Day 2 of Advent

Judy H. (1997)

Psalms 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God!”

I have never associated this scripture with the Advent Season!  Life is so hectic when preparing for the holidays. Then last year, after more that 40 years of hectic Christmases, the Lord “stilled” me because of illness.  I was not physically able to do any of the necessary (or so I thought) preparations.

All I had was time to “be still and know that I am God.”  Christmas was a very different and WONDERFUL experience. My prayer is that you and I will set apart some QUIET TIME during Advent, even when we are healthy and so busy.

GOD BLESS!

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Wilma B. (1997)

Every year it seems the stores and ads are promoting Christmas earlier.  There are so many lovely, beautiful gifts, some even useful – all tempting us to overdo and overbuy.  Most of our gift giving goes to those who have too much already, not to those who have nothing.

No gift can surpass our happy memories of simpler gifts; or the gift of joy in sharing with those in need. I well remember the church MYF caroling us Birds via telephone one Christmas when Scarlet Fever had us in quarantine! The best gifts are of ourselves (and you don’t have to gift wrap them).

Prayer:  Dear Lord.  Help us to keep the Christ in Christmas, and so to live our lives all year long.  Amen

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It was a moonless night.  The only reflections on the waves ahead of us were those of the running lights.  The green starboard light and red port light seemed especially bright when contrasted against the dark starless sky.  Then out where the dark sky and gray black water met, a light shown so instantaneously bright that its aura could not be avoided.

Rev. King Wm. H. (2002)

There it was.  Pulsing on, off, on, off, on, off in its own way beating out the rhythm of new life.  The light brought thoughts of home, warm food, shelter, family and safety.  How like a Christmas present that light seemed.

I could not help thinking of how John the evangelist put it:  “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”  (1 John 1:5).  As we approach Christmas this year, you may be like the boat and its crew.  In the darkest night, cold, tired and almost void of hope, forgetting that the lights on your boat could be a sign of hope for other mariners at sea.  The lighthouse was not the only sign of hope that night.  The very vessel we were crewing was also a sign of hope for those who saw our running lights and knew they were not alone on a dark sea.

GOD’S BRIGHT LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS AND IN IT IS LIFE!