Saturday, January 6th

“’Don’t call me Naomi,’ she told them.  ‘Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.  I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty.  Why call me Naomi?  The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.’  So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.  Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.’”       Ruth 1:20-21

Dear Heavenly Father, How easily I can judge my situation by the laws of justice that you have etched in my heart.  If I run into a string of misfortune, I feel that my good life has been ignored by you and that you are bringing down the hammer on me without respect to any good thing I have done.  I get angry out of a sense of fairness.  I struggle to understand my situation based on right and wrong.  Naomi had the very same feelings.  She felt that you had dragged her into court and had accused her to yourself.  She felt only your wrath.  I don’t blame her.  I understand her.  But you were up to something much bigger than your puny law.  You were up to grace, grace for Naomi, for me, even for all people.  I love how in this text you juxtapose Naomi’s complaint next to the simple fact that you were bringing Ruth and her close to Boaz, your fine, godly man.  Naomi remarked about your kindness.  Help me to hope in your kindness when I enter the dark days of trouble and trial.  Relieve me of always trying to understand my life by sifting it through the grid of right and wrong.  Amen.

Don’t judge your life by how well you have done or how well God has rewarded you.  If you do, you will miss the miracle of grace that sits right under your nose. 

Friday, January 5th

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.  And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”  Daniel 4:37

Dear Lord, My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors (Luke 1:46-55, Mary’s Song).  Amen.

In love, God knocks the mighty from their thrones, but then he always raises us up again by his mercy and his might.  In his relentless love for us, God is always on the move to keep us close to him.  He has done what must be done to save us on the cross.  He will do what he must to keep us close to him throughout our lives. 

Thursday, January 4th

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”  Psalms 90:12

Lord God, These days go so fast.  The fun days seems to pass the most quickly.  The difficult days seem to drag on, but they too move from day to day as fast as the sun rises and then sets again.  Decisions must happen in a split second.  Our attention and our time is divided up among many different things.  These days go so fast.  I look back at my life and wonder where it all went.  I look at my calendar and wonder how I could do it all differently.  I pray, Lord God, give me a heart of wisdom.  Give me a heart of wisdom so that I may make choices that honor and set you as the highest and only priority in my life.  Give me a heart of wisdom so that I cut the clutter from my life and live a life that shows that you are my number one.  Protect me from danger.  Shield me from harm.  And help me to live my life and make choices for my life (and for my family) that recognize life’s shortness and eternity’s closeness.  Each day is a gift from you.  Give me a heart of wisdom to honor you in it.  Amen.

Time is short.  Eternity is close.  Live a life that always keeps in mind life’s shortness and eternity’s closeness.  The Lord is near. 

Wednesday, January 3rd

“Look!  God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”  Revelation 21:3

O Immanuel, “God-with-us” is a name that takes on so many meanings to me.  It means that you have taken on human flesh and have joined the human race in an unimaginable way.  You took on our flesh, except for sin, and walked with us.  And that wasn’t all.  You took on our sin and made it your own and even died for it.  O Immanuel, you took up our cause and took away our death!  And that’s not all.  Here you give me a vision of day, a time, and a place where you will be with me and I will be with you.  We will talk together just like Adam and Eve walked with you in the garden.  At your ascension you went to prepare a place for me.  But never again!  You will be with me.  I, along with all who believe in you, will be with you and you will be with us.  O Immanuel!  I can’t wait for this day.  And that’s not all.  Until I reach my home with you and until you usher in your eternal and heavenly kingdom you will stay with me.  You promise to never leave nor forsake me.  You promise to give me help at the perfectly right time.  And because you took on my flesh you know what I’m facing and feeling; you can understand me and so help me in just the right way.  You aren’t a Savior who can’t relate to me.  You can fully relate to me, except for sin, and provide me the help that I need.  Stay with me today, dear Immanuel, and never leave my side.  Amen.

