Subtraction, not Striving

January 2, 2026

Philippians 3:13-4

"...one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

At the start of a new year, I usually find myself thinking about all the things I should add to my life if I want to grow as a follower of Jesus. I was surveying some devotions recently that focused on the beginning of a new year, and what I found was a call to add things to my life. Have you noticed that? More prayer. More Bible reading. More worship. More church involvement. More love, more patience, more generosity, more courage. No wonder I start each year with a focus on adding things to my life. The thought process goes something like this: "If I could just stack enough “good Christian habits” on top of each other, surely I’d end up more like Jesus, steady, peaceful, purposeful."

But if we are honest, that approach usually leaves us exhausted. We can’t seem to keep up with everything we think we are supposed to add. Something always slips. Something always feels too heavy. And instead of feeling spiritually full, we end up feeling spiritually inadequate. I wonder if the Christian life isn’t about adding more. (?)

I’ve started to realize that following Jesus isn’t primarily a life of addition, it’s a life of subtraction. When I look at Jesus’ example in the Bible, following him seemed so much simpler. He never gave long checklists or complicated schedules. He invited people to seek him, follow him, and make space in their hearts and lives to encounter him.

The Pharisees were the ones obsessed with checking the boxes, not Jesus. Jesus seemed far more interested in our willingness to surrender our spiritual checklist than adding to it.

I have discovered, that when I start cutting out the noise, the clutter, and all the constant distractions, something amazing happens: space opens up. In that space, the core parts of life with God, worship, prayer, Scripture, stillness, and communion, stop feeling like chores and start becoming real encounters. You see, They are not just things to check off a list; they’re how God shapes our hearts from the inside out.

Worship draws my focus back to who He is. 

Prayer helps me let go and learn to trust. 

Communion reminds me that His Spirit is nearer than I think. 

Meditation calms my soul in the truth.

These practices don’t earn us anything, they simply make room for the God who already loves us, already wants us, already delights in being near us. Every time we clear away a distraction, we will find our Creator waiting.

So maybe the question for this new year isn’t, “What should I add?” Maybe it’s, “What needs to be subtracted?”

What’s dulling my awareness of God? 

What’s draining my energy? 

What have I allowed to take center stage in my life?

If you’re stepping into this year already feeling overwhelmed, maybe God isn’t asking you to do more. Maybe he’s inviting you to carry less.

Take a moment to look at what’s filling your life. What could be released? What could be simplified? What could be set aside?

Create space. Lighten your load. Make room for his presence.

And watch what happens when God isn’t squeezed into the margins of your life, but welcomed into the center of it.

One Thing I Ask

January 1, 2026

Psalm 27:4

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

The new year kicks off with a fresh calendar, a clean slate, and endless opportunities. I always find there is a unique buzz in the air as we make plans, maybe set resolutions or promises, dream a little bigger, and step into January full of hope. 

But if we’re honest, that energy doesn’t always last. By the time we approach the end of the month, many of our resolutions feel heavy, our goals feel distant, and our enthusiasm starts to fade. That’s part of being human, I believe.

There’s something deep within us that longs for “more.” More growth, more achievement, more progress, more improvement. Of course, some of that is shaped by our culture, always pushing us to do and be more. But some of this longing is simply the way our Creator made us, with desire, with longing, with a sense that we are meant for something beyond where we are now.

In today’s psalm, the writer is very honest about his desire too, but it’s focused in a very different direction. Putting aside all other pursuits, he focuses his heart on one deep, burning desire: to be with the Lord.  What the Psalmist is declaring, is about making God the home of his heart, the place he returns to again and again throughout each day.

He describes this desire in three ways:

To dwell with God, To live in God’s presence, not just seek to enjoy God's presence occasionally.

To see God To behold God’s beauty, character, and goodness. This isn’t just about information about God, but a deep, personal awareness of who God is.

To seek God To actively pursue God, through prayer, worship, Scripture, silence, and obedience. Seeking isn’t passive, it’s purposeful, steady, and built on connection. (relationship)

As we step into this new year, we can still set goals, make plans, and dream dreams. But what if, beneath and above all of that, we asked God to give us one primary desire: to be with Him?

