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!

The Walk to Freedom

DECEMBER 15, 2025

Exodus 6:6

“‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.”



We ended our devotions last week with Moses receiving a calling and some wonderful words of assurance. "I will be with you," God promised. Over the next few days we will spend some time with Moses' story and God's purposes and plans through him. We began this series of devotions saying that the Christmas story, began with Creation and stretches across history, reminding us that God has always been faithful and that His promises always find their fulfillment in Jesus.

For generations, the Israelites endured the weight of slavery. Their strength was depleted, and their hope nearly gone. Yet into that situation of despair, God spoke a promise: “I will set you free.” The fuller context in Exodus shows us that through extraordinary signs and wonders, God demonstrated His power and faithfulness, ultimately leading to the peoples deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

Moses carried this message of hope, announcing God’s intention to set his people free. Yet, the depth of their suffering made it difficult for them to receive the promise. Scripture tells us, “They refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery” (Exodus 6:9, NLT).

Many of us know what that feels like. There are seasons when the pressures around us become so overwhelming that believing God’s promises, or even noticing God’s presence, feels nearly impossible. Circumstances can distract or blind us, making it hard to hear when God speaks. In such moments, just as God continued to pursue Moses and the Israelites, God continues to pursue us.

What an extraordinary truth this is!  Even in our discouragement, even when we struggle to trust or to listen, God keeps reaching toward us. His intentions for us are good, and His promises are meant for our flourishing. As we learn to lean in, to listen, and to trust, we begin to experience the reality of those precious promises. 

The same God who delivered his people in the book of Exodus, still speaks freedom today. And at Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, the annointed One, who entered our world to set the captives free.

Let's Pray

God, We thank You for being the One who sees us, pursues us, and speaks freedom into our lives. When our circumstances feel heavy and our hope grows thin, remind us that Your promises remain steady and true. Open our hearts to hear Your voice, even when discouragement tries to drown it out. 

Just as You led the Israelites out of bondage, lead us into the freedom You desire for us. 

May the light of Christ, whose coming we celebrate, shine into every place where we feel weary or burdened, and may His presence bring renewal, courage, and peace.

Amen.

The ASSURANCE Boost We Need

DECEMBER 12, 2025

Exodus 3: 11-12

“Moses said, ‘WHO AM I to go to the king and lead your people out of Egypt?’ God replied, ‘I WILL BE WITH YOU.’”

In the context of our Bible verses today we see that Moses was hit with two big questions at the same time: “Who is God?” and “Who am I?” God was calling him to step up as a leader for His people, people who were stuck under the heavy, crushing rule of a brutal king. God’s plan was for Moses to help lead them out of Egypt and out from under Pharaoh’s tight grip.

Sounds like a massive assignment, and Moses knew it. In fact, he was quite sure he didn’t qualify at all. I imagine him looking around for an exit, hoping this whole calling might have been a mistake. Moses had just come back from years in exile, he’d been living as an ordinary shepherd, he was getting older, and on top of that, he wasn’t even from Egypt. From Moses’ point of view, Pharaoh had all the power and he had none.

God wanted Moses to shift his focus from his own limitations to the limitless power of what God could accomplish. God’s plan was to use Moses as part of something much bigger, to rescue His people. And then God gives Moses this bold, beautiful promise: “I will be with you.” In this honest converstaion, God was saying that He would guide Moses, sustain Moses, and make sure the story ended well.

We are not all that different from Moses, are we? I mean when we face tough or overwhelming situations, we start asking the same questions about who we are and who God is. And in those moments, haven't you found that God gives us the same reassuring promise that He gave to Moses: “I will be with you.”

During the Advent and Christmas season, our attention turns to Jesus, the Word made flesh, the promised Savior who came near. And in His coming, He tells each of us the same thing: He is present with us. Right now.

I wonder if we can be so focused on our perceived inabilities and shortcomings that we miss the great reality that God is our savior and is always present with us. Can we see God as our Redeemer and guide? Do we live out of the amazing truth of what the apostle Paul wrote about, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength”?

So today, well everyday, let’s hold on to God’s promise.

“I will be with you.”

COMPASSION: Where You Least Expect it

DECEMBER 11, 2025

Exodus 2:6

“She… saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. ‘This is one of the Hebrew babies,’ she said.”

