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Daily Readings/Devotionals:
A Sip of Scripture
Daily Scripture:
CHRIST'S SUFFERING
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Reference: Matthew 1:21
Matthew 1:21 (New King James Version)
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Related Blog
A Simple Desire
The weblog "a simple desire" provides brief commentaries on "A Sip of Scripture" from a Mennonite perspective, The commentaries are written by Carole Boshart, of Oregon; Will Fitzgerald, of Michigan; and others on occasion.
a simple desireShort commentary on “A Sip of Scripture” from Third Way Cafe
What is in a name?
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“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. “ ( Matthew 1:21 )
Naming a child is an important event. Our oldest is named after her paternal great grandmother and her middle name maternal grandmother’s middle name. Our middle child is named after an ancestor very important in the both of our family lines, and his middle name is that of a beloved uncle of his father’s. Our youngest is named after a cousin who was dear to his father, and his middle name is that of my step-father who was dear to me.
Matthew chapter one opens with a list of all the names of the male descendents from Abraham to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. Jesus’ name was significant and pointed to what he would do in his life. But the story contained in these verses is also that of reassuring Joseph that Jesus is just as much his son even though Joseph was not his biological father. Much can be said about Matthew’s structuring of the story like this, the importance of lineage and family lines, what it meant in Jewish society for a son to be associated by name to his father, the ceremony of formally naming a child – but I am not going to.
Instead: in linguistics the function of an object helps to give meaning and form to the name. In English there are several names for an object that has multiple legs and a flat and sturdy platform. Chair, desk, table, foot stool are the names that most easily come to mind. But without a more detailed explanation or a visual image one would be hard pressed to know what the object is.
In the same way assigning a name to an infant, for instance the name Jesus, leaves it pretty wide open as to how the child will live up to that name. In language other than English “Jesus” may not have the same meaning and connotation that we assign it to. But when one examines the live that the infant who was born in this season and was named Jesus lead, it becomes pretty clear that in that instance that the name “Jesus” meant the child was destined for a life unlike any other.
May you gentle reader call upon the name of Jesus in your time of need, and may our Lord Jesus the Christ bring you all the comfort, mercy, and compassion that you need. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 26, 2010 at 12:14 am
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Related Website
Soul Space
You are invited to take some time each day for "Soul Space," written by Wendy Miller and posted on the Eastern Mennonite University website. Each day's guidance centers around a theme for reflection and prayer drawn from the lectionary readings for the week.
Morning-Week Two
Lord of the dawn –
You who bring morning light
to bless field and hill,
Roof and window;
Open my eye to see,
Beckon my ear to hear,
Waken my soul to follow you into this day.
Prayer for the day:
Bless to me, O God,
Each thing mine eye sees;
Each sound mine ear hears;
All that I taste;
Each word I speak;
Each note I sing;
Each ray of light that guides my way,
Each one I meet;
Bless to me, O God.
The Three that seek my heart,
The Three that make Your home in me
Bless to me, O God.
From a “Prayer at rising”, adapted.
Coming
Dear God,
Store shelves are empty
Gift-wrapping lays crumpled on the floor
Waiting to be trashed.
Left-overs crowd the refrigerator shelves
The busyness of Christmas is over.
Lead my tired feet to Bethlehem
To the house where Jesus lays.
Help me to move with the Great Conspiracy
Of your coming among us,
Even as terror and tears
Still line the shelves of world news
And hopes and dreams lay crumpled among the rubble
And people’s lives continue to be trashed.
Waken my heart to your presence
Among us, here, among the rubble and tears.
Still me into listening for your presence and voice.
Silence
Be still.
Open your awareness to God’s presence
Within and all around.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Being With- First Sunday after Christmas Day
Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to come
To be with you,
To hear your voice
To listen deeply to what you say,
To see what you do.
By your Spirit help me
To hear your voice
To see you
In Jesus.