What might change if our greatest ambition this year wasn’t to accomplish more, but to know God more fully?

How might it reshape the way we handle success and failure?

How might it steady us when plans fall apart or expectations aren’t met?

What quiet blessings might we begin to notice when our hearts are turned toward God first?

Over the next few days, give yourself unhurried, honest space to sit with these questions. Ask God to realign your desires, bringing your scattered longings into one central focus: to dwell with Him, to see Him, and to seek Him in the year ahead.

REMAIN FAITHFUL

December 31, 2025

2 Timothy 3:14-17


But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.




"Remain Faithful" the apostle Paul says.

The apostle Paul's words to his fellow church planter, Timothy, help us understand four key dimensions for our relationships as we close out the Old Year and advance into a New Year. 

1. Our lives are meant to be centered on Christ, who stands at the heart of all we are and all we do. When Christ is our focus, He gently guides us toward the Scriptures, shapes our values, and leads us into healthy, life-giving relationships with others.

2. Through faith in Jesus, God brought Timothy and Paul together in ministry, reminding us that shared belief creates deep and meaningful bonds. Their relationship shows how God uses faith to connect believers for encouragement, growth, and faithful service.

3. We also live in relationship with family and community, shaped by the faithful examples of those around us. Timothy’s mother and grandmother, Lois and Eunice, modeled a sincere faith that was passed on through love and devotion. In the same way, our lives are woven together with family members, friends, acquaintances, and coworkers, each relationship offering opportunities to reflect God’s grace.

4. God’s Word is meant to shape how we live each day, not only guiding our personal faith but influencing how we treat others. As Scripture takes root in our hearts, it helps us honor God, speak with kindness, act with integrity, and nurture relationships marked by love and faithfulness.

God’s purpose for us is to live flourishing, productive lives and to share His goodness with those around us. The four dimensions described above serve as guiding principles, helping us honor God’s intention by advancing righteous, compassionate, and faithful relationships. We are reminded that God never calls us to walk our faith journey alone; He is always with us, and in His care, He has blessed us with fellow followers of Jesus, sisters and brothers in Christ, a loving Community of Faith where we encourage and support one another along the way.

We are pilgrims on a journey;
We are family on the road;
We are here to help each other
Walk the miles and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the nighttime of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
Speak the peace you long to hear.



1 Timothy 1:2

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. AMEN

Drawn to the Light

December 30, 2025

JOHN 3:16-21


16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

During Advent we watched for God’s light breaking into our darkness. Now we turn toward Epiphany, beginning January 4, 2026, a season that celebrates the revelation of Jesus to the world and the sudden, life‑changing arrival of God’s light.

Epiphany means revelation, appearance, or manifestation. It proclaims that the Light has come, God’s presence invading a world shadowed by fear, sin, and confusion.

Our passage names the reality: light has entered the world, yet many preferred darkness because their deeds were evil. Those who cling to wrongdoing avoid the light for fear their actions will be exposed. By contrast, those drawn to the light live by truth, believe in Jesus, and stand free from condemnation.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

Being drawn into the Light awakens a hunger for truth and deeper fellowship with God. Exposure of sin no longer terrifies us, because in the Light we find mercy, grace, and forgiveness. That encounter shapes our lives, prompting us to reflect God’s lovingkindness, compassion, and righteousness. As the psalms remind us, God is compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness; our hearts respond in gratitude and praise.

When we have seen the Light in Jesus, we naturally want others to know that God has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. We seek to live openly and faithfully so that our actions are done in God’s sight—motivated by faith rather than fear, so others might see Jesus and be drawn into a living relationship with Him.

The Apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 summarizes for us the experience of receiving this wonderful gift of light. 

“For God, who said, 'Let there be light in the darkness,' has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” — 2 Corinthians 4:6–7


Let's Pray

God of light, grant us boldness to live openly for you, not from fear but from faith. Let our words and deeds point others to Jesus so they too may be drawn into your wonderful light. Amen.