Last week and again so far this week we have been looking at the backstory to Christmas Day and the celebration of Jesus' birth. Advent as we have said is a period of waiting that keeps us from rushing to Christmas Day. God's purposes and plans unfold for us from creation, and we have been stopping to take in the episodes of this gradual unfolding revelation. 


Our verse today is part of the account of the Israelites being stuck under heavy oppression from the Egyptians. Pharaoh, the king, was paranoid, he thought if the Israelites kept growing in number, they might rise up against him. So he gave a brutal order: every baby boy born to the Israelites was to be thrown into the Nile.

One Israelite woman gave birth to a baby boy, but she managed to keep him hidden for three months. When she couldn’t hide him anymore, she crafted a little basket-boat, placed him inside, and set it among the reeds by the riverbank. That’s where Pharaoh’s daughter stumbled upon him. The baby cried, and in that moment her heart softened. She knew exactly who he was, one of the children her father had ordered to be killed. However, dispite what Daddy had ordered this daughter experienced compassion welling up inside her.

Can you imagine what that moment felt like for her? Torn between loyalty to her father’s command and the undeniable pull to protect this tiny, helpless child. 

Do I obey? 

Do I rescue? 

What do I do?

We’ve all faced moments like that, when our heart says one thing and our head says another. What’s amazing here is how God worked through someone who didn’t even follow Him, someone from a family that actively opposed His people. Yet her compassion became the very thing God used to save Moses, setting His larger plan in motion.

That plan of God kept unfolding, eventually leading to another baby, born in Bethlehem, who would show us what compassion looks like in the middle of violence and brokenness. 

So here’s the question today for all of us, I believe, how might God use our compassion?

Mercy Over Revenge?

DECEMBER 10, 2025

GENESIS 50:20-21

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives …he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.”

Do you ever catch yourself comparing your life to someone else’s? Honestly, in the age of social media, it feels almost impossible not to. Think back for a moment, maybe to a time when jealousy got the better of you, or when someone else looked at you with envy.

That’s exactly the kind of tension Joseph faced. He grew up with a bunch of brothers, but their dad clearly favored him. The jealousy boiled over until his brothers did something unthinkable: they ganged up on him and sold him into slavery. Just pause on that for a second—they literally sold their own brother.

Fast forward through years of hardship, and Joseph eventually lands in a position of power. When his brothers come to him desperate for help, he doesn’t take revenge. Instead, he does the opposite, he shows them grace. He forgives. 

Joseph’s story is just a preview of something even bigger: the grace we see in God’s Messiah. Jesus shows us what it looks like to forgive when betrayal cuts deep. He teaches us to love the very people who hurt us, and to choose peace instead of payback.

I’ll be real, I don’t always live up to that example. But Joseph’s story, and Jesus’ life, remind me that grace is always possible.

Perhaps as a reminder for us today, the teaching that Apostle Paul gives us in I Corinthians 13:4-7 is worth pondering.

“no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.”

NIGHT VISIONS

DECEMBER 9, 2025

Genesis 28:14-15

“…All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go… I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”


Sometimes the weight of our choices and decisions can feel very heavy. This is certainly true for Jacob. As he leaves home to seek a wife and to find his place in the world, he carries the fear that his brother Esau might kill him for stealing both the birthright and the blessing. In the midst of this exile, Jacob encounters God in a dream. There, he hears the divine promise to include him in the covenant first given to Abraham and Isaac. God assures Jacob of a secure future, and though Jacob acknowledges the dream and declares the place holy, his response is rather striking, he vows that if God provides for his needs, then he will serve Him.

Before we are too critical of Jacob's self serving negotiation, lets consider the fact that his response is such a common human reaction to situations that result in fear and uncertainty. How many of us try to offer God our devotion if He will only help us out with our problems. 

Scripture shows us that Jacob’s life was far from peaceful. He faced hardship, fear, grief, and trial after trial. Yet what stands out most is that God’s promise to Jacob was always greater than Jacob’s problems. In moments of anxiety, Jacob clung to that promise, reminding himself, and even reminding God, that he was included in the covenant. In much the same way, many of us have wrestled with doubts about God’s faithfulness, only to look back and realize He was weaving good out of circumstances we never could have predicted. Who would have imagined that the fulfillment of God’s promise to Jacob would come in the most unexpected way, through the birth of a of a baby in an animal stall?

