On the Way to Wonder

‘You have heard that it was said,

“You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.”

But I say to you, 

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;

for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,

 and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. … 

(Matthew 5:43-48)”

We come to the final scenes of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  George Bailey having seen what his world would have been like had he not been born, relents of his wish and asks God that he might live again.  Wish granted.  When George realizes he is alive, he races through Bedford Falls greeting all with unbriddled enthusiasm.  “All” included Mr. Potter who kept his misplaced money and tried to ruin him.  It included the bank examiner.  His love, joy, peace and hope over flowed to all he met and the movie closes with people streaming into his home to help him and return that love.  As love triumphs, Clarence Oddbody, angel second class, gets his wings and we might even hear the angels in heaven rejoicing with George.

     The Matthew version of the Christmas story is much darker.  Herod does not rejoice when he learns that the wise men have had a successful journey and found the Christ child.  His hatred, jealousy and fear drive him to send his troups to kill all children under age two in Bethlehem.  The babe escapes to Egypt for love cannot be defeated by evil but the story is a grim reminder to us of the potential consequence of turning our back on God.  Hearts can be hardened and refuse love.

         Sunday is the Christmas celebration.  For many it will be a day of feasting and for some there will be sadness at not being able to feast as they want.  Gifts will be exchanged by many.  Many will be fighting cold and winter or hunger and want.  The story of love is not about giving us a good life on earth but is a story about how God jumped into our messy lives in Bethlehem, how he is faithfully being loyal to us daily and keeping his promises in sunrises and sunsets, is remembering all the good we do, and relenting of punishment for the sins that bog us down.  But mostly he is rejoicing that through the life, death and resurrect of Christ, the creator and his creation can be reconciled.  May we find time to give him the glory in the midst of our celebrations!

“But when the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented concerning the evil,

and said to the angel who was bringing destruction among the people,

 ‘It is enough; now stay your hand.’ (2 Samuel 24: 16)”

When we think of love, do we think of a “happy ever after” scenario like marriage will be a continuous high of falling in love?  Or do we see love as an emotion that has shades and degrees that allow for arguments to be part of relationship and perseverance in the give and take of life?  George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” contemplates suicide.  God sends an angel who shows George Bailey what life might have been like had he not been born.  George relents of his wish to not have been born and runs back to the bridge and prays, “Please God, let me live!”

         Joseph in the Christmas story determines that he will quietly put Mary away when he learns that she is pregnant.  As God speaks into his dilemma through a dream, Joseph relents and takes Mary as his wife.

         The context of the Bible quote is that King David has sinned and God tells him to choose his punishment.  David chooses three days of plague from God for he reasons, “Then David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into human hands. (2 Samuel 24:14)” God sees those dying at the hand of the angel of death, hears the wailing and does indeed relent and tells the angel to stop.  Love feels for the other and seeks reconciliation and healing, even when relationships are strained.  George Bailey begs to live.  Joseph steps into a marriage that he knows is going to start with people gossiping. 

         Perhaps there is a strained relationship that you are struggling with this Christmas.  The Christmas story challenges us to see our relationships through the eyes of God, through love that is merciful and willing to forgive and can relent of its anger.  Love is no excuse for abuse or lack of boundaries but love can work to build a narrative that honors God.  May you find love in your relationships this Christmas.  Blessings.

“Can a woman forget her nursing-child,
    or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.
¹⁶ See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are continually before me.  (Isaiah 49:15-16)”

Advent 4 delves into LOVE as its theme.  There is a heart wrenching scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where angel second class, Clarence Oddbody, shows George Bailey what life would have been like had he not been born.  George runs up to his family home that would have become a boarding house and his mother, old and haggard, does not know him and turns him away.  He runs into Mary who never married and tries to escape him.  He sees the grave of his brother Harry who would have drowned as a child and never grown to be a pilot and saved a boat of people.  Clarence turns to George and says, “You really had a wonderful life.”  George had lost perspective but God did not.  God ‘s love remembers the good that we do.

