Joy Lutheran Church Ocala, Florida

It’s the most common prefix in the English language.

It’s also my favorite.

It’s all about starting over, getting a fresh start.

In centering prayer, you are encouraged to use a word that redirects you when your mind wanders. Trust me: it happens to everyone. Three of the words I use are “re-” words. Refresh, renew, restore.

A second chance. A new lease on life.

A few of the “re-” words have a negative connotation, but most do not.

If I may (well, I will; after all, it’s my blog), I offer up the following, which I hope will be more amusing than confounding.

When you revisit and rehash, you are reminded of how reprehensible the reflection might be. Re-word it all you want, but it will keep repeating. You will always remember and recoil when you recollect the recurring nightmare.

But if you repent and return from the recalcitrant behavior, you will be refreshed, restored, and renewed. When you re-evaluate the residual effects, you will make reparations and pursue reconciliation. You will be revived and replenished in spirit, reminded that God remembers you and rejoices over one sinner who repents. Reliving what you did will be a relentless pursuit. So, reJOY!ce and believe! Our God reconsiders His anger and sorrow over our recycling efforts to rehabilitate and returns us to Him.

Unconditional love.

Pastor Art

Re: our relationship with Our Redeemer.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed with fear and sadness.  I see so much hatred around me.  I worry about where it is going.  Have we become blind to the fact that there is another way? 

In his Advent hymn, “Awake! Awake and Greet the New Morn,” Marty Haugen talks about this very thing.  Apparently, it’s not unique to us in this place and time.  The words that follow are stanza two.

“To us, to all, in sorrow and fear,
Emmanuel comes a singing,
his humble song is quiet and near,
yet fills the earth with its ringing,

music to heal the broken soul
and hymns of loving kindness,
the thunder of his anthems roll
to shatter all hatred and blindness.”*

We await the coming of Emmanuel.  We await the humble song of his birth!  Yes, it is indeed “music to heal the broken soul.”   But even more powerful is the thought that He comes to “shatter all hatred and blindness.”  Wow! 

A quote attributed to Oscar Wilde says, “Acknowledging love’s and hatred’s blindness can foster compassion, reduce prejudice, and open paths to maturity, where affection and aversion are held with gentler, more discerning awareness.”**    I think that Oscar Wilde would quite agree with Marty Haugen that shattering hatred would lead to a gentler life of loving kindness. 

Christ walks beside us and in us as we walk through this Advent season.  Let’s pray that we will be more aware of his unconditional love, and that we will allow it to shatter the hatred within us.

Judy

* Stanza 2, Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn
Text and music Marty Haugen

**This quote is written / told by Oscar Wilde between October 16, 1854 and November 30, 1900.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, written probably by King Solomon, chapter 3:1 states, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (King Solomon reigned 970-931 BCE. My point in sharing this information is to confirm, this was a LONG time ago.)

This verse tells me that I do not have to stress to “fix” an issue/problem/concern. I do not need to try and figure it out. With God at the helm, I will be guided. So, that must mean TRUST is a big deal.  Indeed, it is!  Trusting in our Lord and Savior, we believe that He’s got the plan, the directions, the outcome, all figured out for each of His children. Whatever your concern, problem, or worry, it will unfold in His perfect time. in His way…it is not YOUR job. Trusting and believing are your jobs. Allow God to control the outcomes. He will guide you accordingly.

When you have a concern, issue or worry, why not use this time to pray, to meditate, to release your worry and trust Him?  This certainly is not easy for most of us.  We like the reins in our hands. We seem to enjoy hanging on to all of the control. Many wrap themselves around the “when” and the “hows.” Definitely not the best plan!

Trust: believing in the truth, reliability and strength of someone or something.  We are loved so unconditionally and certainly equipped with all we need to trust.  Lean on Him. Allow Him to prepare your path. Don’t butt in and try to take over. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” No where in this sage advice does it say this is only for some people, or some problem, or only a few concerns.  Actually, it says for EVERYTHING and EVERY MATTER.  Work on building your faith and trust and loosen those reins. God will be your problem solver in His time and His way.

Jill

Judging someone by their outward appearance is a common routine in our world. It’s an easy trap to fall into as our society is obsessed with image, status and physical beauty. We revere those who have the most money, the biggest houses and the most beautiful or handsome faces. It’s easy to believe that appearance and achievements are everything, yet these are all surface level impressions.

When Samuel was choosing Israel’s next king, he was drawn to Eliab’s impressive stature which was certainly no indication of someone’s ability to rule a nation. God bypassed the tall, strong sons for David, the young shepherd boy.  In 1 Samuel 16:7 the Lord speaks to Samuel. “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The verse is a gentle but powerful reminder our human vision is limited. We tend to judge quickly, often unfairly and sometimes harshly. Often, we miss the inward beauty and goodness of people because of our initial assumptions of how they “appear”.

God is not interested in appearance. Jesus himself reached out to those in society who were judged or ignored. He saw value, dignity and potential in every person. God has loved us unconditionally from the beginning of time. He calls us to a higher way of seeing…looking into the intentions and beauty that lie within a person’s soul. 