When it seems that God is not fulfilling His promises, how should we respond?  

Well, Proverbs 3:5-6 suggests the following response in such times:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,  

and do not rely on your own understanding;  

in all your ways acknowledge Him,  

and He will make your paths straight.  

WAITING .... WAITING ..... FULFILLMENT

DECEMBER 7, 2025

Genesis 21:7

“Who would have said… that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne [Abraham] a son in his old age.”


How many of you have gone through periods of waiting in your lives that seemed like they would never end? Most of us, if not all of us.The Bible is filled with inspiring stories of people who had to wait—wait to be delivered from their enemies, wait to enter a new land, and wait to meet the long-awaited Messiah.

Abraham and Sarah waited many years to have a child, and their story is truly remarkable. The Bible records, Sarah was 91 and Abraham was 100 when their long-awaited baby was born. Think about it, this incredible couple endured decades of heartache and disappointment before finally experiencing the joy of parenthood.

I feel, this long wait was even more difficult considering God’s promise to Abraham when he called him. Do you recall in Genesis 12 the covenant that God makes with Abraham includes the promise “I will make you into a great nation.” In Genesis 17 God again says to Abraham “You will be the father of many nations. ... 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” In another place angels and the Lord came to Abraham and told him that "his descendants would be more than the stars in heaven.” Promises, promises. Still no kids.

Sarah was well past her childbearing years, yet God continued to give them an incredible promise. The waiting felt endless, but as we read their story, we see  that God was faithful to his promise.

Isaiah 30:18 encourages us by reminding us that,

the Lord waits to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.

See that beautiful promise? All who wait for him are blessed.

 I wonder what is your heart waiting and longing for? 

Where have you perhaps endured decades of heartache and disappointment?

Today we are reminded in the story of Abraham and Sarah that yes waiting, and waiting, is a struggle, with many questions and doubts, yet we can have confidence in the Faithfulness of God, our God is a "promise keeper"!! 

As we close today's devotion let's hear/read the words of God that are found in Isaiah 46:3-4. 

Since the day you were born,
I have carried you along.
I will still be the same
when you are old and gray,
and I will take care of you.
I created you. I will carry you
and always keep you safe.

No Way that's IMPOSSIBLE!

DECEMBER 5, 2025

Genesis 12:2-3

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Can someone at 75 years old still change the world? Abram’s life seemed to say no. For decades he worked the same job, in the same land, following the same path as his father. His story looked ordinary, destined to be forgotten in time, no son, no legacy, no lasting impact. But God had a different plan. Instead of choosing a mighty king to establish His nation, God called a childless, unknown man from Ur.

When God steps in, everything shifts. The barren couple becomes a family, the overlooked become honored, and the insignificant become world-changers. Scripture almost seems to delight in showing us that God chooses the ones everyone else would pass over.

That’s good news. It means His blessing isn’t bound by our résumé, our status, or our skill set. God’s power is not limited by human expectations.

Throughout history, God has worked this way:

• He chose Abram and Sarah at 75 to begin a nation.

• He chose the youngest son of Jesse to rule Israel.

• He chose a teenage girl from a small town to bear the Savior.

• He chose fishermen to ignite a movement that would reach the ends of the earth.

This is who our God is. From the least to the greatest, He calls and blesses because His ways are higher than ours.

And God is still inviting us today, into His “crazy, impossible, and amazing adventure.” The question is not whether we are qualified, but whether we will follow.

The Water Is High

DECEMBER 4, 2025

Gen. 9:13-15

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth... Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

When I read the story of Noah, I can’t help but think about how overwhelming it must have been for him. Imagine God assigning you the task to build a large Ark (boat), way before there was even a threat of heavy rain. Where would you even start? How do you gather that much wood? What do you say when people stop by and ask what on earth you’re doing? And on top of all that, would you wonder if there was any real hope for the future of creation after the occurance of such a massive flood?

Try putting yourself in Noah’s place ("sandals" ) for a moment.
What would be going through your head?
What fears, doubts, or questions would you have?

Truthfully, the season of Advent can feel a little like that. The closer we get to Christmas, the more the “water” seems to rise. We’re running around trying to find the right gifts, track down ingredients for family recipes, attend dinners, finish up end-of-year tasks, decorate the house, and keep up with everyone’s expectations, especially our own. It can feel like the stress is piling up fast, almost like a flood. 

