Focus

Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer.

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Read

Luke 1:68-79 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.

By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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Reflect

I don’t know about you – but to me, it seems like we are living in a never-ending election season. And, it has completely polarized us as a nation and even as a church. In fact, we have become so polarized by our own pollical agendas, so threatened by those who think, act, love, believe, and vote differently than us, that we do not even know what to think or believe ourselves. We fuss and fight and post smart-alecky memes and do whatever it takes to shame those who disagree with us. Meanwhile, we continue to be shaken by hate crimes and mass shootings and suicides and depression and anxiety. It is ugly… and I’m afraid it is going to get even uglier. Our defensiveness and fear do not speak well of us, let alone as people of faith.

And, individually, so many of us are battling illnesses, poverty, and addiction. We struggle financially and relationally. We battle depression and anxiety. We worry about ________… all the time! You fill in the blank. Many of us, especially during the holidays, struggle to make peace – even in our own families.

And yet… as we approach Advent, in these times of uncertainty, let us continue to gather for worship. Like Zechariah, let us remind one another that we are children of promise, that God has not forgotten us. Let us listen for God’s love and wait in the darkness with our families of faith. Yes, let us wait together – because that is where we get our strength and renew our courage and feast upon the mercies of God – so that we can go into the world and be the light and love for those who, like us, long to find our way to peace.

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Pray

O God, by your tender mercy, help us to embrace your love and rejoice in your creation. Like Zechariah, we pray that you will guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen

Go with God!