GIFT RECEIVED

DECEMBER 29, 2025

Ephesians 2:8


“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”




Throughout this Advent and Christmas season, I’ve been reflecting deeply on what the Bible is truly asking of me, what its message is through the readings from Isaiah, Matthew, Luke and John. And something has begun to shine through: these cherished Gospel stories extend a beautiful invitation for us to be receivers.

I know, it feels a bit backwards from how we usually approach Christmas, when we tend to focus on giving, being generous, and doing things for others.

Over the past month, our congregation has been busy giving in so many ways. We served a free community meal with Turkey and all the fixin's, we transformed a bare tree in the entryway into a colorful Mitten Tree for kids and families in our area. Some of baked for our Cookie Blessing that brought joy to around 40 families, while our GEMS club went caroling, sharing their voices and time with the neighborhood, passed out Christmas Cards and invitations to our Christmas Eve Community Candlelight service. And through it all, we still gave our financial offerings to support the church. It’s a beautiful reflection of the biblical truth: “It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”

But here’s what I’ve been wondering: maybe we also need to pay more attention to the receiving part. If you reread the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke, you’ll notice how strongly that theme shows up. Those passages go out of their way to show that human power, talent, or ability had almost nothing to do with what God was doing in Jesus’ birth.

Will Willimon puts it like this:

“God wanted to do something so strange, so utterly beyond the bounds of imagination that God had to resort to the strangest of means—a pregnant virgin and angels and stars in the sky—to get it done.”

When you look at everyone in the story, all the “manger people”, none of them did anything to make it happen. All they could do was receive the gift God placed in front of them. And honestly, isn’t that true for us too? Like Mary, all we can really say is, “I am the Lord’s servant… may it be to me as you have said.”

What I’m getting at is this: the Christmas story teaches us how to be receivers. Receivers of what? Grace. The unearned, undeserved gift God gives. Remember what the angels sang: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to those on whom his favor rests”, God’s grace, God’s goodwill.

Generosity is clearly important, as Scripture teaches and Jesus shows us. But receiving is just as meaningful—it’s a principle found in the Bible too. God came to us as a baby, reminding us to see ourselves honestly: people in need of grace, with nothing in our own strength to offer that could help. Just empty hands, ready to welcome a gracious God who didn’t leave us to face life alone, but gave us a gift that changes everything—and that gift is Jesus.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9:15

ADORE HIM

DECEMBER 26, 2025

Colossians 1:19-20

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.



Christmas is really all about hope, the kind of hope God gave the whole world when Jesus was born. One of the songs people love to sing this time of year is O Come, All Ye Faithful. It was written by John Francis Wade, and it’s basically an invitation for everyone, heaven and earth, to come and welcome the newborn King.

When we sing “O come, all ye faithful…,” it’s like a call to everyone on earth. 

And when we sing “Sing, choirs of angels…,” it’s a call to the heavenly realm.

The whole hymn reminds us that the good news of Jesus’ birth isn’t just for a few people, it’s for all creation. Colossians 1:15–16 describes Jesus, even as a baby in the manger, as the image of the invisible God, the One through whom everything, seen and unseen, was created.

So when we sing O Come, All Ye Faithful, we’re joining all of creation in responding to our Maker with “Yea, Lord, we greet Thee…” The Word became flesh. God showed up. And our response is simple: O come, let us adore Him.

The season we have just passed through, Advent/Christmas,  often becomes extremely hectic and busy, and with good things. Special dinners, caroling, visiting, connecting, and of course, there is shopping, planning, cooking, well it seems like constant activity, making it easy to forget the true reason for the celebration. 

It is important to make and take time to pause, worship, reflect, and express gratitude for the gift of Jesus, and to continuing to sing, “O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”

Let's Pray

Father, thank You that Your Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Open my heart to embrace the grace and truth that come through Jesus Christ. 

