This morning’s devotional is offered by Steve Timberlake. 

Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.”

Growing up on a dairy farm, I learned early on that milking and other chores related to livestock was a daily task, every day, holidays, and even Christmas. My Dad was in charge of the milking, and the rule around Christmas was that until he finished the milking and made it back to the house, there would be no Santa, no gifts, no peeking into the living room. Needless to say, no one had to tell me to go out to the barn and help so Dad could get to the house a bit sooner. That was my childhood experience of waiting for Christmas. Perhaps I learned the lesson that given time, Christmas would come and I would appreciate it all the more.

I believe that I am still waiting for Christmas. That is, waiting and trusting in a loving God knowing that I am very blessed. I enjoy the Advent season, and wait for Christmas now with a faith based belief that the Christ born on Christmas lived, died and has arisen that we might have everlasting life. The Christmas we can all wait for is peace and assurance knowing Christ walks with and ahead of us daily. God gave His Son to pay for our sins. With a gift like that, how can we not endure waiting? Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sin of many people and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him”. Now please don’t hear me say that waiting can be easy or pleasant. Many among us are waiting through painful circumstances in life. I pray that the Holy Spirit brings healing, comfort and peace to each of these.Perhaps the waiting that we experience can be a bit easier as we trust and lean upon Jesus, knowing He loves us and the Holy Spirit waits with us.

Thank you Heavenly Father for loving us and knowing each of our needs, even before they exist. Hold us close through the waiting in our lives. I ask for peace and healing as only You can give. In Jesus Name, Amen.

This morning’s devotional is offered by Ruth Finch. 

It was during my early childhood that I began to read the Bible that I called,” My Letter from God.”  My influence came from my father who also loved the scriptures. When God calls us to remember Him, He shows us where we can look to receive His ongoing power for the Christian life. His primary avenues for sacred remembrance are these: hearing his voice; having his ear and belonging to His body. Where our habits are, there our hearts will be also.

Prayer is our responding to God in view of what He has said to us in His Word. God speaks through the scriptures. The words are the voice of God. You might say that the coming together of Word, prayer and fellowship in corporate worship are the single most important habit of Christian life.

As John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, so Jesus prepared the way for us to the Father. Let us prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord.

This morning’s devotional is offered by Lynn Patiky. 

There is a yearning in hearts weighed down by ancient grief and centuries of sorrow. This is the first line of the anthem The Yearning, (words by Susan Boersma, music by Craig Courtney). We will be singing this anthem during Advent.  The words & music have been particularly meaningful to me, and I hope they will speak to you also.

Yearning; it’s not a word we use in everyday conversation, but I think we all yearn for many things.  There is a yearning…. for peace amid the frantic activity of this season, for simpler Christmases of the past, for loved ones that are no longer present; for something that truly satisfies our souls.

He is Emmanuel! (God with Us). The baby born in Bethlehem is the One who came to save us; that we might know Him and live forever.  This Advent let’s open our hearts anew to our Saviour and Lord, knowing that He is the one that loves us more than we can imagine; the One who calls us his Beloved.  This is the reason we celebrate. It is He & He alone that can satisfy our every yearning!

The last part of the anthem states:  There is a yearning when all our sorrows are erased and we shall see the One who placed within our hearts the yearning.  I hope you will listen carefully to all the words when we sing this and that it will be a blessing to you as well. Emmanuel-(God is with Us)!

This morning’s devotional is offered by Dennis Herman. 

John 1:45-46 …We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph from Nazareth. Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’

Recently I saw a Facebook post from my hometown of Hudson, N.C.  It was a 1954 black and white photo of the Hudson Cotton Mill all decked out for Christmas.  On top of the Mill were mounds of cotton snow topped by lighted trees, a sleigh, and Santa himself.  It was a nostalgic trip to my childhood as I remembered our annual trek to see the Christmas rooftop display at the Mill, to hear the carols; and see the beautiful colored lights of the season. It was a highlight of my Christmas. How simple and unsophisticated it sounds now.

In 1954 I had no inkling of what the future might hold.  Oh, the places I would go; the people I would know; the things I would experience.  Only God knew!

Other folks from my hometown would go places and do things unthinkable to any of us back then.  Jan Karon would find inspiration from her first grade school teacher at Hudson and go on to be the famous author of the Mitford series of novels.  My Hudson High classmate, Jim Avett, would eventually record music with his sons, the Avett brothers.  Another classmate, Bill Oxford, visited the Oval office last month and received a Presidential recognition for his work as national president of the American Legion. Another Hudson friend, Roger Nix, would serve with distinction as executive director of the Raleigh Baptist Association longer than any previous director.  And the list of surprises and accomplishments of hometown folks goes on.  Who would have thought it?

