tumbleweed, Christmas Central, or nothing at all—it doesn’t really matter that you deck the halls, or what you deck them with—just be sure to listen to Linus.

Lord, help us to remember that Christmas is about the birth of a baby, God’s Son, sent to be the Savior of the world.

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Our Christmas Baby

by Kim Grady “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord . . . for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His name.’”

Luke 2:46 & 49

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ulia, our youngest daughter, was not due on Christmas Day, but no one told her that, and so I went into labor on Christmas Eve. Henry and I are both planners – Type A, dot your I’s and cross your T’s people.

We had planned on having Christmas with our family of four, taking down Christmas decorations the next week, and putting the finishing touches on the nursery. But God had other plans, and decided to bless us with the best Christmas gift of all. Having a baby is always such a sweet miracle, but holding a new baby on Christmas Day was probably one of the sweetest miracles our family has ever experienced.

Mary knew about being blessed by God’s miracles. Having a baby at Christmas has always made me reflect on Mary more than I ever had before. Her absolute trust was in God, His timing and His plan. One of my favorite verses about the birth of Jesus is Luke 2:19, when the shepherds arrived and shared the message from the angels. “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.” What a wonderful example for us! Sometimes I am anxious and wring my hands and worry about things instead of turning them over to God to handle. If anyone had reason to worry, it was Mary, as she had just given birth in a stable.

But she didn’t worry. Instead she pondered. According to the dictionary, ponder means “to reflect or consider with thoroughness and care.” She didn’t worry because she knew God was in control. I am sure she reflected on her part in God’s plan and her son’s precious life.

This Christmas season, I hope we will all be able to ponder God’s plans for our lives and worry less. I hope we can ponder ways to help others instead of worrying ourselves. I hope we can ponder about the true spirit of Christmas and lose ourselves in the middle of it all.

Dear God, help us to be more like Mary in all that we do. May this Christmas season and our lives be filled with love for you. Allow us to ponder our blessings. Thank you that your plan is always perfect.

Help us to be mindful of our many gifts at Christmas and always.

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H a p p y B i rt h d ay a n d Merry Christmas!

By Cynthia Briscoe Brown “For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

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y Christmas Day birthday has presented some unique challenges. As a child, I resented not being able to have a party with my friends on my special day. Despite my mother’s insistence on pink frosting flowers for the cake, the bakery always used red. Our young daughter caused the first of my “senior moments” when, on the eve of my 35th birthday, she asked which of us was older, me or Jesus. Having only one annual gift-receiving occasion in the middle of winter means I have to give myself that new swimsuit or bicycle in July.

Sharing a birthday with our Lord has also given me an opportunity to really enter into the Christmas story in a fully personal way. From a very early age, the lights, colors, and especially the music of Christmas brought Emmanuel, “God with us,” into every fiber of my being. When my father wished me a happy birthday as the last strains of “Silent Night” faded at the end of the annual Christmas Eve candlelight service, the lines of history and culture blurred.

One Advent season, I was pregnant with our first baby. For the first time I truly empathized with the hopes and fears of that young girl in first-century Galilee, waiting just like me and wondering if she would be up to the task of mothering her precious child.

During Advent, as in Lent, God asks us to take time out of our busy modern lives to immerse ourselves in the wonder of God’s great gift to us so long ago. On Christmas Day, God “gets personal” with us, entering into our time and space in the most immediate and tangible way possible.

No matter when our own birthday occurs, our joy as Christians is to get personal with Christ, becoming reborn in Him and making Him real and relevant in our world today.

O God, we thank you for the person of your Son. Help us to share the gifts you have given us with others today. We are thankful for the gift of Salvation through your Son. Amen

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A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S

Many thanks to the Advent Devotion Committee: Kathy Bess Jim Brown Nancy Culp Robert Lewis Carlton Hughes Cheryl Hughes Gail Price Lynn Summer

We also want to thank Rev. Lindsay Armstrong, Eve Earnest, and Jami Wise for their help and support to make this project a success, and Lee Barrineau for the beautiful graphic design.

In grateful acknowledgement of the legacy of John H. Stembler, Jr., whose bequest has provided funding for this Advent Devotional Booklet.

The Bible passages quoted in this booklet are from the Revised Standard Version (RSV) of the Bible.

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First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta 1328 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, Georgia 30309 404-892-8461 • www.firstpresatl.org