“O come to my heart, Lord Jesus—there is always room in my heart for You.” Amen

BETHLEHEM, EPHRATHA

DECEMBER 24, 2025

Micah 5:2-5

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
are only a small village among all the people of Judah.
Yet a ruler of Israel,
whose origins are in the distant past,
will come from you on my behalf.
3 The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies
until the woman in labor gives birth.
Then at last his fellow countrymen
will return from exile to their own land.
4 And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
for he will be highly honored around the world.
5 And he will be the source of peace.




We’re not used to hearing prophecies. We do hear plenty of promises, politician pledges, wedding vows, claims from brands that their products will make our lives better. But so many of these promises end up broken that we start to believe they don’t mean much. And maybe we think the same about prophecies. There’s no way they could actually come true… right?

Please do not let your doubts about promises cloud your reception of this prophecy: from Bethlehem will arise a ruler, not like promise-breaking ruler, but a ruler who will be like a shepherd. He will speak and act with integrity, never neglecting his people. This leader will care for his people like a shepherd loves his flock, standing strong and guiding them with the Lord’s strength.

Here is an important point for us to remember, the people who heard this prophecy for the first time worried about the same things we do: what to eat for dinner, how to make amends with family members, whether their homes and land would be secure. It seems to me that this prophecy offers us the same comfort, the assurance that we will live in safety and peace. The same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling Micah’s words, will return to reign as the Prince of Peace. 

Come, Lord Jesus!

DAWN OF REDEEMING GRACE

DECEMBER 23, 2025

Jeremiah 33:14-15

“‘The day will come,’ says the LORD, ‘when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things, I have promised them. In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.’”

In today’s text, we find Jeremiah as a man exhausted and drained from his steadfast obedience. He has been fighting a battle, not with weapons, but with words; not against nations, but against the stubbornness of God’s own people. It has been a long, grinding, uphill struggle. And now, for his faithfulness, he sits in a prison cell. Everything he foretold is coming to pass before their eyes. The city crumbles, the nation unravels, and the people are scattered, trembling in the chaos.

Despair, Doom, and gloom have settled into the streets and villages. In these real life experiences, the promises of God feel distant, almost forgotten. The questions are heavy, almost like a deep sigh of defeat: Where will salvation come from now? Who are we when everything we believed in has crumbled? Has God finally turned His back?

Defeated. Exiled. Hopeless. Sagging and tired, too tired even to lift their heads.

And it is precisely into that moment, into the rubble of their confidence and the exhaustion of their souls, that God speaks a word that cuts through the darkness: “I will fulfill the good promise I made…”

Not “I might.” Not “I’ll think about it.” But I will.

Even when the people cannot see a future, God declares one. Even when their world is falling apart, God is quietly, faithfully putting the pieces together.

This is at the heart of Advent hope. God gave the world His very best, not when we were strong, but when we were broken, so that we could experience His best even in the middle of our darkest nights. 

When life demands more of you than you feel you have to give, when the weight is heavy and the road is steep, lean into the promise of God’s best. Lean into the assurance that light is already on its way "splitting the darkness." 

You see in Jesus , we glimpse what the old hymn calls “the dawn of redeeming grace.” A dawn that breaks into prisons. A dawn that rises over exiles. A dawn that reaches tired, wilting hearts and lifts them again.

And that dawn is still breaking in upon us today.

That's GOOD NEWS isn't it!!

GOD'S DWELLING PLACE

DECEMBER 22, 2025

2 Samuel 7:11b-13

“I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

These words from God to David in 2 Samuel 7:12–13 carry a profound promise that lives in the tension of the “now and not yet.” On one level, we see this promise fulfilled in David’s son Solomon, who would indeed construct a house, a temple, for the dwelling of God’s glory. That temple was magnificent, becoming the standard by which all future temples would be compared.

Yet the promise stretches far beyond Solomon. In 2 Samuel 7:13, God declares, “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” This is not merely a reference to David’s earthly dynasty or to Solomon’s reign, which lasted only for his lifetime. The Davidic kings reigned in Jerusalem for over four centuries, up until Zedekiah’s exile in 586 BCE, yet the term “forever” hints at something far beyond that span. It points to a throne and a kingdom without end, a reign that continues even now.

