A Different Kind of Present: Peace

As we enter the holiday season and the second week of Advent, where are we practicing peace?

In any other year, this week's devotion would be focused on centering ourselves in a season of immense hustle and bustle. Of quieting ourselves in a world of feverish shopping for the perfect gifts, and sneaking calming moments between getting the whole household packed and ready for holiday vacations and trips to visit family and friends. And maybe some of that is still our world this year, but much of it isn't.

This year should have allowed us to have the least distractions we've ever had for taking care of ourselves. After all, we've spent much of it at home (whether by choice or not) and many of us have gotten the most time around our families we've had in years - if not ever. Yet the anxiety and distraction of the unknown, and the fact that our ability to be present with those in our own household is a muscle that probably had a bit too much atrophy before March, has left so many of us feeling more worn down at the start than we would typically feel at the end of even the busiest holiday season.

This week we invite you to practice peace. Now, more than ever, we need the daily reminder of the peace that is offered in the coming Christ child.

Rejoicein the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

What are the ways each of us can find times for peace in our own daily lives?

How might we better equip others to experience being at peace?

Which ways are we simply adding onto our own stress levels or the anxieties of others when we could instead be looking for paths to peaceful moments?

Activity & Prayer:

Each day this week, pick a Psalm to read and pray in silence or out loud, even with other members of your household if you'd like. If you have a favorite Psalm, use that. Let us recommend Psalm 46, Psalm 116, or Psalm 121 as additional options. Pray your Psalm three times in a row, focusing each time on being present in the peace of the Word of the living God. Amen.

Knowing Who You Are

Sometimes it is hard to remember who you are. There is just so much noise. There is just so much to do. There are just so many voices vying for attention. There is just so much negativity. There is just so much to worry about. There are just so many distractions. In the midst of it all, it is really hard to remember who you are. And it all seems to move so fast. In the Gospel of Mark, we have a similar fast moving story that takes the reader through Jesus' baptism, his temptation in the desert, and his proclamation of the kingdom of God. This is where it all begins for the author. Listen to the voice of God through this reading from Mark. "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.' And the Spirit immediatel...

Preparing for Advent: Waiting in Gratitude

The season of Advent invites us into a posture of waiting. We wait expectantly for the arrival of Jesus, Emmanuel – God with us . There is no doubt that most of this year has felt like one long season of waiting. This year, with its constant chatter of change, division, turmoil, and transition, has kept us waiting in ways that have drastically altered our way of being in the world. And so, we continue to wait. Yet, we continue to wait in new, unique, and unexpected ways. So, as we prepare for this particular season of Advent, what posture of waiting are we being invited to take in 2020? What if our invitation is a posture of gratitude? How might we wait in gratitude? What are you feeling especially grateful for this year? Who are you feeling especially grateful for this year? How might you express your gratitude? It is our hope that our waiting will be guided and grounded in this gratitude throughout the Advent season. As such, over the next four weeks, as we wait in gr...

Curiosity.

Curiosity. “There the angel of the Lord appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” (Exodus 3:2-3) What are you currently feeling curious about? When in your life have you experienced the need to “turn aside” and see what is happening? Have you ever had a “burning bush” moment in your life?

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