The Nazareth hometown folks never thought one of their own might be chosen to be the very Way and Truth of God.  Yet, God chose Jesus to be born into a common family from a humble, poor town to be the Savior!  Who would have thought it?

This morning’s devotional is offered by Robert Garrett.

As a child, one of the earliest signs that Christmas was approaching was the arrival of the

Sears Christmas Catalog. My two brothers and I spent happy times thumbing the pages, dog-eared from looking at the colorful pictures of new toys and classics. These days, the internet and online shopping have replaced those practices.

It may be a function of age, but lately it seems to me there are signs of Christmas earlier and earlier every year. Christmas displays mingle with Halloween costumes right after Labor Day. There is much discussion on social media about how early is too early to put up the family Christmas tree and decorate. There is much to do to be ready but we must prepare our hearts as well. Will you be ready?

Isaiah 7:14 NIRV “The Lord will give you a sign. The virgin is going to have a baby. She will give birth to a son. And he will be called Immanuel.”

This prophecy is fulfilled with the birth of the Christ child, which we celebrate at Christmas. So how can we prepare for Immanuel, God with us? Along with the decorating and party going, we can attend worship, pray, and give. The act of reading this devotional is one step toward seeking to be present with God, and God present with us. Giving is another aspect of acknowledging the greatest gift ever, Christ the Lord, Immanuel, who gave His life that all that believe on Him will have eternal life. Giving of yourself, your offering, talents, and time to others brings glory to God and presents an opportunity to share God’s love, thus seeking God’s presence. Prepare your hearts as we seek Jesus this Advent season.

Heavenly Father, we give thanks that you sent your one and only son, Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem on Christmas morn. Prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of Our King during this holiest season.

 

 

Today’s Devotional is offered by Mary Katherine Washington

In Matthew 24, Jesus prepares his disciples for his return, his 2^nd coming.
They, of course, had numerous questions and wanted to know exactly when He will be coming back, what do they need to do to get ready, etc.  Jesus teaches them through several parables that they need to always be ready, because no one will know when He is returning (not even the angels in Heaven will know).  What would Jesus think about our priorities and lifestyles if he returned to Earth today? Would we be ready to stand at judgement for our actions?  He warns them about false prophets and to watch out for those who will deceive them.

To be prepared and ready, Jesus instructs them to have constant focus on living a life the way God directed them.  Today, Christmas time offers many exciting things/events/people that will distract you and demand your focus – even good Christian activities fight for your attention. Are you “ready” and “prepared” … not just for Christmas, but for Jesus’ return?  During Advent as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ 1^st coming, we need to daily remember that our focus should be on Christ and not be distracted by all the other things around us. Are you ready?

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 1:13

Today’s Devotional is offered by Susan Satterwhite

Often times we focus on the final destination and fail to enjoy the journey. Christmas is more than a single day; it is a season that we should work to embrace all along the way. Our minds are often clouded with all the tasks of the season that many times we become overwhelmed and fail to find the joy along the way. We get confused thinking we will find joy in a gift or in an event.

While thinking about finding joy, I reflected on Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and how their journey had to have been stressful and overwhelming. They had to travel a long way in difficult conditions. They were unsure of how things would work out. They had no idea where they would find their resting place to welcome baby Jesus. Although their journey was extremely difficult, they welcomed Heaven here on Earth when baby Jesus was born. This is when our joy was born.

Our journey seems similar: memories of loved ones, financial struggles, health issues, and the overwhelming daily to-do list. The journey may not be easy, but there is joy in the journey if you walk with Christ along the way. Joy is the presence of God. We can welcome God into our lives every day, everywhere. But I invite you to be present with us all to feel the presence of God as we celebrate during this season at Oxford Baptist Church.

The ability to have joy is a gift. Our circumstances may not be desirable, but we can still have joy. Joy is a condition beyond our daily circumstances here on Earth. Joy is everlasting, joy is found in our relationship with Jesus. God has given us so much grace that we must, in turn, give it to others and to ourselves.

This season I urge you to join me in finding joy on this journey. While doing some reading, I came across an acronym that I think will help us on our journey: J- Jesus, O- others, Y- you. If we focus on this goal I do believe we will find joy in the journey. Our focus must be on our relationship with Jesus, we must love and give to others, and with this as our focus, we will find joy in our own hearts.