      How many centuries have passed and we still remember the role Joseph played in the birth of the Christ child.  He may not have been the main character but love remembers him and honors him in Matthew’s report.  It is possible to despair and feel invisible and unimportant but we do not know who is watching and whose life we touch with our deeds of kindness and the times we refrain from lashing out because we are hurt.

         Take a minute to remember a few deeds of kindness that you remember that touched your life.  Thank God for those involved.  Perhaps you can think of a way to “pay forward” in gratitude for someone else’s kindness to you.  Bless as you have been blessed!

We are talking about love during the fourth week of Advent.  “It’s a Wonderful Life” gives us a more fleshed out story we are putting beside the Christmas story of Matthew.  Yesterday we thought about George Bailey as he stood on the bridge contemplating suicide.  Angel second class Clarence Oddbody jumps first and George saves him just as God jumps into our reality with us.  The scene then shifts to inside the guard house and Clarence is explaining to George who he is as their clothes dry. The guard listening to the exchange, upon hearing Clarence declare he is an angel, falls off his chair and runs out of the room.  Clarence, only a second class angel, has the blessing of God and having a simple faith, does not run from George’s despair but innocently seeks to speak into it and encourage George who doubt’s Clarence’s comments.  An angel without wings is probably his guardian angel!

         If Mary had a chance to explain to Joseph “her side of the story” about her pregnancy, it might appear that Joseph was not believing as he decided to divorce Mary quietly.  Once Joseph is told by the angel, though, that the baby is from God, Joseph sticks with Mary despite how crazy the explanation sounds.  It seems like it is so easy to be like the bridge guard who runs when events don’t make sense rather than sticking close til all the facts unfold.

         So often it takes a while for people’s stories to make sense.  It seems we are ready to pass judgment before all the facts are known in the court of public opinion.  Finding “a friend who sticks closer than a brother,” and who is willing to be loyal is a big gift.  God is loyal to his creation and to the vision of blessing the descendants of Abraham.  Another word we use to describe this loyalty is “faithful.”  God is faithful to his followers and to his word.  Love sticks close during trials and is faithful.  Take a moment and think of a friend or two who has been faithful to you and thank God for that person.  Blessings.

]

The fourth week of Advent often focuses on love.  We have been tracking “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a modern day presentation of major themes of the Biblical Christmas story.  George Bailey discovers that $8,000 has been misplaced and his Uncle can’t remember where and the bank examiner is at the door to check their books.  George despairs.  In the pub as he tries to drown his sorrows, he prays for God’s help.  Is God a being that allows us to stew in the juices of our own problems, sitting afar in the heavenlies keeping track of our mistakes or is God truly love?

         George stands on the bridge contemplating suicide.  Suddenly Clarence, angel second class without wings, jumps into the river crying help.  This hints of a former scene when George as a 12 year old watches his brother Harry slide past him on the ice, into a hole, crying ,”help!”  George does not hesitate but jumps in the pond after Harry and George does not hesitate to jump in to save Clarence.  Love does not weigh pros and cons like a banker.  Love is not something that results because benefits outweigh risks.  Love responds to needs because of a basic belief in the value of the other.

         God did not sit up in heaven watching us humans destroy ourselves but sent Jesus into our messy world with political powers, inns that were overcrowded, and social prejudice.  He knew Joseph and Mary would face social censure for the pregnancy!  The risks far outweighed the cons of baby Jesus prospering.  It human thinking it looked very unlikely.  Joseph accepted the marriage to Mary with all the risks that were so apparent because he believed God was in it.  That is an example of love.

         Perhaps you are facing a situation that just doesn’t make sense by human thinking.  Love is willing to go where God leads.  Blessings as you followGod’s leading this Christmas.

