Advent Devotional Dec 23
Week Four:
Creating Shalom means Making Peace
Friday, December 23, 2022
“It’s All About the Baby” – Read Genesis 17:15-22
“[Abraham] laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’ (vv. 17-18, NIV)
As I was growing up, each Christmas, all my family got together to celebrate with a meal and gifts. There were always many relatives with us, and kind of like Abraham’s family, each celebration would degenerate into arguments, screaming, drunkenness, and sometimes fist-fights. I dreamed of “Hallmark” celebrations for my future family.
Now that my years are growing golden, I had hoped that our family would excitedly gather on holidays to celebrate the birth of Jesus with beautiful decorations, our best dishes, and delicious food and that the entire day would be spent in pleasant company. It has not happened that way. Generally, it takes a funeral for our entire family to gather on any occasion. They are busy with their own lives, and large family gatherings are not their idea of a peaceful Christmas.
Christmas had become depressing for me personally, and it was increasingly difficult to be happy at church. But God, in His infinite mercy, spoke through the voice of a friend to say that if you are unhappy during the holidays, keep your mind and focus on Jesus. Remember that we are celebrating Jesus at Christmas, not our family. It helped! When I truly focus my attention on the Christ child, to the exclusion of my own family woes, I do feel joy and peace reigning in my heart.
Gracious Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to us in the form of a baby, so that we may focus our thoughts on him rather than ourselves. May your peace and joy fill our hearts this Advent Season. Amen.
Rev. Wendelyn Perceful
Senior Pastor, Lindsay United Methodist Church, Lindsay, OK
“It’s All About the Baby” – Read Genesis 17:15-22
“[Abraham] laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’ (vv. 17-18, NIV)
As I was growing up, each Christmas, all my family got together to celebrate with a meal and gifts. There were always many relatives with us, and kind of like Abraham’s family, each celebration would degenerate into arguments, screaming, drunkenness, and sometimes fist-fights. I dreamed of “Hallmark” celebrations for my future family.
Now that my years are growing golden, I had hoped that our family would excitedly gather on holidays to celebrate the birth of Jesus with beautiful decorations, our best dishes, and delicious food and that the entire day would be spent in pleasant company. It has not happened that way. Generally, it takes a funeral for our entire family to gather on any occasion. They are busy with their own lives, and large family gatherings are not their idea of a peaceful Christmas.
Christmas had become depressing for me personally, and it was increasingly difficult to be happy at church. But God, in His infinite mercy, spoke through the voice of a friend to say that if you are unhappy during the holidays, keep your mind and focus on Jesus. Remember that we are celebrating Jesus at Christmas, not our family. It helped! When I truly focus my attention on the Christ child, to the exclusion of my own family woes, I do feel joy and peace reigning in my heart.
Gracious Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to us in the form of a baby, so that we may focus our thoughts on him rather than ourselves. May your peace and joy fill our hearts this Advent Season. Amen.
Rev. Wendelyn Perceful
Senior Pastor, Lindsay United Methodist Church, Lindsay, OK
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