And remember this prayer for your days ahead . . . Jesus help me to acknowledge all my fears,
to bring them to light so that, with your grace, I may overcome them.
Under law you see God’s hand, under grace you see God’s heart.
In Christ we discover the death of all our fears and the birth of all our hopes. God has moved heaven and earth, and from heaven to earth to fulfill His promise to redeem the world and gather for himself a chosen people. For Christmas this year and for the Christmas holidays to come - remember that as you gather with family and friends, as you worship the child of the manager, be aware that beyond the sweet sentimentalism of the season, you will find in this child of grace the death of your fears and the birth of your hopes. For the love of God has caught you in the wide embrace of the arms of the Christ who came among us to hold us in the grip of love.
And remember this prayer for your days ahead . . . Jesus help me to acknowledge all my fears, to bring them to light so that, with your grace, I may overcome them. Under law you see God’s hand, under grace you see God’s heart.
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This last last weekend we received very sad news from Ken and Joan Oftedahl; their son Ethan, and his girlfriend Loren Lund had an ice fishing accident on Friday, Dec.15th. Loren passed away. Please join us in prayers for Loren and her family as well as for Ethan and his family. And in sad times like this, we also remember: Fear grips so many people caught and held helpless in their struggles. Caught as we are, there is a temptation to surrender to hopelessness and despair. It is especially for times like these that the church’s message of Advent is most relevant and penetrating. The good news is that we are not abandoned by God. He comes with comfort and hope especially in times when all the wind seems to be in the wrong direction. Trust God in all things.
We live in a noisy world, and among a people who so fear silence they carry blaring portable radios with them everywhere. We are busy with many things in this world. Perhaps what we need most is some silence, especially before Christmas. We need time apart from the noise so we can hear the still small voice that reminds us that we’re not alone .The God of all grace and comfort whispers to us in the darkness and loneliness, telling us that we will never be forsaken or abandoned. We are God’s children, and God means to stand by us at every moment. Take time to listen for that still small voice.
And remember: Seek out quiet places to spend a few moments, take time for silent prayer! For most of us these days before Christmas are hectic, and we are often tempted to take out our frustrations on those around us. So Advent is a good time to recall the simple virtue of kindness, one of the fruits of the spirit. We need the reminder that the Spirit of God calls us to an awareness of the truth that everyone of God’s children is a precious person to be treated with the respect and affection that a great gift deserves. For we are gifts of God to one another. So we should be gentle with one another, showing that we place high value on each of the people God has placed along the paths of our lives, because Christ was born and died for each one of us. He loves and forgives each of us. And for the week ahead - remember to ask yourself . . . "Am I failing to be kind? Do I appreciate the fact that everyone is a child of God? : |
Author(s)These brief writings are a collection from various sources. We hope you enjoy them. Let us know if you have something that you would like us to post Archives
November 2022
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