Friday, December 11, 2015

Devotional 12-11-15

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17( Zeph. 3:14-20)
“Surely God is my salvation;  I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.”
  Isaiah 12:2 (Is. 12:2-6)
“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again:  Rejoice!!  Philippians 4:4 (Phil. 4:4-7)

A favorite movie from my childhood was Disney’s “Pollyanna”.  I don’t remember which year I saw it, but it was released in 1960.  (I probably saw it several years after that when it came to TV.)  Hayley Mills as the lead character quickly became a role model for me.  Upon her move to a small town after the deaths of her missionary parents, she began to quietly change it from a town full of gossip, criticism, anger and hurt to one of positive thoughts and actions.  Through sharing positive, “glad” scriptures which are the promises of our heritage, she chose to focus on encouragement and hope. I know it was only a movie, but she did change the outlook of the town and by expanding on the idea, we are capable of changing our environment also.

 The term “pollyanna” has a connotation for looking at the world through “rose-colored glasses” instead of making observations with a realistic view.  But maybe we need to adopt a more positive outlook in order to balance all the negative energy and despair that are prevalent in our world today.  It doesn’t take long to find something wrong with just about every person, activity or event.  But it takes a little more energy to find the good in every situation. Uh Oh!!! I hear God challenging me to take on the task of finding the good in each situation…..

The Advent season is a time of waiting, but it is not a time to sit and do absolutely nothing.  All of the lectionary readings for this week are filled with the promises of God:  “Do Not Be Afraid”; “Rejoice”; “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save”; “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” God is calling all of us to take on the challenge of Advent: to prepare our hearts, our lives, our families and our church for the coming of the Christ Child.  We await the coming of new life in the form of a special baby who is wrapped in Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.  

The challenge to find the good in each event is linked to our belief that God loves us and wants the best for us. He has called us for his service and will equip us for the tasks he requires. One of my favorite anthems is “And the Father Will Dance” by Mark Hayes. The text of the anthem is based on Zephaniah 3:14-20. God loves us so much that he dances over us in joy and exults over us in song.    These words echo the first Bible verse most children learn:  For God so loved the world that he gave his ONLY begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16.    
And the Father will dance over you in joy!  He will take delight in whom He loves.
Is that a choir I hear, singing the praises of God?
No, the Lord God Himself is exulting o’er you in song!!
God rejoices over you!   God rejoices over you!  God rejoices over you in song!!

If God can love even me, as I am, then I can love what he has made and try to find the good in everyone and every activity.  God will be with us in the challenge and the attempts to search for the hope in each situation.

Dear God of the Universe, we humbly ask once again for forgiveness in our shortsighted outlook on ourselves, our lives and our world.  We have not lived as if we believed your promises.  Enter our hearts anew and light the fire of your joy and zeal within us.  Help us to find your light and love in each person and situation.  Prepare us for the coming of your Son so that we might “join with the Father in glorious, jubilant song!!”  Amen.

Chyrl Budd

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