December 13

Passage: Ezekiel 47:1-12

“The man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the Temple toward the east.” (Eze 47:1)

Ezekiel’s vision presents something that is impossible according to the laws of nature. The water from the invisible source underneath the Temple transforms the Dead Sea into fresh water! The image is picked up again in Rev 22:1-2, where it is “the river of the water of life…flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” John reports Jesus as saying, “Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them,” and explains, “by this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” (Jn 7:38-39) According to the laws of nature, it is impossible for something dead to come alive. Our Almighty God, however, continually brings life to many things considered dead.

Part of the discipline of secrecy is not drawing attention to oneself. Could it be that part of being the light of the world means allowing the Lord to use us to make positive changes in the little things He points out to us? When there’s no one around and we notice something on the floor, do we pick it up and put it away? When traffic clumsily moves around some debris on the road, are we willing to go and take it off the road? When we notice that someone else has forgotten to do something, do we quietly do it without saying anything? Perhaps these are some of the life-giving things that God wants to use in order to transform our salt-water environment into the fresh water of His Kingdom?

A poem attributed to Mother Teresa is meant to encourage us:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for Your river of life. Thank You that You continue to bring life in so many unexpected ways. Please open our eyes to see where You invite us to be life-giving. Remind us that although what we do may neither be seen nor recognized, You see and will reward it. Allow us to pick up the garbage others leave behind and go to those who are beaten half-dead as the Good Samaritan did. May we never draw attention to ourselves, but always give You the glory. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, who is our Master and Guide.

Further lectionary texts for today:

Ezekiel 47:1-12 The wilderness will flower
Jude 17-25 Prepare for the Lord's coming
2 Kings 2:9-22 Elisha receives Elijah's spirit
Acts 3:17-4:4 Peter preaches about the prophets
Numbers 16:20-35 God destroys Korah's company
Acts 28:23-31 Paul preaches in Rome

Sunday December 11 (Third Week)

Lighting the candles:

As we light the first candle, we are reminded, that Christ is our Hope. We also “wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13)

The second candle we light reminds of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let us “make every effort to live in peace with all men and be holy.” (Hebrews 12:14)

The third candle represents a turning point in the season of advent. It is the candle of Joy. Just as the jailer in Philippi who was “filled with joy because he had come to believe in God,” we can sing with the Prophet Isaiah:

“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow!” (Isaiah 35:5-7)

Spiritual Disciplines for the Third Week of Advent: Secrecy and Celebration

1. Secrecy
“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Mt 6:3-4) Do not allow anyone to know of the good deeds you do in order to avoid doing them for the wrong motivations.

2. Celebration
“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Co 9:11) Practice being grateful and thankful to God and to others for the blessings in and around your life.

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Reflection:

As part of the ‘fruit of the Spirit,’ Joy is a gift from God to those who follow Christ. We are called to “be joyful always…for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess 5:16-18) And if that isn’t enough, the Apostle Paul says again, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Php 4:4) Perhaps we also need to be reminded, that the exuberance of Isaiah 35 and the commands to be joyful need to begin with a transformation inside. David prays, “restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Ps 51:12) after repenting of his sin. Isaiah prophesies: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isa 12:3) Whereas the shepherds “spread the word…about this Child,” “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:17, 19) Let us begin by exhaling all that is not of God in our lives and inhaling all that the Lord wants to give us, drawing the water of life from the well of salvation!

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, whereas for the world around us “tis the season to be jolly,” we thank You for reminding us that You desire to give us the Joy of salvation! Remove everything in our lives that prevents Your Joy from filling it. Let us draw deeply from Your well of living water. Transform us with the Joy of Your salvation to become the radiant disciples You want us to be! We thank You for Your blessing and pray these things in the powerful Name of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen