Post Advent Reflection: Day 13 Friday, December 11 Habakkuk 3:2-6; Philippians 3:12-16 Growing up, my church did not celebrate Advent. When I was young, our celebrations included rehearsals, Christmas plays, concerts, and brown bags of fruit, nuts, and hard candy. I remember the anxiety of forgetting my lines, fear of embarrassment, and thoughts of people laughing at me. During Advent ceremonies, […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 14 Saturday, December 12 Habakkuk 3:13–19; Matthew 21: 28–32 I don’t know what it is about being in the car, me driving, my six–year–old daughter sitting in the back, but something about this situation prompts her to ask challenging questions such as “why are people mean?” and “why does God let people get sick?” She asks […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 15 Sunday, December 13 Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11; Luke 1:46b–55; John 1:6–8, 19–28 I am not someone who likes surprises. One need only look through my Netflix viewing history to find that, rather than trying something new, I return to the same, well-worn television content again and again. I enjoy the predictability of knowing where a story […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 16 Monday, December 14 Psalm 125; 1 Kings 18:1–18 Ephesians 6:10–17 Growing up in central Missouri, the coldest night of the year always seemed to be the evening of our annual Hanging of the Green service. As part of that Advent tradition, the entire congregation would recess near the end of the service to stand outside and […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 17 Tuesday, December 15 2 Kings 2:9–22; Acts 3:17–4:4 How do you know what to believe when it comes to faith, society, politics, or other important issues? This is a question I have found myself rhetorically asking more than ever over the past year. Should we blindly follow the direction of our pastor? Or our preferred […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 18 Wednesday, December 16 Malachi 3:16–4:6; Mark 9:9–13 In Mark 9, it is observed that the prophesy in Malachi 3:16–4:6 has just been fulfilled. Both Elijah and Moses have just appeared up on the mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John in a moment known as the Transfiguration. In a conversation walking down from the mountain […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 19 Thursday, December 17 Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26; 2 Samuel 6:1–11; Hebrews 1:1–4 One of the most disheartening aspects of this pandemic has been the inability to make plans and keep commitments. My “cancellations” for the year included multiple funerals, several family gatherings, a dentist appointment, a doctor’s appointment, my youngest daughter’s 4th birthday party and my oldest […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 20 Friday, December 18 2 Samuel 6: 12–19: Hebrews 1: 5–14 For my wife, Laura, the giving of gifts is a source of joy as much as it is a way of expressing love. She thoroughly enjoys searching for gifts that are meaningful and wrapping them in a manner which intentionally adds to the message of the […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 21 Saturday, December 19 Judges 13:2–24; John 7:40–52 As a child, I was taught that Christmas was not about receiving gifts, but about giving them. Nonetheless, I still remember waking up every Christmas morning and running to my living room to open the gifts that I was privileged enough to have waiting for me under the Christmas […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
Post Advent Reflection: Day 22 Sunday, December 20 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16; Romans 16:25–27; Luke 1:26–38 “When the angel came to her, he said, ‘Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!’ She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be” (Luke 1:28-29 Common English Bible). Angels play many roles throughout Scripture. They announce […] Gardner-Webb University | November 12, 2020