Immanuel is a name for Jesus that means God-with-us.  It means that he has taken on our human nature except for sin.  It means that God has come to dwell among his people.  It means that God will walk with his people.  It means that we are his people and that he is our God. 

Tuesday, January 2nd

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’  And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.  This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”  Matthew 2:13-15           

Dear Heavenly Father, I get mildly depressed the days after Christmas because of the letdown.  But it pales in comparison to what you allowed your Son and his parents to go through the days after the wise men brought their gifts.  They had to run for their lives.  You caused your most favored children to serve you and the planet in severe ways.  Why would I doubt your love just because you ask me to quickly return to service right after Christmas?  I’m here as your servant.  Help me to keep a servant’s heart and not fall into the temptation that life is about being served and coddled by others.  I want to reflect your Son’s love for everyone in the hopes that others see him through me.  Make me a happy and willing servant who gives freely instead of pouts as one slighted by the needs of others.  Amen.

It’s hard to be taken advantage of when you see helping others as a privilege. 

Monday, January 1st, 2024!

Lord, At the beginning of this year we need you.  Our days are written in your book and only you know if I shall live through this year that has just begun.  Be merciful to me and forgive me all my sins.  Bless my body and soul, my property, and my honor.  Renew in me the knowledge of the promise you made to me at my baptism, so that I may have childlike assurance throughout this year that you will never forget me.  Allow me to the best of my ability, to live a year of service to you.  Let this year be one which draws me closer to you as I serve my Savior Jesus.  Amen.  (From “There’s a Prayer for That.”)

Saturday, December 30th

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.  And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”  Daniel 4:37

Dear Lord, My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-holy is his name.  His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors (Luke 1:46-55, Mary’s Song).  Amen.

In love, God knocks the mighty from their thrones, but then he always raises us up again by his mercy and his might.  In his relentless love for us, God is always on the move to keep us close to him.  He has done what must be done to save us on the cross.  He will do what he must to keep us close to him throughout our lives. 

Tuesday, January 2nd

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’  And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.  This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”  Matthew 2:13-15           

Dear Heavenly Father, I get mildly depressed the days after Christmas because of the letdown.  But it pales in comparison to what you allowed your Son and his parents to go through the days after the wise men brought their gifts.  They had to run for their lives.  You caused your most favored children to serve you and the planet in severe ways.  Why would I doubt your love just because you ask me to quickly return to service right after Christmas?  I’m here as your servant.  Help me to keep a servant’s heart and not fall into the temptation that life is about being served and coddled by others.  I want to reflect your Son’s love for everyone in the hopes that others see him through me.  Make me a happy and willing servant who gives freely instead of pouts as one slighted by the needs of others.  Amen.

It’s hard to be taken advantage of when you see helping others as a privilege. 

Friday, December 29th

“Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed.  It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”     Daniel 4:27 

Lord God, I see more and more how pride is a huge part of my internal struggle.  My pride is hurt when I am not praised, or noticed, or admired, or respect.  It is a blow to pride and it hurts.  My proud is stroked when I am praised or noticed or admired or respected.  This kind of things strokes my ego and I feel better about myself.  Oh God, how corrupt and sinful and proud I am.  Break my proud heart.  Lead me to bow before you.  Do what you must to break my pride so that I depend on you more and seek to love others more deeply.  In humility, lead me to lay myself before you.  In humility, help me to pour myself out for others, seeking to honor them and to place them on a pedestal.  In humility, lead me to seek what is right and to show mercy to all people.  Most of all, dear Father, help me to find my sense of value not in what I accomplish or in what people think about me, but in what you have done for me.  You have said that I matter to you.  Help me to find my value in you and then to honor others more highly than myself.  Amen.

Rise up from your repentance and know that your God deeply and dearly loves you.  He does receive you as you are.  He forgives and values you.  He will not cast you out.  Rise up from your repentance forgiven.  Go out in your forgiveness new.  Act justly to the people around you.  Love mercy and seek to give it to the people in your life.  Walk humbly with God and in all your ways seek to honor him. 