“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—

and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. (1 John 3:16)”

First Reading: Isaiah 7:10-16

¹⁰The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. ¹³Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. ¹⁵He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”

Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

 ¹Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
  shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
 ²In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, ^| and Manasseh,
  stir up your strength and come to help us.
 ³Restore us, O God;
  let your face shine upon us, and we ^| shall be saved.
 ⁴O Lord^| God of hosts,
  how long will your anger fume when your people pray? 
 ⁵You have fed them with the bread of tears;
  you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
 ⁶You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
  and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
 ⁷Restore us, O God of hosts;
  let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved.
 ¹⁷Let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
  the one you have made so strong for yourself.
 ¹⁸And so will we never turn away from you;
  give us life, that we may call upon your name.
 ¹⁹Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
  let your face shine upon us, and we shall be saved. 

Second Reading: Romans 1:1-7

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, ³the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, ⁶including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
 ⁷To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11

2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.

¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

CHILDREN’S SERMON

Share with your neighbor what your favorite Christmas drink is.  Does it come in a paper cup, mug, or china cup and saucer?

Let us pray.  Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Rock, my Redeemer, my source of hope, peace, joy and love.

SERMON: Love in Presence and Presents

         December 25th this year falls on a Sunday.  The Christmas Sunday text is the Luke report on the good news to the shepherds.  God includes the poor and marginal in the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy and now Love.  The next Sunday, January 1, New Year’s Day is when culture focuses on the different bowls of sports entertainment, and our text will focus on the naming of Jesus.  An important part of our Nativity scenes is skipped over. The Matthew report of the Christmas story includes the wise men.  Epiphany, January 6, celebrates the arrival of the wise men from the East or from afar.  Their arrival moves the Christmas story from Bethlehem to a story important to the foreigner, the non-Jews, and us.

         Scholars debate if the wise men or magi came at the actual birth or later. King Herod killed children under age 2.  Perhaps there were more than three men but there were three gifts.  Perhaps they were from east of Jerusalem but not the Far East.  Probably they were astrologers or ambassadors from other regions. So many perhaps-es that we will leave to theologians to discuss because our banner for today and our theme for the fourth Sunday in Advent is LOVE. 

         Love is not dependent on calendars, stars, titles, or ethnicities.  I want us to focus today on the LOVE that is found in presence, just showing up and being there for another, and in presents, the gifts that come with our arrival.  The arrival of the wise men expands the Christmas story beyond the genealogy that gives us hope, beyond peace found in the midst of problems and politics, and beyond the joy of knowing God is in our story. The love of God is bigger than December 25 and a manger. The birth of Christ speaks to a universal love of the Creator for his creation. 

         The word “love” has been so diluted in our world today that I think it best to get a Biblical definition. Let’s use these verses to ground our thinking and not Hollywood.

            ^“18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19)” 

         We have been tracking the Matthew report of Christmas as seen through Joseph and the wise men alongside “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the struggle between George Bailey and Mr. Potter.  We ended last week watching George Bailey, after seeing what life might have been like had he not been born, returning to the bridge where he had contemplated suicide but this time praying, “God, I want to live!”  His policeman friend drives us and recognizes him and George knows he is alive.  He is seen by his friend.  George runs home to his family and his fate.  There his friends begin to enter, donating money to help replace his misplaced $8,000 but  more importantly to express their love for all George has done for them through the years.  George’s friend Sam Wainwright wires a message that he is willing to loan George $25,000.  George’s brother walks in.  George and we are overwhelmed with the gifts of love, hope, peace and joy that overflow.  My husband would say, “We are drinking from the saucer because the cup is overflowing.”  Love overflows George’s story and gifts us!

         Biblical Joseph has obeyed God.  He has faced public ridicule, possibly religious sanction, and has taken Mary to be his wife.  He has walked from northern Israel, Nazareth, to southern Judah, Jerusalem, by foot with a nine month pregnant Mary.  He has been counted by the Romans and has entered the territory of King Herod, a ruthless dictator.  Luke says “there was no room in the inn” and so the baby Jesus was born in a stable.  Matthew seems to indicate a bit of time has passed as “after Jesus was born” the wise men arrive at “a house.”  They too have taken a journey to be in the presence of fulfilled prophecy and to offer gifts.  Our nativity scenes almost always include the wise men in the manger scenes that define Christmas.  Love overflows the temporal boundaries of our stories, the locations we live in, and the people we associate with.  God’s love pours over the cup and we drink from the saucer!

