Tuesday - December 26, 2023

SCRIPTURE James 5:7-8 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. WORDS OF HOPE The other day I was having a conversation with a friend about the fact that they were feeling let down, betrayed, abandoned by God right now. These thoughts stemmed from some things that were perceived as being unfair in their personal life and general unhappiness with a God that would allow our world to be so filled with cruelty and hatred. Though I certainly understand the place from which my friend was coming and on the surface share these same curiosities about how God is currently moving in the world right now, my response to this person was to say that I do believe that God is working for our good, that God dislikes the ways of God’s pople even less than we do right now, and that I do firmly believe that God will sort all of these things out in divine time. That in the end, those who can be patient and stand firm in their faith will “inherit the world.” My friend responded almost instantly with, “I don’t have that kind of patience.” The voices in my head seemed a little confused by the words I spoke. I am an idealist and idealists are not known for our patience. The words, “God will sort all these things out in divine time” came from my mouth in that moment, but they were not my words. Generally, I am not a fan of things happening in God’s time. I don’t have that kind of patience! These words were God’s words spoken both to me and through me. Later that evening in my own quiet meditation, this scene from earlier in the day kept running through my head. I came to the realization that the kind of patience that I was talking about is the kind that is enveloped in hopeful expectation, not immediate gratification, and is a mark of a deep faith. The willingness to accept that God is in control, to trust God’s process and timing and, the hardest part, to be grateful for the journey, is to stand like the farmer and wait for the land to yield its valuable crop. All that said, my patience and my faith ebb and flow sometimes hour by hour. There are many moments where I feel defeated and alone; then, these feelings are countered by moments like I had when talking to my friend, moments where I feel strong, empowered, resilient, and like I can persevere, endure, and hold fast to my faith long enough to see this mess to its end, believing without a doubt that God will take care of me. I also believe that God will take care of you. “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart. and wait for the Lord.” ( from Psalm 27) PRAYER Patient God, Lord, please help me to live with patience as I wait on your divine timing. Remind me that in doing so, my faith grows stronger and my heart grows closer to you. May your spirit continue to work in me so that through this patience I may be a reflection of the peace, love, and understanding that you desire for all of your people. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St, Clare

SCRIPTURE Psalm 119:105 O God, "Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path."  WORDS OF HOPE Today's reading leads us to evaluate how we walk with God in our daily lives. We must seek God's "word" to find our life's path in harmony with the divine desire for our life. Fortunately, God has not hidden these desired principles in some dark and obscure corner of reality. This verse tells us that we have been provided a searchlight to successfully find them... "a lantern for my feet and light upon my path". If you've ever been surrounded by the profound darkness of a moonless night while camping in the woods, you know the value that a lantern can be for your walk to the outdoor privy. It doesn't illuminate the whole scene in front of you, but it shines enough light on your feet that you don't trip on something and fall down. It will guide you through the little, moment-by-moment steps of life. This verse continues and tells us that the word (desires) of God will light up our whole path throughout life, not just step-by-step, but the whole trajectory of our life. Divine wisdom and teaching will be like airport landing lights which are seen at a distance and lead us straight ahead. Psalm 119: 111 tells us: O God, "your decrees are my inheritance forever; truly, they are the joy of my heart." The God-given principles for a life in harmony with divine desire are a gift to the Christian, just like an inheritance in the life of a family's heir. These divine instructions become a treasure to guide a healthy and contented life of inner peace and joy. By following this guidance, an individual can live in harmony with God today, through all future tomorrow's and into an eternal presence with the Divine One. However, like a family inheritance, the Christian can't pick and choose among the gifts (divine principles) of the inheritance and still expect to live in peaceful harmony with God. In life, walking with God means walking in step with God! PRAYER Lord God, may your Spirit teach me to develop a more vibrant spiritual life which is surrendered to you. And may I walk hand-in-hand with you this day. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day