Friday, December 29th

“The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table.  They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.  Among those who were chosen were some from Judah; Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.  The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.”  Daniel 1:5-7

Lord, This world wants to change me.  The devil wants to pressure me to give up my identity as a child of God and to lose myself in this world so that I lose my eternity with you.  In both blatant and more subtle ways, I am pressured to lose my identity in this world.  Help me and keep me from this, dear Savior.  Make and keep me vigilant so that I am always aware of the Devil’s schemes.  Make me strong and courageous so that I stand up for what is right in the face of the pressure to give in to what is wrong.  Root me ever more deeply in my identity as your child and an heir of eternity.  When I stray, help me to see it and then to run back to you as quickly as I can.  Receive me, then, dear Father with arms of your forgiveness and cover me with the blood of Jesus.  I am yours.  Keep me from straying and keep me as yours for all eternity.  Amen.

The time may come (perhaps it already has) when you will look back at your life and see how far you have wandered from following after Christ.  That time may come and you will be ashamed.  You gave into the pressure and lost your identity in this world.  In that moment, run back to Christ.  It isn’t too late.  He will receive you with open arms to forgive and receive and restore.  He always does and always will do that.  He will always receive you back with open arms.  You are still his forgiven and redeemed brother.  You are still a dearly loved child of the Heavenly Father.

Thursday, December 28th

“Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”  Colossians 3:11

Dear Jesus, Thank you for raising up Abraham Lincoln to establish so many more opportunities for everyone through his efforts that resulted in emancipation of slaves on this day in 1865.  He helped establish the value of every human being.  I love the passage above because it reminds me that long before and above all public policy you made us all equal by redeeming us all the same.  We are all children of God through your equalizing redemption.  In the church, we find our unity with others as your Holy Spirit works between us to make us love and support one another.  Help me to see my sameness with every other human being no matter their gender, race, culture or station in life.  Give me a holy honor for the supreme value of every single soul, little and big.  Amen.

In Christ we find the greatest equalizing force for all people. 

Wednesday, December 27th

“Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”  Colossians 1:24

Dear Jesus, Give me that selfless attitude that you gave Paul that I would spend my life for the spiritual and physical welfare of your people whom you redeemed with your life.  Make me find purpose that cannot be lost because it springs from my faith in you which lives in my heart despite all circumstances.  I want to live my life to the full for you and your people.  Amen.

If you live for Jesus’ people you’ll never be bored wondering what you can find to do. 

Tuesday, December 26th

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 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.”  Colossians 1:15-20

Dear Jesus, There is not one more wonderful than you in my whole life.  You made me, watched me fall, and then came and rescued me.  You rose from the dead to show me my glorious triumph too.  You changed my perspective on everything happening in my mundane days.  They all find their value as part of the great future you purchased for me.  I believe everything I just said but I don’t always act like it.  Too often, I get all worked up about lesser things.  I’m sorry.  Thank you for covering my sins from distraction with your grace.  Help me live in the peace that won for me and to use the strength it gives to serve others.  Amen.

Reconciled to God. There’s no better identity.

Monday, December 25th, Christmas Day

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19

Dear Savior, There is so much going on in my life and in the world right now.  There is so much going on in my mind right now.  It is hard for me to quiet my mind to carefully think about and ponder the things that you’ve done.  As soon as I sit to read your Christmas story, as soon as I close my eyes to meditate on what you have done, another to-do comes to mind.  In my life I am rushing from one good activity to the next.  These are busy days.  These are distracted days.  I pray, dear Jesus, send me your Holy Spirit and quiet my mind.  Shut off in my heart and my mind the list of to-dos so that I can hear your Words like the shepherds did, as if I were hearing it for the first time.  This message that they heard in the fields immediately transformed them.  They weren’t the same after that; how could they be!?!  Grant me the still heart of Mary who observed the shepherds coming and going, who watched her son, Jesus, grow, and took it all in.  Help me to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas from your Word and help me take it with me and to ponder its truths.  Transform me by these truths just as you transformed the shepherds.  Amen.