God sees beneath every exterior, not through the eyes of judgement, but through the eyes of grace, compassion and love.  As His followers we are called to do the same. Thanks be to God!

Patty

For All the Saints 

Here’s another Advent tradition practiced by the Von Trapp Family: Choosing Saints. The family gathered together to light the Advent candle and sing the first Advent hymn. Then they each chose a saint’s name to “invoke” each day and to learn about their lives. Their research was shared with the family. 

Maria Von Trapp points out that with so many children in the family, they learned about quite a few saints each year. She also notes that “Sometimes this calls for considerable research on the part of the unfortunate one who has drawn St. Eustachius, for instance, or St. Bibiana.” (from a chapter in Around the Year with the Von Trapp Family) 

Back in 2018, Pastor Art’s Advent theme was “Walking with the Saints.”  He introduced us to John of Damascus, by way of dramatic illustration, accent and all. 

John of Damascus was an early Doctor of the Church, who was deeply embroiled in the iconography controversy in the 700’s AD. He wrote extensively in defense of the use of icons and pictures by pointing out that the invisible God had become visible in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it was possible to imagine what God looked like. 

 
Since I have easy access to the world wide web, I did a little research about St. Eustachius and St. Bibiana. I cannot tell you everything that I learned about these two early Christian saints, but I would like to share a few observations. Since they lived in the early days of the Christian church, there is little in the way of factual information. There is plenty in the way of tradition. 

Eustachius was a man of power, a Roman general, who experienced a dramatic conversion to Christianity and immediately, his life went into ruin. His wife was kidnapped; his sons were taken by a wolf and a lion. He had to go to work for a farmer – he had nothing left but his belief in Christ. The story continues, and he is restored to a position of respect by Emperor Adrian due to his previous excellent reputation as a leader. 

His children are rescued by local farmers, his wife is returned from her captor and life is good again. Except… Eustachius refuses to follow Adrian’s orders to worship the Roman gods. Their execution is ordered. He and his family are placed in a den of lions and remain unharmed. Their end comes in a most grisly manner which I will leave to your research. 

I’ll save St. Bibiana for another blog. Why do we care about these ancients? Because they illustrate for us, in dramatic fashion, the love, devotion and zeal that humans can have for the triune God. The very God who loves you unconditionally. 

Terri 

It is Advent again, the season of the coming of Christ.  I love the this time of year, but I read about a church that had abolished Advent. Their argument was first, that no one knew what Advent was. (Nobody gives Advent presents.) Second, everybody wants to start celebrating Christmas. (Walmart starts in August selling Christmas decorations.) Third, people want Christmas done on December 25, so the church lingering on with Christmas until January 6 is pointless.

I worry anytime the church wants to do something because that’s the way the world is. The fact that most children know more about who comes down the chimney than who came down from heaven is a sign of the church failing in its mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I appreciate the comment of German Lutheran theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg that there are three comings of Christ one should pay attention to in Advent. The first is the coming of Christ as the Child Jesus born in Bethlehem. The second is the coming of Christ again to reign at the end of time. But what is the third coming? The coming of Christ in the bread and wine of Communion.

It’s so well summed up in the second stanza of “Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.”

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
in the body and the blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heav’nly food.

Blessed Advent,

Wayne

Read Revelation 1:7 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

I don’t remember regarding my grandparents as “young”, or even “middle-aged”. They were always
“old” to my youthful eyes. So, seeing them grow old and eventually reach the end of their life wasn’t a shock to my system. Of course, now, I realize that I myself am now past the age that they were when I was a kid, but still, my perception and memory of them remains as elderly people in their sunset years. |

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens. A time to
give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant. – Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
The aging of one’s grandparents was the natural order of things, and as a grandchild, I was a generation removed from the immediate impact. But to my parents, it was “Mom” or “Dad” that they remembered as “young” and were now watching as older and weaker. As much as we can accept “a time to die,” none of us is ready when it’s our turn to watch someone we love take this journey.

My turn came about ten years ago, when my parents began showing signs of getting older. Gone was the Dad I knew, who could still kick my tail on the racquetball court. Gone was the Mom I knew, who could climb up on a chair to get something from atop the cupboard. Now, granted, living across the country from them was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I didn’t come face to face with the new reality on a daily basis. But on the other hand, I couldn’t be there for them when they needed a hand, or just a visit from their son.

Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; heal me, LORD, for my bones are shuddering. My soul too is shuddering greatly – and you, LORD, how long? Psalms 6:3-4

Some people very close to me are now going through this process, but much more acutely, as they see their parents quite often. There’s no respite for them, no putting it out of their mind for a while, with phone calls or visits on an almost-daily basis. I can see the toll it’s taking on them, body and spirit. I must become, again, God’s instrument. Whether it’s an open ear, a kind word, or just a soft shoulder, I am called to communicate God’s boundless understanding and support for them. I am called to let them know that God does not abandon His children in their suffering.