And yet… we keep doing it year after year.

Why?

Because underneath all the busy moments is something stable and secure, something beautiful: our Messiah has come. Advent gives us space to breathe, remember, and celebrate Jesus, our Savior, our Living Hope, our faithful Friend who never leaves us to face the flood alone.

And just like God didn’t leave Noah alone and unsupported, God doesn’t leave us without reminders of his presence either. God gave Noah everything he needed to build the ark, and when it was all over, God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign, a promise that destruction, loss and ruin would never have the final word.

So as we wait for Jesus this Advent, maybe we can look for those same signs of hope.
Maybe, if we pause long enough, we’ll see the “rainbow” God is setting before us too.

Who Are You Going to Listen To?

DECEMBER 3, 2025

Genesis 2:16

“You are free to eat from any tree, but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”


The saying “with great power comes great responsibility” is familiar to most of us, often this is exemplified in superhero stories where the central question is how the hero will use their special powers. Scripture reveals that humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation, made for worship and work, and granted unique significance and privileges. No other creature possesses the breath of God’s life or bears His image. In the creation story, God took what can be seen as an extraordinary risk by granting humans the freedom to choose—to trust Him, take Him at His word, and follow Him willingly from the heart. This is because love given freely is love at its highest form. I believe, like superhero tales, God’s story centers on a question: What will humanity do with this extraordinary gift?

Turns out, humankind messed up! Genesis 3 shows the tough truth that humanity chose to doubt God and follow other so-called ‘wiser’ voices, opening ourselves up to the pull and harmful power of evil. Thankfully, God’s story does not end there. Its central theme is His plan to deliver us from the grip of evil, to eliminate its power from the world, to restore all things to a state even better than the beginning, and to grant us another opportunity to live as He intended. All this is made possible through Jesus, the pioneer of God’s new humanity and the evidence of His new creation.

Truth is we are bombarded by so called "wiser" voices too. So, I wonder if the question for us today may just be this:

“Whose voice have  we been listening to in our life?”

Finding Joy in Beauty

DECEMBER 2, 2025

Gen. 1:1 & 28

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God saw all that he made, and it was very good.”

The Amazing story of Chrstmas begins . . . .

The opening chapters of the Bible make some bold statements, claiming that God created the entire universe simply by speaking it into existence—saying, “Let there be…” and it happened. Genesis 1 and 2 describe how God was deeply satisfied with His creation, filling it with beauty and purpose, and then stepping back to enjoy it, declaring, “It is very good.”

Jenny Toews shared the following personal story, she writes

“I remember one sunny morning when I was travelling along a beautiful route that wound its way between the rocky coastline and a towering mountain range. Traffic came to a complete stop along a bend and people stood outside their cars peering over the cliffs. My immediate thought was a terrible accident had just occurred. I, too, got out to look, but there was no accident. The morning rush hour was brought to a standstill by a large pod of dolphins diving in and out of the water and skipping along the surface. No one said a word, nor did getting to work on time seem to matter either. Everyone just stood there taking in this breathtaking sight. It was a special moment of strangers standing back to delight in beauty and to respond to something greater than themselves.”

Whether we acknowledge God’s hand in creation or not, we are all awestruck by the beauty of the world around us. Splendor tells us something about the heart of the Creator of beautiful things. Being awestruck suggests that wonder is a response of worship as we ponder the glory of our good world. Our Genesis reading today points to the source. "In the beginning God ...."

When was the last time you were awestruck by beauty?

Today, take a moment to offer a prayer of gratitude to God for all the beauty in our world. As you go about your day, observe the wonders of His creation around you and express a simple prayer of praise, such as "Thank You, God, for __________."

JESSE TREE

December 1, 2025

Isaiah 11:1

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”



The Jesse Tree is like a big storytelling calendar for Advent, without the chocolates or little gifts of many Advent calanders. The Jesse Tree doesn’t just count down days, it walks us through the entire story that leads to Christmas. Starting way back at Creation, it traces God’s promises through the generations, Abraham, David, the prophets, and all the twists and turns of Israel’s journey, until it finally points us to Jesus.