Christmas is a busy time for our lives and in our minds.  But don’t miss it.  Come and see the baby Savior with the shepherds.  Still your minds and ponder the miracle of Jesus’ birth with Mary.  Come and worship him with the Magi.  Take it all in! 

Saturday, December 23rd

“But Naomi said, ‘Return home, my daughters.  Why would you come with me?  Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands?  Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband.  Even if I thought there was still hope for me-even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons-would you wait until they grew up?  Would you remain unmarried for them?  No, my daughters.  It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has turned against me!’”  Ruth 1:11-13

Dear Heavenly Father, I have felt like Naomi before.  I felt like you turned your hand against me.  Sometimes it seems that one problem follows another before the first one gets resolved.  Like Naomi, I can’t always see how there is any way that I can fix what you allow to break.  But I know from this story that Naomi’s perspective was too small.  She was short sighted by her losses.  You had plans for her that fit into your much bigger design for the whole world.  It would include the blessing of restoration in this life for her too.  Give me the faith to trust your goodness even when you allow difficult circumstances to overshadow my life.  Make me an optimist based on your promises no matter what is happening in my life.  Help me to cling to your Son through every circumstance.  Amen.

When you cannot see a way out, remember that God sees the way in to his gracious plan to save. 

Saturday, December 23rd

Maybe you remember the story of Balaam.  Balaam was a seer who was hired by Balak the king of Moab to curse the people of Israel.  The king of Moab was worried because Israel had come out of Egypt, and they were traveling north.  They were a force to be reckoned with and the king of Moab knew that he needed all the help he could get if he was going to defeat this threat coming up through the desert, so he hired Balaam to speak a curse over the people.  The king of Moab believed that Balaam’s words were more than just words.  He believed that Balaam’s words had power to hurt the people of Israel.  Perhaps you remember how it went though.  Each time Balaam began to speak a curse against the people of Israel God made him speak blessings.  The king of Moab was furious but this was Balaam’s response, (from Numbers 24:13), “Even if Balak gave me his palace filled with silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD-and I must say only what the LORD says”.  All the blessings that Balaam spoke over God’s people came true.  There is one that is particularly important to us during this Advent season.  Balaam said, (from Numbers 24:17), “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.  A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.”  Though he didn’t know it, Balaam was talking about Jesus.  Jesus was the one who was coming and generations of God’s people from that time on continued to BEHOLD him by faith, seeing him over and over again in the word of God, till one day he came.  Now we behold him.  We behold him coming at Bethlehem in a lowly manger, to be our savior from sin and death.  Like Balaam we continue to see him but not now to behold him, but not near, for Jesus is coming again. 

Friday, December 22nd

“The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.”  Daniel 4:17

Dear Father in Heaven, I am so thankful that you don’t give up on me, that you are relentless in your pursuit of me.  Throughout my whole life you have pursued me even when I wandered and even ran away from you.  You were and still are always relentless to keep me close, to lead me to repentance, and to bring me back.  Even when I stubbornly resisted and even rejected you, you did not give up on me.  In my life and through your Son you have relentlessly pursued me.  Please, I beg, keep on pursuing me.  The devil is after me to destroy my faith and to lead me far from you.  The world seeks to conform me in their ways.  My own sinful flesh is no friend of mine.  There is so much in and around me that would lead me from you.  Do not give up on me.  Keep on relentlessly pursuing me.  Do whatever it takes so that I might remain your child for all eternity.  Do the same for all the people in my life, especially those whom I love.  Do whatever you must to keep them as your child.  Use me during my days on earth to pursue all your people and to gather more into your kingdom.  Amen.