Amen
First Sunday after Christmas Day
Just as today there is war and terror in Bethlehem, so there was no silent night when Jesus was born. When King Herod hears the question, “Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews?” . . . “he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2:2,3)
Fear weaves its way into the fabric of the birth stories, causing Joseph some sleepless nights as he tries to figure out how to end his engagement to Mary once he hears she is with child. He turns to the Hebrew scriptures, but in his goodness he decides not to subject her to the judgment of the town elders and public stoning, but rather to take care of the problem privately. But the problem proves to be the Messiah, the Son of God, born King of the Jews! Herod’s fear is not tempered by goodness, nor by the reading of scripture. Instead his fear erupts in violence, cloaked with deceit and secrecy.
He plans to kill the new-born child.
But God is on the move, and just as we are allowed behind closed doors in Herod’s palace, so we are privy to what is taking place in the heavenly realm, as God also makes plans. Angels are sent to bring messages: a heavenly GPS is given to the wise men from the East – to return to their country by another road. An angel enters into the dream-world of Joseph, giving him a wake-up call in the middle of the night, and alerting him to take Jesus and his mother, Mary, and to flee to Egypt, because Herod is about to order a massive search for the child, to destroy him. And so this carpenter who knows how to build safe houses, is now providing a safe house for Mary and Jesus – as they become refugees.
As Joseph and Mary and the child undertake that night journey to Egypt, Herod’s fury breaks loose, and he commands his forces to kill all the children in and around Bethlehem who are two years old or under.
The screams and loud cries of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, family members and neighbors erupt with the sudden clatter of horse-hooves, clash of swords, beating of doors, and the cries of little ones dying.
“A voice was heard in Ramah (Bethlehem),
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled,
because they were no more.” (Matthew 2:18; Jeremiah 31:15)
In these terror-filled days and nights – even now in the Middle East and around the world – a light shines in the dark.
“The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Jesus is the true light who came then into the world, and who still comes; who dwells among us and stays with us, until he comes again. The last chapter of this present age has not been written, and will not be inscribed by human historians. God will write the last chapter, and make all things new. The same One who came as a fragile baby, who lived and loved among us, is the One who was moving within the Divine Conspiracy, a conspiracy which finally outwitted the dark intentions of evil.
“Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. . . Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.”
And so the writer of the letter to the Hebrew believers, believers who suffered because of the faith in this One, this Jesus, calls them – and us – to place our trust in him (Hebrews 2:10-18).
Just as we have waited through the days and nights of Advent for the birthing of the Christ child, so we still wait in the long days and troubled, dark nights of this world for the Greater Advent: Jesus’ return. We are called to wait in hope and trust, to stay awake to the ways in which God still comes, those epiphanies of God showing up among us, even as we wait.
Prayer before reading
You come to us
In the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Help me to be present to you –
To be with you,
To listen –
With the ears of my heart.
Continue to free me from the anxieties of this world, which holds me captive.
Lead me in your Way of life.
Amen
Read slowly. Listen deeply. Indwell the scripture.
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
Scripture Guide:
» 12/20 Monday: Matthew 2:13-15
» 12/21 Tuesday: Matthew 2:16-23
» 12/22 Wednesday: Psalm 148
» 12/23 Thursday: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:10-18
» 12/14 Friday: Isaiah 9:2-7; 62:6-12; 52:7-10; 63:7-9
» 12/25 Saturday: Luke 2:1-20
» 12/26 Sunday: Matthew 2:13-23; John 1:1-14
Evening-Week Two
Come to me you who are tired, worn down from carrying heavy loads,
and I will give you rest. Learn my ways, for my ways are gentle, and I am humble at heart, and you will find rest for your soul.
Matthew 11:28-30 (paraphrased)
As I come to the end of this day, and turn towards you, Burden Bearer, Rest Giver,
What am I carrying?
What wears me down, makes me tired?
What do I bring to you . . . ?
For forgiveness . . .
For healing . . .
For help . . .
For holding.
Read the psalm for this week’s lectionary readings.
Silence
Closing Prayer
In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge:
Hear me as I come . . .
Be my resting place;
I will both lie me down and sleep in peace;
For you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
Into your hands I commend myself and those I love.
Psalms 4:8; 31:1-5 (paraphrased)
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