During the Advent season, we remember God’s promise, not only to bless David and his son Solomon, but to send a King from David’s line who would reign forever. David no longer reigns, nor does Solomon, and all the kings mentioned in the Old Testament have passed from power. Jesus came as King, as recorded in the Gospels in the accounts of His birth. He is the King in David’s line, still reigning today, and He will forever rule as King of kings.

Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.” His kingdom isn’t limited by physical boundaries but embraces all who follow him, trust in him, and live in the way of love.  What truly matters is remembering that God’s kingdom isn’t defined by a building, but by a community united in love, peace, and compassion. That's a temple, for the dwelling of God’s glory.

Trusting God with a Strange Plan

DECEMBER 19, 2025

 

JOSHUA 6:16b-17

“the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord.”


The way I see it, Joshua, a newly appointed leader, was staring down what must have felt like an impossible assignment. Sure, God had called him to lead Israel into the Promised Land, look at the very first challenge for Joshua, it was a huge, a walled, heavily fortified city. Jericho wasn’t exactly an easy starting point.

And then there was the "battle" plan. God told his people, not to rush in or attack right away, but to wait. For seven days. This was not to be a passive kind of waiting either. Every day they were to march around the city, and on the seventh day, they were to circle it seven times.

I can’t help but wonder how strange, or even pointless, that must have felt to the people. It probably didn’t look much like a battle plan at all. But Joshua, God’s chosen leader, trusted God to fulfill the promise. And the people followed Joshua in obedience, even when the plan didn’t make sense from a human point of view. I love what Joshua encouraged his people to do during this waiting time: “Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commandments, hold fast to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and soul” (Joshua 22:5). That’s great advice for us as well. In gratitude for the gift of Jesus, we are to live and walk in obedience to God every day. Be faithful! Let God handle the things He does best. Follow His call and serve Him with all our hearts and souls. Maybe that’s the whole point of this story—faithfulness.


LET'S PRAY

Jesus, I am humbled that You call me to serve in ways that accomplish Your purposes. Help me respond without hesitation whenever I hearYour voice calling me into action.

Amen.

The Outsider Models Great Faith

DECEMBER 18, 2025

JOSHUA 2:12


"Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign.”


HEBREWS 11:31

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

JAMES 2:25

. . . was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?




Rahab. Do you know her name and story? This is one of the great stories in the bible that displays faith, grace, and salvation.

Rahab is introduced in Scripture as an innkeeper and a prostitute living in the city of Jericho, a woman who lived under the protection of the king. Yet her heart had been shaped by stories she had heard, stories of the God of Israel who parted the Red Sea and delivered his people from Egypt. When two Israelite spies arrived in Jericho and were being hunted by the king’s men, Rahab made a bold and dangerous choice. She hid them on the roof of her house, trusting that the God they served was greater than the king she feared.

When questioned by the king’s soldiers, Rahab denied seeing the spies and sent the men off in the wrong direction. With this courageous act of kindness, she protected the spies at great personal risk. If she had been discovered, her life would have been lost. Still, Rahab acted in faith, placing her trust in the God of Israel and demonstrating her belief through generous action.

Her faith led to two remarkable outcomes. First, Rahab and her family were spared when the Israelites later advanced on Jericho. 

Second, her story did not end there. Rahab became an ancestor of King David. Matthew includes her in the genealogy of Jesus. James points to her as an example of faith expressed through hospitality, and Hebrews names her among the great heroes of faith, alongside Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Rahab, once an outsider, becomes part of our spiritual family. She recognized that God was doing something new in the world, and she trusted him enough to step into that story.

Through God’s grace and mercy, Rahab stands as a powerful model of faith. Her story reminds us that Israel was not chosen because of strength or greatness, but because of God’s compassion, kindness, and mercy. That same mercy reached Rahab, and it still reaches us .

As we journey through Advent and prepare for Christmas, we remember that God continues to do something new in the world. By faith, we trust our Creator who sent his Son to establish a kingdom that knows no boundaries. Soon we will celebrate his birth, and with hopeful expectation we look forward to his return, when he will reign forever.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Let's Pray

Gracious God,

we thank you for the witness of Rahab, for her courage, her trust, and her willingness to act in faith when the future was uncertain. Through her story, remind us that your grace reaches beyond boundaries we create and that no one is outside your redeeming love.