The journey will be hard, but focusing on our Lord– who He is, what He has done to save us, and His promise to keep us– will surely bring us joy along the journey. Let’s travel together….

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2: 10-11

Welcome to Advent

This is the first week of Advent.
As I hope you can tell, when it comes to life around the church, things are a little different.

In worship, we wear robes, and the color blue is present.
The robes point us to reverence and respect. The blue represents royalty and signals our anticipation because Advent is a season of expectation and waiting.

In our sanctuary, and maybe even in your home, there is an Advent Wreath.
The candles of the wreath represent different things in different congregations, but for us at OBC, this year, they point to the HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE that builds toward the white Christ candle we light on Christmas Eve.

I also hope the rhythms of this devotional and the practices of worship feel a little different than everything else in our lives.

Outside the church are Christmas ornaments, Christmas trees, and decorations of all kinds. But inside is a Chrismon tree, filled with Chrismons, or Christ monograms.
Outside the church are the Christmas songs of the season that we all love, but as the faithful, we sing about waiting for Jesus through Advent Hymns.
Outside of our faithful practices, there are Santas, snowmen, and nativity, many of which will come down on December 26th. But in the church and in our lives of faith, on December 25th, the story is only just beginning.

So as Christians during Advent, things should be a little different because we wait patiently and expectantly for a savior, not just a Santa.
We take directions from the prophets who point us not just to Jesus who came, but to Jesus, who will come again.
And we see that there is a great distance between what is and what will be, and we long to fill that distance, not with anxiety, anger, disappointment, or frustration, but we fill the chasm between what is and what will be with the practices and virtues that point us to God in hope through faith.

So today, in case you haven’t been invited, this is an invitation to Advent.
May these devotionals point you to faith with each day of waiting.
And may our church’s journey be one we take together with great anticipation and expectation.

I hope you will find this project a space for your faith to grow.
And I hope these devotionals will point you to our God.

Welcome to the Advent Devotional Project.
We are all in this together.
The good news is, God journeys with us.

May we, this Advent Season, be filled with the hope, peace, joy, and love of faith.

We will begin our Advent Devotional Project again on Monday., December 2nd.
I hope you will join us as we prepare for the coming of our Savior together.

Today’s Devotional is offered by Chris Aho.

Merry Christmas!
It is a privilege to write this Christmas Day devotional for you. I hope it will provide a meaningful conclusion to our collective journey to this day. It concludes our Advent Devotional Project.

This year I was struck in a new way by a line from the hymn, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” The line is from the very beginning of the song as we sing:

“From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.”

All around us, there is so much that drives us to fear, anxiety, and busyness. Our devotionals from this season were full of confessions about our stress, busyness, and prayers for the deep HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE that God brings to our souls. Our devotionals encouraged one another to pause and find rest as we waited for the arrival of Christmas. But now that Christmas day is here, our need for peace, and calm, and rest does not end…it’s only just begun! Our need to find Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love amid the stress and chaos that exists year-round continues well beyond Advent and we would do well to take our own advice into the new year and not just leave it in these emails and on the OBCDevotionals website.

So today, let’s consider our situation. There are now 341 days until Advent begins on December 1st, 2019. What do you want to experience in your soul with God in the next 341 days? How do you want the next 341 days to be different than the last ones? And, looking at the next 341 days, how might you better experience a relationship with the God who, “From our fears and sins releases us [and] lets us find our rest in Thee”?

And as someone who thinks ahead (sometimes to a fault), it makes me realize that the time is now to begin writing my devotional for next year, and I wonder, with 341 days to go, what kind of devotional do we want to write next year?
Will we write a devotional about the busyness of the season?
Will we write about our need to pause and make time for peace?
Will we write about the need for deep joy rather than fleeting happiness?

Today, Jesus has arrived and in a new way, again this year, from our fears and sins he comes to release us. We recognize that by making room in our hearts and lives, we can receive the gifts of God’s HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE, but we need to decide today how we will accept these gifts for this day.
Will we treat these gifts like the toys children move on from quickly?
Will we let them take root by attending to them each day?
Will we do something else with Jesus’ presence?

We have reached Bethlehem and Advent has given way to Christmas as our Saviour arrives. Jesus’ arrival means we can begin writing for our next devotional project. Today we have an opportunity to fully embrace God’s gifts through the way we live in the coming days. The ways we embrace the gifts now will shape our project next year.

My prayer for us all is that we will be more set free in 2019 because of the way we find rest in Thee, the gift God has given us in Jesus our Saviour and Lord.

Amen.