December 5, 2008

Read Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.—Psalm 16:1

In Psalm 16 David reveals his trust and reliance upon God in this life and in the life to come. Since God is always trustworthy, we can place our confidence in Him and depend on Him in every aspect of our life. God has already proven how much His love can be trusted by sending
Jesus…the ultimate gift and the ultimate sacrifice.

At Christmas we are reminded that this ultimate gift has already been prepared for us. We view a holiday or a birthday with great anticipation and we trust that something good is going to come our way. We are excited about the gifts…cards, hugs, telephone calls, wrapped presents, offerings of love and good will. Remembering these acknowledgements and knowing what we mean to others help us during those dark moments in our life. Placing our trust in God evokes the same feelings as receiving a gift.

We have received the best gift…the gift of the everlasting love of Jesus Christ and understanding the significance of that gift is life sustaining. This eternal gift which offers inner peace, forgiveness, strength, and redemption is ready for us every moment of the day…24/7, 365 days a year. As you see, we do not have to wait for a holiday, birthday, or special event to receive this gift. We simply have to ask and the gift is given.

Pray: Christ is reborn whenever we trust and open our hearts to love. Today I ask that the wonder and joy of the birth of Christ be renewed within me so that by my actions I give this gift of love to others. Amen

Michael Muren moved to St. Louis in November of 2007 and joined The Gathering in June.

December 4, 2008

Read Luke 20: 27-40

Because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.—Luke 20:36

Just before we ran out of the door to the airport, I remembered my long overcoat for the evening of the reception. In the past I have always worn it for dressy occasions. The evening of the reception we got ready and I put on my coat. I felt very good about the outfit I had chosen for the reception and Jeff looked very nice as well. We had a wonderful time and all too soon the evening was over and we were back in our hotel room. As I walked into the room I noticed my reflection in the mirror and was surprised by what I saw, huge, I mean huge, shoulder pads in my coat!! I looked like a linebacker for the Rams! I quickly calculated how old my coat was. All the next day at the hotel and airport I was wondering what people were thinking of me, not just of my coat but of me. As we were waiting for our luggage to arrive, a realization came over me. This coat does not determine anything about me, nor does the coat the lady has next to me determine anything about her. How many times have I secretly judged someone either negatively or positively merely by their possessions?

Pray: Lord, please help me to always remember we are all your children and need to care for and love one another unconditionally. Amen.

Alice Davis is the Program Manager of Seniors & Company Adult Day Care and a Demonstrator for StampIn’ Up!

December 4, 2008

Read: Luke 20: 27-40

Because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. —Luke 20:36

Just before we ran out of the door to the airport, I remembered my long overcoat for the evening of the reception. In the past I have always wore it for dressy occasions. The evening of the reception we got ready and I put on my coat. I felt very good about the outfit I had chosen for the reception and Jeff looked very nice as well. We had a wonderful time and all too soon the evening was over and we were back in our hotel room. As I walked into the room I noticed my reflection in the mirror and was surprised by what I saw, huge, I mean huge, shoulder pads in my coat!! I looked like a linebacker for the Rams! I quickly calculated how old my coat was. All the next day at the hotel and airport I was wondering what people were thinking of me, not just of my coat but of me. As we were waiting for our luggage to arrive, a realization came over me. This coat does not determine anything about me, nor does the coat the lady has next to me determine anything about her. How many times have I secretly judged someone either negatively or positively merely by their possessions?

Pray: Lord, please help me to always remember we are all your children and need to care for and love one another unconditionally. Amen.

Alice Davis is the Program Manager of Seniors & Company Adult Day Care and a Demonstrator for StampIn’ Up!

December 3, 2008

Read Isaiah 2:1-11

Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.—Isaiah 2:8

In this scripture, the prophet Isaiah called the people to turn from lives of idol worship and sin and warned them of God’s judgment and punishment if they refused. Although we may not be carving and worshipping idols, we collect and worship possessions like cars, homes and money that symbolize power and attempt to give our lives meaning.

Several months ago, when the economy began taking some sharp turns and it was obvious we were headed for challenging times, I had a conversation with one of our clients at Kingdom House about how the economy will affect us. A woman in her sixties, the client shared that she scrapes by monthly with the minimum. She said, “I get some help for my senior housing, I wear my clothes until they’re worn out, I don’t consume a lot of food and I ride the bus when I need to get around.” She went on to say, “One of my few monthly purchases is toilet tissue, so I don’t think it will affect me so hard.” I remembered how each time I see this lady, she is smiling and peaceful. She says that she IS happy. I reflected on the belongings I feel I “need” to get by and how those things can become the idols we worship.

What freedom to not want things! And what a paradox that having the things you think you want does not answer those imagined needs. Look around and truly see those people who are free from want, in such simple circumstances.