“Where is the child…”

Love seeks presence.

         The wise men come to Herod with a question, “Where is the child?”  Matthew’s text confronts us with that question.  Where is the child, Jesus, for us today?  For many Jesus is a historical story of a baby born in a manger.  It is so easy to slip from “Silent Night” to “Sleigh Bells Ring” and the blessings of love we would like to be experiencing at Christmas.  Santa Claus and presents, Grandma’s cooking, snuggling under blankets in a sleigh ride, and eating good food, deck the hall of our thinking as we gather.  But where is the child?  Oh yes, we will read the Christmas story, maybe, and probably remember to say a prayer for the food but where is the child?  The manger could not hold the child forever anymore than the cup of God’s love can be held but overflows into the saucers of our lives.

         The question of “Where?” is a question of presence.  The wise men were looking.  People are looking.  How would you answer the question?  Interestingly, Herod sent for his religious scholars and they knew the answer.   There was a prophecy.  The child was to be born in Bethlehem.  The prophetic and historical truth did not impact their lives, though.  They did not go with the wise men to find the fulfillment of prophecy.  Wow.  Herod, on the other hand, was quite interested in the question because it threatened his kingship.  He too did not go with the wise men but let them do the dirty work.  He sent them to search out, find, and report.  It reminds me of the joke about a guy getting to heaven’s gate and being asked about his spiritual journey.  Oh, the man says, he let his wife go to church.  He let her teach Sundays school and worship.  St. Peter tells the man that then he will let her enter heaven.  Ouch.  It is easy to let our spiritual life drift into second place, assuming God’s love desires nothing from us for after all we are so busy. 

         So again the text confronts us.  Where is the child?  Is Jesus an after thought, a special prayer at the Christmas meal?  Is he a historical reality to remember at Christmas, Easter and other special days like funerals?  Where is the babe in our lives today?  Are we letting the religious scholars sort it out for us or are we looking for the living Word in the Written Word?  Are we feasting on the testimonies of how others “found Jesus” or are we investing in that relationship ourselves?

         George Bailey is given the gift of being able to review his life and the decisions he made, the investments he made with the energy and insight he had.  He lost his hearing saving his brother.  He invested his honeymoon money protecting others in the bank run.  He built affordable living homes for people who could not afford.  He has forgotten and lost perspective and his financial crisis calls the question, where is the child in George’s life?  As we, the viewers watch the people stream to George’s house with the offerings to help, we know the baby is not in the manger but in our lives today.

         Where is the child?  Baby Jesus is not in the manger today.  We are blessed to know the rest of the New Testament.  That baby that was prophesized was blessed by the presence of the wise men and protected from the hate of Herod.  The incarnate God grew up, taught, healed, and lived a life that we might drink from the saucer.  Love does not stay in the manger but grows past the cross to permeate life and eternity.  The wise men did not stay in Jerusalem.  They continued following the star to Bethlehem.

“On entering the house..”

 Love is Presence

         Mr. Potter knew that the misplaced money had ended up in his hands.  He knew the truth.  But he not only did nothing, he allowed the crisis to continue.  The people of Bedford Falls were not only glad to be informed of George Bailey’s problems so they could pray; they streamed over to George’s house because they wanted to be present.  The wise men were not content to learn from the scholars and King Herod that the birth was a reality in Bethlehem.  They continued their journey to experience the birth for themselves.  They wanted to be present and see for themselves the miracle that had come about.

         So how do we become present to the presence of the babe in our lives today?  May I suggest that like the wise men, we today must make a journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem?  Relationship with the babe is not only a mater of being present at church, being baptized, going through confirmation or some mountain top experience.  It is a journey that may well face us with decisions about partnering with political powers like Herod.  It may take us to foreign countries like the wise men, foreign to our culture anyway.  It may mean we search the scriptures like the religious scholars to learn prophecy.  But I would suggest the journey is a search for the presence of the babe who is active in our world today.

         The wise men left changed from their journey.  They did not return to Herod.  They returned home to live the truth that the babe of prophecy that will bring peace in our problems, that brings joy to our hearts in meager circumstances, that babe lives.  They were drinking from the saucer because their cup of God’s love was over flowing.  They were an important part of the Christmas story.  God had become present to them.

“Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of

 gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

Love overflows the cup into the saucer.

         The people of Bedford Falls flow into George Bailey’s living room.  Their presence of love brought presents or gifts.  None of them were kings but the little they had they shared with a friend in need.  They gave not because of taxes but because of love.  The wise men journey to Bethlehem and open their chest of gifts.  This is not the response to a new tax by Caesar.  They were not bringing gifts to be found worthy to enter the king’s presence.  These gifts were presents of love.  They were drinking from the saucer because their cups were overflowing.

         It is possible that the gold acknowledged the kingship of the babe.  The frankincense acknowledged the priestly role of the babe and the prayers that would rise to him in the future.  The myrrh may have been prophetic for the anointing of this babe for the death he would die for our sins, to bridge the gap between God and his creation.  The gifts may have financed the flight to Egypt and all the expenses of the relocation there and then the return to Nazareth.  The scriptures don’t really say so we are free to let ideas speak to our hearts.  Songs like “The Little Drummer Boy” comes to mind. 

         The gift of the wise men’s presence is a present to us today.  Their presence and their presents expands the love of the Christmas story beyond Joseph and Mary, beyond the stable, beyond shepherds, and beyond Bethlehem to challenge us to thank God for his love that not only overflows the Christmas story to the Cross to the Easter story but keeps overflowing into our lives today.

• “Where is the babe..?”  He is not in the manger.  He is in your life, faithfully shepherding you, fulfilling the promises to never forsake you and guide you to him as that relationship grows.  We are people of HOPE for the babe is not in the manger and was not defeated by Herod.
• “On entering the house..”  Love seeks presence that crosses ethnicities, locations, and social barriers.  It takes a journey into the unknown that brings PEACE.
• “…opening their treasure-chests…”  Presence creates JOY that overflows the cup of blessing and inspires us to give presents.
• The Christmas story is a story of LOVE.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish

but may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Let the people of God say “Amen!”

Isaac Watts about 1719 was inspired by the middle phrases of Psalm 98,

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
⁵ Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody.
⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.”

Lowell Masson about 1848, inspired by Handles Messiah of 1742, combined Watt’s verse with pieces of Handle’s music to produce the most published Christmas hymn in North America in the 20^th century. 

         The third week of Advent focuses on a theme of JOY.  We dug deep pondering how joy manifests itself in Matthew’s version of the Christmas story.

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

           “Joy to the world, the Lord is come” echoes the song of the angels to the shepherds but also echoes in the angel’s message to Joseph that he need not fear to take Mary as his wife for she was carrying the promised Messiah, “God with us,” Emmanuel.  Whatever challenges face us this Christmas we can have an inner joy knowing we are not alone and God is with us.
         “Let every heart prepare him room,” is the challenge as we hurry and scurry to prepare for the social events and church events.  May we find time to draw aside and focus on a savior who is not in the manger anymore but is in our world, walking through our challenges with us!
         “And heaven and nature sing,” calls us to praise at this time.  We can rejoice because we know the end of the story is not told.  Death no longer can claim the victory.  I chose a video clip with the Pentatonix.  They don’t fit the stereotypical children’s choir as they sing “Joy to the World” and challenges us that the Joy of Christmas is for all people. God is filling our cup and we are drinking from the saucer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xo64Q2ucQ8

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing spirit. (Psalm 51:10-12)

King David wrote Psalm 51 after he slept with Bathsheba, killed her husband, and the baby that was born died.  He was confronted by his prophet Nathan and his heart broke. George Bailey is heart broken at the missing money from his business.  He knows he will be held responsible.   As he drives from the pub to the bridge to commit suicide, he runs into a tree.  Even the owner of the tree condemns him for his carelessness.  Like King David, George is a broken man.  The weight of guilt from the inability to be perfect is on his shoulders.