SCRIPTURE 2 Timothy 2. 22-25 So, flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting all opponents with gentleness. WORDS OF HOPE Feeling any youthful passions lately? Before images of The Blue Lagoon come to mind, the author of the pastoral letter addressed to Timothy was probably not writing about teenage love in a 1980 movie. Sometimes attributed to the Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy’s wise teacher is more likely using “youthful” in the context of “immature.” Regardless of our chronological ages, none of us is immune to immature behavior occasionally. This is true of myself anyway, because immature behavior is usually born of anger, and we live in a time when anger, outrage, and disgust are not strangers. That is the best reason to always have today’s Scripture’s brief words of advice on call in our cellphone notes, or even better, in our memories. We live in a Nation when politics and religion are frequently discussed, sometimes combined into one package, and anyone with definite viewpoints about either is usually labeled an extremist. It’s an atmosphere that “breeds quarrels” where opponents are immediately labeled pure evil and facts are often of no consequence, producing those “foolish, ignorant controversies” Timothy is warned to avoid. As much as most of us, and I am one, would prefer to completely avoid such confrontations, our commitment to the faith, love, and peace of Jesus should and must be voiced. But that is the point at which those “youthful passions” must be left behind in favor of an internal prayer prior to speaking: PRAYER Lord, remind me that I am your servant. Before I speak I. must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, and correcting my opponents with gentleness. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE James 1:27 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. WORDS OF HOPE A person I admire and model, Albert Einstein, always dared to imagine, think out of the box and view life with openness. His innate curious nature led him to ask “why” and challenge the norm on many levels. He was indisputably brilliant yet demonstrated a deep humanitarian desire to help others. During his life he witnessed immense poverty and injustice yet genuinely believed that a conscious person of value will give more than they receive. At a young age he challenged the rigid expectations of school where he refused to accept conventional wisdom. He famously said, “Blind respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” I can identify with Einstein! In high school when I would ask “why” regarding an injustice I witnessed, or questioned control from religious leaders, I was told to mind my tongue. They said my life would be challenging if I continued to ask questions and think out of the box. I vowed right then to constantly think “out” of the box and always maintain the courage to ask “why.” Einstein understood the laws of the universe though he also believed in a God beyond comprehension and valued the interplay of science and ethics. Jesus’ spoke of the divine reality that while accessible, still remained a mystery. Einstein used his influence to advance causes beyond physics, such as speaking out against racism in the United States, advocating for peace, and guiding generations of younger scientists through his teaching. His desire to expand humanities’ understanding of the universe was never driven by his need for personal acclaim. Jesus challenged religious authority, hypocrisy, social norms and confronted religious legalistic interpretations to stop oppression. Einstein, who vocally condemned militarism, and nationalism, believed questioning authority was more about choosing truth over tradition than rebelliousness for its own sake. He believed authority may demand obedience, but progress happens when someone dares to ask “why”. PRAYER God of ALL creation, as followers of Christ, let us continue to ask “why” and then be still to hear you answer. In Jesus name, Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 10:5-8 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. = 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. WORDS OF HOPE When I went to Baylor University, it was still a very Southern Baptist School. I was the only Jew on campus that first year and immediately became the target for every divinity student who was working on their “witnessing” assignments. I wish I had read this passage in the New Testament back then, I could have diffused their ardent efforts by claiming I was a Samarian. Today, as a Christian, I read this exhortation by Jesus through Jewish eyes and it is certainly not about making converts, it is about preaching and healing and doing good works. I think Jesus was not trying to build a church, but bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. That is a much bigger assignment than making converts or as the divinity students said, to “accept Jesus as my own personal savior.” I might have been more amenable to their message had they spoken about activism and benevolence, much like Jesus did. It took finding a church where Jesus words were taken as assignments to go out and make the world a better place before I considered converting. Strangely enough, the Rabbi who taught me as a young Jew, urged me to go out and make the world better, protest wars, end inequality and seek peace and reconciliation. It’s important to remember Jesus was speaking as a Jew, not a Gentile or Samarian. PRAYER May we hear the words of Jesus ring in my ears as we go forth to make our world better for everyone. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman