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Tag: Christmas

Our Sense of Joy

Written by Elizabeth Marshall on . Posted in Advent. No Comments on Our Sense of Joy

 

I was recently scrolling through social media and I came across a silly video about a conversation between a mother and her child in the year 2040. The mom asked how things were at school and the child responded that the day went fine but then asked the mother if she knew anything about the events they had studied in history that day. When the mother asked what the events were the child simply responded with “The year 2020.” The short video ended with the mother looking shell shocked in the camera at the mention of the year. 

 

As I watched the video I chuckled to myself a bit but then it really did get me thinking. It is no secret that the last two years have been anything but easy to endure. Pain, trials, struggles, and affliction have riddled not just our town, state, or country but the entire world. I have come to the conclusion I really never want to hear the phrase “living in unprecedented times” ever again. 

 

For many people all the hardships have brought along with it a deep sense of despair, fear, and heartache. I will be honest when I say that for quite a bit of time I really struggled with feeling like perhaps I was some kind of heartless robot as we went through the journey that the last bit of time has been because while I felt some concerns and some uncertainty I just didn’t feel the same level of being shaken to the core as many individuals I came across did. I questioned my own reactions and responses to the events taking place. 

 

Joy

 

The third week of the advent season represents Joy. It’s also known as the Shepherd’s Candle. This week’s focus is on the joy that the birth of Christ brings. This week, as I have spent time thinking and reflecting on joy preparing to write this post I have come to realize that perhaps my actions and responses to the events of the past two years have less to do with happiness in our circumstances and more to do with the joy that Christ brings. 

 

Joy in the Bible

Joy is defined as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” While that may be the “textbook definition, the biblical definition of joy, the true deep meaning of joy is so much more.

  • Biblical joy is not simply momentary happiness.
  • Biblical joy is not controlled by our circumstances.
  • Biblical joy is an expression of godliness
  • Biblical joy is permanent.
  • Biblical joy is always available

 

Elizabeth George, in her book titled A Woman’s Walk with God, says “True biblical joy shines brightest against the darkness of trials, tragedy, and testing.” Joy is something that is permanent. It’s always there, but we have the ability to allow our circumstances to rob us of our sense of joy. Rather than allow that sense of joy to be buried by the trials and struggles if we redirect our focus to Christ then true biblical joy will shine through just as a brilliant diamond sparkles and shines against a black background. 

 

Joy this Christmas Season

The birth of a baby always brings joy, hope, and excitement. When baby Jesus was born angels appeared to the shepherds and told them not to be afraid but rather to rejoice. Rejoice takes the noun joy and turns it into a verb. They were told not just to have joy but to express it. And they did. They raced to the place they were told to go, they saw the baby, and they spread the news. 

 

We are told to do the same thing. Paul tells us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all circumstances. This Christmas season, as we turn our joy from a noun to a verb, from an idea to an action, we can also be like the shepherds and spread the word. We have the ability that even though things may not seem like they are the best circumstances we can still rest in our joy, the joy that only God can provide, and only through the sacrifice that was given, all put into action that dark, cold, night when a baby was born, wrapped in clothes, and placed in a manger. 

 

Prayer

Father, thank you for providing a joy that can’t even properly be put into words. No matter what our circumstances, we can rest in the knowledge that your joy does not rely on the good times being good. Our joy is in the hope and salvation that only you can give. This Christmas season help us to spread that joy in our homes, in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, and in our communities. This season, help us to turn our joy from an idea to an action as we share with others the reason we celebrate this season. 

 

SCRIPTURES TO REFLECT ON THIS SEASON ABOUT THE JOY WE HAVE IN CHRIST

Psalm 47:1

 

Ecclasiastes 9:7

 

Isaiah 12:6

 

John 16:22

 

Luke 2:8-20

 

Phillippians 4:4-5

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

And World Peace

Written by Elizabeth Marshall on . Posted in Advent. No Comments on And World Peace

 

Miss Congeniality is unapologetically one of my very favorite movies of all time. It is one of those movies that my mom, my sister, and I find ourselves quoting to one another on a fairly regular basis. One of the funniest parts of the movie is when “Gracie Lou Freebush” undercover FBI agent Gracie Hart has to participate in the interview portion of the Miss United States beauty pageant. As the film shares clips of several of the contestants answering their question the response is always the same:

 

“World Peace”, “World Peace”, “Oh that’s easy, world peace”

 

That is until Gracie gets her turn. She actually provides an answer that she feels answers the question, however, she is met with silence until she adds “And World Peace” to the end of her response.

 

I have always found that part of the movie amusing because the idea of “world peace” truly does seem like a foreign concept. For as long as I can remember there have been soldiers at war in one place or another, we have studied countless battles and conflicts dating back to the time when Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden and Cain took action against his brother Abel. World peace, at least in the way that it has been portrayed, seems more like a pipe dream than an actual possibility.

 

Peace

When you look up the word peace on dictionary.com there are several different definitions that pop up. 

 

“A state of tranquility or quite”

“Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions”

“A harmony in personal relationships” 

 

Several of those definitions have subcategories that often link back to a relationship between a people and their government. The idea of peace is that there is no civil, political, religious, or any other type of unrest among everyone. This is what the Israelite people were waiting and watching for as they prepared for the coming Messiah.  

 

Peace in the Bible

The word peace is found anywhere between 250 and 450 times in the Bible depending on what translation you are reading. Biblical peace is a peace that goes far beyond the ideals of the ending of governmental unrest. True Biblical peace is rest and tranquil faith in the good times and in the bad. In the easy days and in those days you are just doing good to get out of bed and put your clothes on the right direction. 

 

Biblical peace guards our hearts, provides deep joy despite our circumstances, assists us in times we are struggling, and is a blessing when we learn how to truly lean in and embrace this peace that only God can give. 

 

Jesus is Our Peace

This time of advent is a time of reflection. It’s a time to soak in the wonder that was the birth of Christ. Luke tells of the announcement of Jesus’ arrival as well as that of his cousin, John. In both of these stories the most unlikely of mothers are chosen. It would be easy to see how both Elizabeth and Mary would give into anxieties, fears, and possibly even anger at these miraculous announcements but instead they rested in the peace and perfection in the God they served. 

 

Jesus brought peace in ways that were not what the people were expecting. The Jewish people were waiting for a revolution, a rebellion against the Roman government but instead Jesus provided something different. Jesus brought peace with ourselves and peace with others. He provided us our assurance of salvation and he provided us unity with other believers. He gave us all one common goal: spread His love and His message to the world. 

 

This year has continued to be filled with questions and uncertainty. This season, rather than focus on the questions and the unknowns, take some time to focus on the peace that God provides through the birth of his Son. Be reminded that the world’s definition of peace and God’s definition of peace aren’t the same thing. 

 

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the peace you provide. It is no secret that we are living in what many have called unprecedented and uncertain times, but we know that we can have a peace of certainty that You are on the throne and You have all things under control. As we reflect on the peace that Christ brought when he was born we are humbled that You loved enough to provide the ultimate gift, a gift we don’t deserve and a gift we can not earn. This advent season help us to reflect on the peace that the season brings rather than focusing on the fast paced race of the season. 

Scriptures to Reflect on this Season about the Peace We Have in Christ

Psalm 26:11

Proverbs 12:20

Proverbs 16:7

Psalm 85:8

Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 26:3

Matthew 11:28-30

John 16:33

1 Corinthians 14:33

Romans 15:13

2 Corinthians 13:11

 

 

 

A Thrill of Hope

Written by Elizabeth Marshall on . Posted in Advent. No Comments on A Thrill of Hope

A Thrill of Hope

“I really hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” 

“Goodness, I hope I get that toy I wanted for my birthday.”

“I hope I can get some better sleep tonight.”

Hope, it’s a funny word that we all tend to use when we find ourselves wishful thinking. Generally it finds its way into conversations as we discuss events, circumstances, and desires that are just out of our own control. Sure, if we had it our way we know how things would play out but we all know that isn’t how things work in reality most of the time. 

 

A Case for Hope

Hope is a word that is found in the Bible as well. When we consider the concept of Biblical hope it is less about an anticipated outcome and more about intentional waiting. 

 

The word hope is found in the Bible somewhere around 129 times. 

In the Old Testament it is seen used by the prophets as they encouraged the Israelites to persevere through isolation, captivity, and rebuilding. Prophets such as Isaiah continually reminded the Israelite people that they had a hope in a coming Messiah( Isaiah 40:31) . The writers of the Old Testament conveyed the understanding of hope not only as a period of waiting for the coming Messiah but of a time of eager, yet patient anticipation as seen through many of the writings (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 71:14) . 

The New Testament brought with it an understanding not of a hope we are anticipating but a living hope (Titus 1:1-2). Christ came and conquered sin and death. The anticipation of the coming Messiah had ended. But then Christ ascended to heaven and left the apostles and the early church to continue sharing the message of the Gospel (Romans 5:5). 

 

A Time of Reflection on Hope

As we move ourselves into this season of Advent the first candle that is lit on the Advent wreath is the one that represents this hope. This season, the time we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus represents an in between time. As Elizabeth and Zachariah prepared for the coming of their own miracle child and Mary and Joseph were preparing for the birth of Jesus, the rest of the Israelite community was still in the season of eager anticipation for the coming Messiah. Little did they know that he was well on his way, that God’s rescue plan was being set into motion. Sure, that eager anticipation would continue as Jesus had to grow and mature and develop into the man he would grow to be, but the bridge between the eager waiting and the living hope was here on Earth in the form of an infant born in less than ideal circumstances. 

The first week of Advent is a time for those of us  in this time of living hope to look back on that season of eager anticipation and seek to be reminded that our hope, true Biblical hope, isn’t wishful thinking for things or circumstances outside of our control. Christian hope, the hope that we can cling to day in and day out, is a bold hope. It is not a cautious optimism as we bet on the odds but rather it is a triumphant cry as we eagerly wait and watch for humanity and the whole of the universe to be redeemed and rescued from evil and death. 

And it is a reminder that for us this is a hope for a future that has yet to be seen but that we know is coming. (Romans 8:24-25) It is a reminder that true perseverance brings stronger hope and a development of Christlikeness (Romans 5:3-4). 

So this year, as we enter into the advent season, take some time to reflect on the people and things you have been placing your hope in. Are you placing your hope in people and circumstances beyond your control and just waiting to see if the odds land in your favor? Or are you placing your hope in Christ, knowing that the war has already been won, all we have to do is trust and believe that in His time it will all come together the way He intended it to be?

Prayer

Father, thank you for the hope that you provide. As we rest in the hope you provide, waiting and watching in anticipation for your creation to be fully redeemed give us the strength to continue to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Christ. Help us to share your love and your hope with a lost and dying world this season as we celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Scriptures to Reflect on about the Hope We Have This Season

Genesis 12:3

Genesis 17:19

Genesis 28:14

Jeremiah 33:14-15

Matthew 1:1-17

Ephesians 3:6

An Invitation

Join us at The Well on Sunday November 28, 2021 at 4:00 PM as Pastor Dusty begins our Advent Sermon Series.