         Biblical Joseph is told by the angel in his dream,

            ^“22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:  ²³ ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a  son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ (Matthew 1:22-23)”

the baby Mary is carrying is the promised Messiah that will bring forgiveness from the burden of the law.  When we know in the depths of our soul that we have blown it…yet again… and when the Evil One keeps whispering in our ear that we blew it again, Christmas reminds us that the babe was called, “Emmanuel, God is with us” and “Jesus.” which means Savior.  We are forgiven and can face tomorrow.  That is joy!

         Perhaps there is a sin from the past that is buried with the skeletons in the closet and the Evil One loves to keep reminding you about your secret.  Perhaps the label on that present of condemnation, needs to be, To: You, From: the Past… Write Forgiven, your present from God at Christmas. God is with you!  Blessings.

“Are any among you suffering?

 They should pray.

 Are any cheerful?

 They should sing songs of praise. (James 5:13)”

         George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” learns that $8,000 has been misplaced by his forgetful Uncle.  He despairs.  He searches the office.  He asks Potter for a loan and is shamed. He goes home but that only shows him the people he thinks he is hurting.  He goes to the pub of his friend and bows his head in prayer, “God, oh God, I’m not a praying man but if you are up there, I’m at the end of my rope.  Show me the way.  Show me the way.”   God answers but George does not recognize the help.  George is focused on his own answer.  Angel Second Class Clarence looks about like what his guardian angel might look like that God would send but Clarence has no wings.  Answers to prayer may well not come in the way we think they might.

         The Biblical Christmas story is not so transparent about the prayers of Joseph and Mary.  We do know Zacchariah was visited by an angel when he was praying for his people.  An angel did visit Joseph in his distress about whether to take Mary as his wife and we can assume he was praying.  When we are distressed our groans are forms of prayer that go beyond the formal prayers we are taught and go beyond the “may I have” or “please help” prayers that we often offer.  Prayers when we are in deep distress are admissions that we are at “the end of our rope” but we are at the end of our resources. Like George Bailey, we turn to a God we think might not be listening.  We turn to a God who can intervene and change the future that looks so hopeless to us.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness;

for we do not know how to pray as we ought,

but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.

 (Romans 8:26)”

         When we turn to God in prayer, we are turning to hope, peace, and joy.  May we find time this season to more intentionally turn to God in prayer.  Perhaps commit to spend extra five minutes each evening with your Advent candles.  Blessings as you reach out to the God who is listening and often answers in creative ways you don’t expect.

^“that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,

not counting their trespasses against them,

and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ,

since God is making his appeal through us …(2 Cor. 5:19-20)”

Paul writes these words to ordinary people like you and me, like Joseph and Mary, and like George Bailey and Mary.

         There is an ugly scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” when George learns that $8,000 has been misplaced and his Uncle does not know where.  George panics and runs to Mr. Potter who actually has the money.  George begs for a loan.  Potter turns on George and shames him when George offers his life insurance policy as collateral for a loan.  Potter jeers, “You’re worth more dead than alive.”  There is no joy, no encouragement, no hope but only words that drive George to despair and plant the idea of suicide in his mind.

On the other hand, biblical Joseph, husband of Mary, has a dream and is greeted with the words, “be not afraid.”  Those are words of hope and accompaniment.  If the God of the universe is willing to walk with us, money, ethnicity, education and talent, all the things the world respects, dim when we know that God respects us and wants to partner with us.

Paul calls us ambassadors of reconciliation.  Our prayer is to not be like Mr. Potter who pointed George to suicide but to be ambassadors who point people to God and are willing to walk with others through the challenges of living in this world.  May we be reconcilers this Christmas.  That is joy.  Blessings.