Pray: Loving God, during this time of Advent, help me to put my hope and confidence in You and not in the possessions that separate me from Your love. It is in Your word that I find meaning and purpose for my life. In the days ahead help me to support and strengthen others through your love. Amen.

Jennifer March is part of the Hospitality Team at the Gathering and is the Director of Development at Kingdom House. Kingdom House is a social service agency created by the United Methodist Church.

December 2, 2008

Read: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

So we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.—1 Thessalonians 2:4

Being the parent of two teenagers I am reminded every day how somehow they feel they must dress a certain way or do certain things so they’re not an “L 7” in teenage terminology. I often wonder if it really has any effect on who their friends are and what their friends think of them.

Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians was speaking not to please men, but to please God. He knew it was important to follow the leading of God rather than be influenced by what people might expect or want.

If our motive is to please Him, then we should proclaim His message boldly in word or in action without regard to the responses we receive from others.

I am excited the Gathering is focused on spreading the word of God in an area where churches had been closing. Rejoice; we have the opportunity to spread His word right outside our walls.

Pray: Dear God, help me to focus on God’s expectations for me not on the hopes of people in my life. Amen.

David Guess is the father of Katie and Alex.

December 1, 2008

Read Isaiah 1:10-20

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.—Isaiah 1:11, 15-17

Especially at this time of year, we often feel that it is enough to simply go through the motions. Christmas is coming, so we prepare with the season of Advent. We go to worship, we light a candle, we read a scripture. But Isaiah warns us in the strongest language that just going through these motions is not enough! God does not want sacrifices, or burnt offerings, or rote worship attendance and mindless candle lighting. God wants us to transform ourselves! It is the transformation of ourselves, our attempt to be pure, to cease to do evil, to learn to do good, that brings meaning to our worship. Worship attendance, prayer, singing and candle lighting all have their place, but must be preceded by genuine transformation of our persons. As Isaiah says, we must wash ourselves and make ourselves clean. Remember that going through the motions will not be enough this Advent season!

Pray: O Lord, cleanse and purify me as I approach this Advent season. Guide me in learning to do good so that my heart is properly prepared for the worship and activities of this time. Amen.

David Parnell is a graduate student at Saint Louis University.

November 30, 2008

Read: Isaiah 64:1-9

When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.—Isaiah 64:3

Happy New Year! No, I’m not confused. Today is the first day of the Christian year. Our cycle of Scripture readings, the lectionary, and Christian holidays (i.e. Christmas, Easter, All Saints, etc.) start over today. We begin the season of Advent, a season of expectation, waiting, watching and hope for a sanctified and perfected creation. Advent, which literally means “coming” is the season in which we celebrate and await Christ’s coming into this world, both as a baby in 1st Century Bethlehem, and again in victory to set the world to right. At its core, Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas and Epiphany when we will explicitly celebrate Christ’s coming and his unveiling as God come into our world as a human being.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Boy, what does all that mean?” or, if you’re a little bit of a skeptic, “Do you really think God could be present in a world full of violence, greed, racism, hatred and poverty?” The Church itself has enough baggage to seem hypocritical when it claims that God is at work saving humanity and perfecting creation. As a Pastor and a person of faith, I have to be honest. There are days when I have my doubts about God’s presence and work in this world. Advent brings all of this out in the open. Nowhere in our cycle of Scripture readings are the claims about God’s presence in the world and Christ’s promise to return in victory more explicit. In the readings for today, the Psalmist, Isaiah and Mark all use powerful images from nature to describe God’s presence. When God enters creation, nature does more than simply take notice. It quakes, trembles and shakes. When God enters creation, no one can deny it. And I wouldn’t be a Christian, let alone a Pastor, if I hadn’t had life experiences in which I could not deny God’s presence. I have had serendipitous, emotional, clarifying and unexplainable experiences that I simply knew had to be God at work. But that doesn’t erase the long periods of time in which I desperately look for God to do something…anything.

I want to encourage you all to use this devotional and the season of Advent to do that. Use them to look for God’s work. You will no doubt look upon a world full of materialism, consumerism and idolatry as Christmas approaches, but you will also see exceptional moments of generosity and love. Throughout history, as Christmas approaches and we look to Christ’s coming into the world, wars have been put on hold, people have given more than they ever thought possible, poverty has been eased. It is a season when you cannot deny God’s presence. It is a season, when, as Isaiah puts it, “the nations…tremble” at God’s presence. I look forward to waiting and watching and expecting God’s advent with you. To end this devotion, pray not that God might come into creation, but that you might have the vision to see it happen.

Pray: Lord, I pray not only that God might come into creation, but that I might have the vision to see it happen. Amen.

Nate Berneking is our Pastor of Spiritual Formation and is in the process of reading all of the Pulitzer Prize winning fiction.