Give us hearts that listen for where you are at work in the world today. When faith requires courage, strengthen us. When obedience feels risky, remind us that you are faithful. Open our eyes to the new things you are doing among us. Shape us into people who welcome your kingdom with hope, generosity, and bold faith.

THE "10" WORDS

DECEMBER 17, 2025

EXODUS 19:5-6

“Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

EXODUS 20:1-2

And God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery….

1 PETER 2:9

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Most of us grew up calling them the Ten Commandments, but a better name might actually be God’s “Ten Words.” These weren’t just ideas Moses scribbled down, Scripture says God wrote them with His own finger, not once but twice. In Exodus 34:28 they’re even called “the covenant.” They mattered so much that they were placed inside the Ark of the Covenant itself. You may recall that the Ark of the Covenant was a central sign of faith and a reminder of God’s presence among his people. The Ten Words were meant to lead God’s people to understand and embrace the heart and structure of the entire covenant relationship.

People understood them as Ten Words of wisdom, a way to live well and help a whole community thrive. They were also Ten Words of revelation, showing what God is really like: good, fair, compassionate, and deeply invested in everyone’s wellbeing. And they were Ten Words of re‑creation, God bringing His order into our chaos, His way of life into our world. All of this was meant to form a people who would be a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation,” showing the world a better way to live.

The New Testament tells us that Jesus came to establish God’s kingdom in a whole new way. One of the first things He announced was that “the kingdom of God has come near.” Everywhere He went, He showed what that kingdom looks like, healing, welcoming, restoring, lifting up people from every background. Through Jesus, God’s rule takes root in ordinary people like us, shaping us again into that “kingdom of priests” and “holy nation.” And Jesus taught us to pray that this kingdom would keep breaking in: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.” If you read Exodus 20 and imagine a world that actually lived out those Ten Words, you get a glimpse of what Jesus was talking about.

So during Advent and Christmas, we remember that God didn’t stay distant. He came close. The Word became flesh. Jesus stepped into our messy world to bring order to our chaos and light to our confusion.

Maybe this season is an invitation to let your understanding of Jesus grow a little wider.

And maybe it’s a chance to ask yourself: in what ways does my life point toward that “better way” the kingdom of God offers?

Let's Pray

Gracious and Holy God, 

In Jesus Christ, your Word became flesh. He drew near to heal, to welcome, to restore, and to show us what your kingdom looks like. Through Him, you are forming us again into a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, a people who point the world toward your better way.

As we journey through Advent and celebrate Christmas, let your light break into our chaos, let your order shape our lives, and let your kingdom come among us. Make us faithful witnesses of your covenant love, so that our words, our actions, and our communities reflect your will on earth as it is in heaven.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

STAND FIRM .... BE STILL

DECEMBER 16, 2025

Exodus 14:13-14

“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

God's People begin the march in Exodus out of Egypt, but they soon found themselves in a crisis: the Red Sea stretched before them, and the Egyptian army pressed in behind. Have you ever felt caught in a moment like that, trapped between obstacles with no clear way forward?

What strikes me is God’s response in that fearful, road‑blocked situation. He tells His people, “I’ve got this. Stand firm. Be still.” Honestly, that is not my natural reaction when I feel cornered. Is it yours? More often, we scramble for solutions, rush into action, and live by the motto, “Don’t just stand there—do something!”

Yet today’s reading insists that the way through is not frantic activity but faithful stillness: “Stand firm … be still.” Why? Because “the Lord will fight for you.”

I’m realizing more and more that I need to practice this posture of standing firm and waiting on the Lord. To trust that God, in His love, grace, and power, will do what He does best, care for His people. Perhaps God is saying to us today, “Don’t just do something—stand there.” And when we do, we become witnesses to His astonishing works.

PSALM 37:7

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret . ...."


Isaiah 40:31

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”


Psalm 33:20-22

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.


AMEN!