In the Middle Ages, churches and monasteries began creating artworks, stained glass windows, and illuminated manuscripts depicting the “Tree of Jesse.” These showed Jesus’ genealogy as a branching tree, with Jesse at the base and Christ at the top. Over time, the Jesse Tree moved from being a church art motif to a family Advent devotion. By the late medieval period, Christians began using trees or branches decorated with symbols to mark the days leading up to Christmas. Many historians tells us that the Jesse Tree predates what we now refer to as the Christmas Tree that we decorate each year.

The name comes from Jesse, the father of King David, because the prophet Isaiah said that “a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” That promise was fulfilled when Christ was born from David’s family line. So every ornament or symbol on the Jesse Tree is like a chapter in the story, showing how God was weaving His plan all along.

When we follow the Jesse Tree, it is a way for us to see the whole sweep of Scripture as one long journey toward Christ, with God revealing pieces of His promise along the way. We are not just remembering random Bible stories, we’re seeing how they all connect, how they all build toward the birth of Christ. It’s the whole Christmas story, stretched across history, reminding us that God has always been faithful and that His promises always find their fulfillment in Jesus.
This Advent season, as we wait for the birth of Christ and celebrate His gifts of Hope, Joy, Peace, Love, and Light, we wait alongside those who came before us. Their stories are our stories. We are connected to the people who trusted God, stumbled badly at times, but also witnessed miracles and surprising victories as they waited for His promise to unfold.

This, I believe helps us to learn and understand that even in the waiting, God calls us to be faithful. Even in the darkness, God calls us to walk in His light.

Come,
You who are celebrating with joy,
You who are worn out, lonely, or feeling lost,
You who are longing for hope and for the Savior,
Come and wait with open hearts for the One who brings salvation and life.

Waiting with Hope — What Advent Really Is

November 28, 2025

 Isaiah 9:2

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” 

As winter approaches and the days grow shorter, Christians around the world enter the quiet, sacred season of Advent. The term Advent means “coming” or “arrival” and marks a period of waiting, watching, and hoping, not for something abstract or sentimental, but for Someone real: Jesus Christ, the Light who dispels our darkness. This season calls us to slow down, breathe, and remember that our faith is grounded in both remembrance and anticipation.

1. Advent Looks Back

We remember the first coming of Christ, 

a child born in a manger, 

a Savior clothed in humility, 

God entering our world to rescue and redeem.

"In the middle of ordinary nights and ordinary people, heaven bent low and hope took on flesh."

2. Advent Looks Ahead

But Advent doesn’t stop at Bethlehem.
It reminds us that we are still waiting.

We await the second coming of Christ, when He will restore all things, wipe away every tear, and fully establish His Kingdom of peace and justice. Advent reminds us to live with holy expectation, keeping our lamps burning and our hearts alert.

3. Advent Looks Within

This season is also an invitation to make room for Christ in our own lives.

In a world that runs fast, Advent gently asks:

What fills your heart?
What crowds out the voice of the Jesus?
Where do you need His peace, His hope, His joy, His love?

Advent is a spiritual reset, a chance to surrender our hurry and open our hearts anew to the One who comes near.

4. Advent Is a Season of Hope

Hope is not wishful thinking.
Hope is confidence rooted in God’s promise.

We light candles at church and perhaps in our homes too, not just for tradition, but to declare:
“The darkness will not win.” Why?

Because:
Christ has come, 

Christ is coming again, 

and Christ is with us now.

A Prayer for Advent

Lord Jesus,
In this season of waiting, awaken our hearts to Your presence.
Shine Your light into our darkness.
Teach us to hope with confidence, to watch with expectation,
and to prepare room in our lives for You.
Come, Lord Jesus, come into our world, our homes, and our hearts.
Amen.

Hidden Hope

November 27, 2025

Isaiah 11:1-3

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the lord.


Author Henri Nouwen writes,

I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God’s saving power…Our temptation is to be distracted by them…When I have no eyes for the small signs of God’s presence – the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends – I will always remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises.

LET'S PRAY

We welcome you, small child of Bethlehem, for whose coming we await with quiet attention.

Shield us from the shouts, the screams, the empty promises of the season, and encourage us to turn our hopes to your coming.

We know that the promise is hidden in the stable in Bethlehem and rooted in the offspring of Jesse; let us look for our salvation there.
Amen.


Today, look for one small sign that God is present in your daily life. Give thanks for his presence.