To Bring Us Peace

Dear Lord; Happy Friday Father!

It seems Father, that each Christmas season becomes more hectic and hurried than the last;

Decorating to do…

Gatherings to attend…

Presents to buy…

And cookies to bake.

And although all of these things may, in their own way, help to bring the spirit of this Holy season more alive for us, if we allow them to they can also lead us astray from the pilgrimage our hearts are drawn to make this time of year…

To kneel at the side of the manger; to bathe in the peace that only the arrival of our Savior can bring.

Peace… To gain a stillness of heart and mind so that we may experience the rest our spirits long for…

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”” – Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)

You came to free us Lord; to refresh us and release us from those worldly burdens and sins that attempt to pull us from You.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” John 3:16a (ESV)

To give us that peace… To give us rest…

So Father, as Christmas draws ever nearer and “last minute” preparations vie for our attention, help us find that stillness; to come along side that humble manger and embrace Your love for us…

To rest in Your presence Lord…

And truly find peace.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Out of Our “Box”

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” – Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)

Although Mary was certainly shaken by the Angel Gabriel’s message and likely fearful of the way her sudden pregnancy would be received by others, she chose to reaffirm her commitment to God’s will and trust.  Some of God’s most powerful works in our lives begin when He calls us to step out of our “box”, and proceed in faith.  As we prepare our hearts to receive God’s Perfect Lamb this Christmas Season, may we do so following Mary’s example of obedience and trust.

That Will Be For All The People

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”” – Luke 2:8-12 (ESV)

To herald the arrival of His Perfect Lamb, God didn’t direct His angels to alert royalty, nor to court the attention of religious leaders; instead they were directed to the company of pious, simple shepherds, alone in a field, tending their flocks.  God’s miracles are not reserved for those of influence or position, but instead are offered freely to all of His beloved children.

Christmas is Messy

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday Father!

“Christmas is messy… Humanity is messy… Family life is messy…  And we get in trouble when we work so hard to make it all perfect.”

As I listened to a recording of Father Jim Clifton delivering a message on Advent yesterday evening, these simple statements found a nerve…

And I realized what a powerful, misunderstood truth it really is Lord.

In this season of Advent we try to focus on hopeful waiting; anxiously preparing to celebrate that moment of perfection so many years ago.  And in that effort, quite often we attempt to put aside, or push down those portions of our lives that remind us of our “messiness”.  “But it’s Christmas…” we tell ourselves… “We need to approach that stable with thankfulness and joy, not with turmoil and pain in our hearts.”

And yet Lord, our need and our brokenness is why You came to us that night…

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NLT)

You came because you love us Lord;

In our brokenness,

In the midst of our hurt,

And in our frailty.

So Father, as I approach Christmas this year; as I make my intentional journey to kneel at the side of that Holy manger, I bring all of myself to You:

My turmoil,

My struggles,

And my pain…

As well as

My gratefulness,

My wonder,

And my joy.

Help me to embrace the fullness of this season Lord; to make my pilgrimage with an open heart, knowing that You’ve come to receive me…

In all of my messiness.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

A Matter of Trust

Dear Lord; Happy Tuesday Father!

People frustrate me Father… Or should I say, I allow people to frustrate me.

And yet, in truth it’s not other people that are the cause of my angst Lord, it’s the unmet expectations I regularly place on them; thrusting undue responsibility on earthly shoulders to fulfill my perception of need.

But that’s not really fair, now is it Father…

To begin with, more often than not what I feel my needs are isn’t based on seeking Your direction for me, but instead on my reacting to a situation I’m in the middle of.  And while I feel my journey to You has brought me ever closer to discerning Your will in my day-to-day life, I’m fully aware I still have a long way to travel.

So, right out of the gate Father, I readily concede that my perception of need is quite often, flawed.

Then to compound that Lord, quite often I drag those around me along for the ride; shackling others to my sense of fulfillment, and finding myself feeling empty when those artificial requirements aren’t met.

In the end Father, I know it’s all a matter of trust;

Trust that You know my needs Lord, far better than I or anyone else does…

Trust that You love me; completely and with a purity that no one on this earth can match…

Trust that Your ways are best Father, whether they’re what I think I want or not…

And finally Lord, trust that You can and will move Heaven and earth to do what’s truly best, whether I know what that is or not…

Complete faith… Complete trust in You Father…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

It’s a tall order for my flawed, easily distracted heart Lord, but it’s a goal I strive to realize with every passing day.

Infuse me with Your spirit Father; make Your will my heartbeat, and the sound of Your voice define my every waking thought…

Relinquishing the worldly tethers I cling to,

And placing all faith in Your Holy hands…

I trust You Lord.

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Faith Can Move Mountains

“How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.” – Hebrews 11:32-34 (NLT)

When we strive to live lives of faith, choosing to focus not on worldly pursuits but instead on those which glorify God’s grace in our lives, we not only gain victory over death through Christ Jesus but also open ourselves to being instruments of God’s divine intent.