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Isaiah 5:18-25
1 Thessalonians
5:12-28
Luke 21:29-38
“Heaven and earth will
pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
(Luke 21:33)
Jesus conveyed this
promise to his disciples as he was warning them about dark times to come. The reassurance of this promise cannot be
overstated. It tells us that the words
of love and redemption that Jesus preached during his ministry are
timeless. In fact, two thousand years
later, Jesus’ teachings still guide our actions and comfort us through our
sorrows. His words will never leave us;
they will never pass away.
No wonder Paul urged the
church in Thessalonica to “Rejoice always”
(I Thessalonians 5:16). The
steadfastness of Jesus’ words is certainly cause to rejoice. But some days are more challenging than
others. In fact, as much as we try to
stay focused on the spiritual significance of the Advent season, it is very
easy to feel overwhelmed with our lists of things that need to get done, gifts
that need to be purchased, and people who need to be visited. On those days when we start to feel
overwhelmed, we remember that when Paul admonished the Thessalonian Christians
to “rejoice always,” he also told them to “pray without ceasing” and to “give
thanks in all circumstance, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you.” So we rejoice as we remember the
birth of Jesus, and we give thanks in all circumstances because no matter what
happens, it is the will of God. And
although heaven and earth may pass away, the baby born on Christmas gave us
words to live by that will never pass away.
Prayer: Dear God, We
rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ and thank you for the blessings of your
comfort and strength, no matter what circumstances we must face. Amen.
Susan Oxford & Warren
Craig
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ADVENT 2007
Epworth United Methodist Church