Third Sunday of Advent
December 16, 2007
As a fierce winter storm assails mid-Michigan this Sunday morning, near blizzard conditions have cancelled most church services this morning. Glenda and I find ourselves ensconced in our home surrounded by the silence of the falling snow as well as the busyness of fluttering birds huddling around several bird feeders in our yard. I can’t remember the last time that worship services were cancelled due to a winter storm. We decided to read the scriptures and sing the appointed hymns as though we were a congregation of 200. For the sermon, we practiced saying to each other various scriptures we are memorizing.
It struck us once again that “… the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13)
In these days as in ages past, when humankind continues to fashion itself gods of its own making, when the belief that “the god of many faces” purports to make all beliefs equal in order not to offend any religious faith, when the politically correct term “tolerance” means setting aside absolute truth for relativism as a foundation for solid thinking, we are most grateful that:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-14)
Glenda and I send Christmas good news that “…God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
Within this framework we rejoice to say that this has been a very prosperous year. Here are some highlights:
- We are blessed by our children. Matt moved to Florida a couple of months ago. He lives in Lakeland. Abby moved to Charleston, SC last summer. Both Matt and Abby will be with us for several days during Christmas week. Isaac, Stacie and Braylon live in Owosso which means we are doubly blessed to have them close as well as be able to care for Braylon several times a week.
- We continue to plan and implement the worship services at our local church. This is our 15th year to work in this capacity.
- We reduced our private teaching schedule to 2 ½ days a week in order to have more time and energy to care for Braylon who is 17 months old. As grandparents we are getting a second chance to “do it right.”
- Our local congregation continues to be the center of who we are and what we do. The church continues to challenge us to deepen our walk with Jesus, to minister to those in the church, to share our talents, treasure and time with our neighbors and the community and world at large.
- My health has improved drastically since I’ve joined the local Powerhouse Gym.
- Glenda continues to play the piano more beautifully than ever and to be a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend with qualities that we all are striving to achieve. I’m grateful for this “long-term” relationship in a marriage of almost 38 years. Now, that is a real “long-term” relationship!
- We are grateful for so many friends and family.
- We, too, struggle with all the issues that plague our society in this post-modern/ post-Christian era. Nonetheless, our hope is NOT based on who the next president will be, or when will all the social ills of the world be solved, or the resolution of the latest mid-East conflict or anything else.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31-39)
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!—Ronald and Glenda Davis