When you pass through waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept away.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, nor will flames consume you. – Isaiah 43:2

My challenge to you is this: Look around you. Be aware of those bearing the cross of witnessing the
declining years of their loved ones, or other stresses that come with storms. Be their bedrock when
the rain falls, the floods come, and the wind blows. And may God grant you loved ones who can be
there for you when it’s your turn.

We pray:
Heavenly Father, we know that you never leave us in our sorrow. We ask you to open our eyes to
those who are suffering around us. Open our ears, that we may be attentive to their needs. Open
our hearts, that we may hear them even when they cannot speak. Open our mouths, that we may
offer the right words – or sometimes just silent presence if words cannot help. We ask this through
Your Son, who will always be here for us. AMEN.

Jeff (our CT writer and friend)

The least likely of people sometimes have the greatest impact on our lives. In Frank Capra’s classic Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the main character George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) is beyond depressed. At one point he even considers suicide. But thanks to his angel Clarence, his daughter Zuzu, and the godly people of Bedford Falls, he is able to see how rich in spirit he is. Living in a house which is more like a drafty barn, seeing his next-door neighbor with a new car, the whole Potter and the bank debacle; it all leads to a Christmas Eve meltdown.

Sometimes taking care of the seemingly trivial matters of life is just the antidote to the bigger things that drive us nuts. When George “mends” his youngest daughter’s paper flower, it gives him purpose again. This is the work of angels. To God alone be the glory for employing nondescript individuals to fulfill loftier, behind-the-scenes purposes – shepherds, prostitutes, people with speech impediments (David, Rahab, and Moses, namely). God more often chooses not the easier way, but the simpler way. Random acts of kindness and paying it forward are two catch-phrases of this one-fourths completed 21^st Century. Whether it’s movies, music, or some other recurrence in the world, God has ways of continuing what he already began. It is a plan, a promise, a covenant to never leave us abandoned. Sentiment is the flavor of this season. Also the advent of returns, of coming again with unconditional love. Our blind belief and trust that there is always good in the world, good in people. Especially the ones we don’t see it coming from.

Pastor Art

One of my favorite contemporary composers of sacred music is Minnesota born Marty Haugen.  Interestingly he began composing while in his first job as worship leader in a Roman Catholic parish, where he was searching for music that the congregation could sing.  A prolific composer, his music includes liturgical, hymns, sacred songs and choral arrangements.  Born in 1950, he continues to compose.

Awake!   What a way to greet the Advent season.   Something wonderful is coming, something wonderful will be celebrated soon.   So, wake up!   Get ready!   Don’t miss it!

Oh, how fortunate we are now in the years where Christ has already come.   We welcome the good news that has been fulfilled.  But think of those generations of believers from Abraham on.  Think of the generations who had been given a prophecy.  They believed it.  But they were still waiting. And yes, they longed for the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The Advent hymn, “Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn,” begins with this stanza.

“Awake! Awake, and greet the new morn,
for angels herald its dawning,
Sing out your joy, for soon he is born, behold!
the child of our longing.

Come as a baby weak and poor,
to bring all hearts together,
he opens wide the heavenly door
and lives now inside us forever.”*

We begin our Advent season knowing that Christ lives inside us.  Praise God for that!  With God at our center, can we bring our hearts together?  Oh, how blessed our communities, nation, and world would be if only we could do just that – bring our hearts together.  Weak sinners that we are, this is beyond us.  But don’t miss the line “COME as a baby weak and poor, to bring all hearts together.”  Come Lord Jesus, Come.  Come into our hearts and lead us together.

Judy

*Stanza 1 Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn
Text Marty Haugen, b. 1950
Music Marty Haugen

Remember rotary phones?  I do.  I also remember how excited I was when we got a longer cord for our yellow rotary dial wall phone.  Then I could sit in our window seat in the dining room instead of standing.  You realize talking to my boyfriend took hours. haha Our home was a two story, so getting a Princess phone for the upstairs area was a dream come true.  LOL Now, fast forward to the high-tech phones we have now. Listen and speak through your car connection.  Listen and speak from your watch (Dick Tracy is smiling). Carry your phone to the grocery store, shopping, gym, walking, riding your bike…anywhere. Babies even have these phones and watch videos on them or push buttons for animated games.

Psalm 139, one of my favorite psalms, reminds us that God knows what we are thinking and planning on saying before even one word is uttered. He knew us in our mother’s womb. Nothing is hidden from Him.

God is going to call us Home to Heaven, but until that time comes, He also calls us to use the gifts of the Spirits He has given us.  He calls us to remind us of His unconditional love.  He calls us to be stronger, be kinder, be more caring, be forgiving, be thankful, be generous, be more loving, be a blessing to others. Take His call. Of course, this is not a ring on your phone or a buzz on your watch, or AI on your home device. He will call you through His Holy Word. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will speak to you within your heart or through others to you. Our Heavenly Father will call you, be ready to listen. No long cord needed.  No batteries needed.  No AI tech to receive His message.  Love one another. Be open to hearing from Him. You are His. Listen.

Jill