2021 Advent Devotional: In the Midst of Changing Ways – Many Gifts, One Spirit
Week 4: The Gift of Hope
Scripture: Micah 5:4-5 – “And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be one of peace.”
Reflector: Rev. Mike Mather
The day after Christmas I will baptize our granddaughter, Xan, at First Church. The hope that we see in the gift of children around us is a reminder that hope is grounded in the awareness that God’s Spirit falls down upon all people “young and old, women and men” (Acts 2). The baby Jesus was born in a difficult situation (“without a place to lay his head”), in a country that was occupied, and with parents who had very little. Yet, we gather each week in the sanctuary here at First Church because that tiny baby was born. That’s hope.
As parents and grandparents gather around the trees in their homes, we look into the faces of those infants, and we look to not only see the gifts in these children, but to challenge ourselves to support and invest in their gifts. Each child is different. Every single one. And one Spirit uniting us all.
Prayer: God of hope, you shine your light like a candle at night, like the stars watching over us. We find your hope in the beauty around us: a familiar carol, an infant gurgling, the aroma of cookies baking. Thank you for surrounding us with hope. Amen.