We quickly and easily fall into sin and away from our God, but he is not quick to dismiss us.  In fact, the opposite is true.  God is quick to pursue, quick to forgive, quick to love, quick to work in our lives to call us back.  He is patient with us and slow to anger.  He relentlessly pursues us just as he pursued King Neb. 

Thursday, December 21st

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’  They replied, ‘Certainly, Your Majesty.’  He said, ‘Look!  I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’”  Daniel 3:24-25

Lord God, As I live in this world there are dangers on every side.  The devil comes after me from every direction and wants to harm me.  There is truly danger all around me.  But, Lord, with you by my side I do not need to fear even if the mountains are falling into the heart of the sea.  Father, I am afraid right now.  I am worried and scared about   ________.  I am afraid because ________.  I am afraid that ________ will happen.  Come and walk with me in this moment.  Go before me as a shield to protect me from danger.  Come beneath me to give me a solid foundation for my feet.  Walk beside me to support and strengthen me on the way.  Fly above me to watch over my way and to lay out a path before me.  Come and walk with me in this fire and in this moment.  Then, Lord, I ask, save!  Save in a way that only you can save.  Deliver from this present danger.  Deliver me from all Evil.  And, then, at the end of my life, bring me safely into your heavenly kingdom.  You live and reign, Lord God.  No god can save like you save.  So, come now and save.  Amen.

Hold to those two truths today and every day: “There’s another in the fire with me.”  And, “No other god saves like my God!”

Wednesday, December 20th

The third candle on the banner has the word BELIEVE printed on it.  This probably sounds like the most obvious one, of course we have to believe.  Yet we ought not take the faith that we have for granted. Think about Mary, about to start the next phase of her life.  She is betrothed to Joseph.  She is about to be a wife and if God will it a mother.  She likely had all these plans in her head about what life would be like.  Then an angel appears to her with a very strange message.  The angel tells her that even though she is a virgin, that she is going to become pregnant and give birth to the Son of God.  If that happened to you, what would you think?  We might think it was a very strange dream, or maybe we might wonder if there was a gas leak in the house that is making us hallucinate.  Yet Mary believes the angel (Luke 1:38), “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.”  Even though what she has just been told is impossible and ridiculous to human reason, yet Mary believes it.  By his grace God overcomes her unbelief and brings her to faith.  God has done the same for you.  You believe that it was not just an ordinary birth in Bethlehem, but that in the manger rests true God and true man in one person.  That you believe this is God’s gracious gift to you.  That faith also believes that this same Jesus will come again, but not as before in humility.  Instead we believe that Jesus will come again in glory with all the angels and end this world.  When that day comes we believe that he will take us to be with him forever. 

Wednesday, December 20th

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’”  Daniel 3:16-18

Father, Give me the courage and focus today to seek your glory in every situation.  It’s easy and even natural for me to seek my own glory.  It’s easy and even natural for me to cave in to the wrong people or things in this world.  Help me to see my own self-seeking after glory and to repent of it.  In this world, help me to stand out and shine like the light of the world that you have made me to be.  Keep me from glorifying people or things in this world and giving glory to them.  Rather, help me to live a life that gives glory to you.  Today, I know that you are able to shape me and to use my life and all events in this world for your glory.  You are able in any and every situation to gain glory for yourself.  All glory is yours.  I know that you are able to make this happen.  So, I pray, take my life today, dear Lord, and gain glory for yourself through it.  Work in me, work through me, yes, work even in spite of me to gain glory for yourself.  I know, Lord, that you are able to do this.  So, I pray, make it happen so that in all things you are glorified.  Amen.

We do not know what God will do in our lives.  These three didn’t either.  They weren’t sure whether they would be rescued from the flames or if they would destroyed by the flames and delivered into heaven.  Yet, they knew their God and they knew that in either case, he would not disappoint them; they would not be ashamed.  We do not know what God will do in our lives.  But we know this, the God whom we serve is able.