Bounty

"Jehovah God has done great things for us," Psalm 126:3.

Dear God - it feels like a dream when you bring back our hopes. We almost feel giddy! You fill us with laughter! We sing happy songs. Anyone can see you have done great things. Joy overwhelms us. But yet. Still. We look around to see hardship. War. Plague. Devastation. Desert hearts. O God! Please bring streams back to the deserts. Bring the Hope of every nation to the front! Then weepers will shout in joy. Sowers will harvest your bounty. All will say: You have done great things. Please: We have nowhere else to go.

We join with a brother or sister today and open our eyes again to God's vision for our life. And, together, we shout out thanksgiving songs for the Consolation of Israel. Yes, for Messiah Jesus, Light of the world!

Iron

"The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth," Revelation 12:4.

Why? So that the giant red dragon could devour the baby as soon as the sky woman bore him, right then and there. Not a warm, happy, cozy picture, is it? Yet, it's the Revelator's summary of Jesus' birth. John, the Revelator (the apostle), continued to assure any reader (or auditor) that the baby, a boy, was born, all right. This boy became the man to rule all nations with an iron rod. By God, by God's design, by God's decree. The baby boy got collected up to God's throne. Safe and sound. Fierce war raged throughout the cosmos between God's armies led by the superangel, Michael, against the vile dragon and his forces. Michael won. The authority of God's Christ has come! The brothers (and sisters) have conquered through the blood of the Lamb!

We meet with a brother or sister today keenly aware that we are all caught up in things far greater than meet the eye. And, together, in faith, not by sight, we give praise to our God through his Christ for Bethlehem's victory from the Skull's cross to resurrection from the grave.

Totally

"Our Savior God's kindness and love for humankind appeared," Titus 3:4.

Yes, God's goodness, his loving kindness showed up in spades. OK. So what did God do to make this kindness and love manifest? God saved us. Well, yeah, of course he saved the best of humankind. The few. The good. The saints. But, No, that's not what it says. Not because of good deeds done by us to get on God's good side. Nope. He saved us by his own mercy: he saved through a washing and a renewal: a new birth washing and a Holy Spirit renewal. Yes, God poured out his Holy Spirit on us richly. God poured out his Spirit on us totally through whom? Through our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's that manger with a cross at its end, again. And resurrection following.

We reflect with a brother or sister today on the unmerited mercy God pours out on us. And, mercified together, we give eternal praise and thanksgiving to our Lord God through our Lord Jesus.

Crafted

"He was in the beginning with God," John 1:2.

Who was? He was: the Word. Where was he? Right there with God. When was he? In the beginning. At the start of what? Of every thing. Of every created thing. At the start of energy. When light started shining. Yeah, when the laws of physics got set up. At the start of protons and neutrons and electrons and quarks and stars and dark matter and galaxies and whatever is really out there. At the start of the universe. That's when. And that's not all! God crafted it all by means of him. That's right. Oh. And one more thing: He became a man. And lingered with us awhile. And shined God's grace on us. And showed us God's glory. And breathed out God's truth for us. And exhaled his last breath for our forgiveness.

We joy with a brother or sister today in hope of the Risen Christ, Word of God. And, together, we marvel thankfully in awe of God's re-crafting broken humans into his kids through this Word.

Issued

"All God's angels must worship him," Hebrews 1:6.

Who issued that command? God did. Whom were all the angels to worship? God's son. When did the command go out? When God brought his firstborn into the world. Remember the firstborn of whom God said: You are my Son, today I have begotten you? Oh yes! We do remember the virgin Mary's baby, indeed, who grew to become the young man famed as the carpenter Joseph's son. (And whose contemporaries scrutinized his ancestry, if not his mother's integrity.) We remember, yes, the son through whom God last spoke, to whom God gave all birthright, through whom God created the worlds. Who made purification for sins. Who now reigns with God on high over everything. We, with all the angels, worship him, too.

We visit with a brother or sister today and worship God and his Christ. And, together, we give thanks to God for receiving Jesus' sacrifice sufficient to purify us from all our sins.

Flexing

"Jehovah God has bared his holy arm in sight of all nations," Isaiah 52:10.

God's flexing his muscles! Yes, that's what it's saying. The Lord's returned to his people, and he's rolled up his sleeves to work! And, everybody on earth's looking at this. God's showing his mighty power to save. People run over hill and dale to tell the good news! What good news? Your God reigns! God's comforting his people! God's finally redeeming his own! And how do we know this? What does his mighty arm look like? In the middle of a dark, dark night. A baby. Asleep in a manger. Faces of weary, relieved, hopeful parents glowing in his light. Looks like that.

We visit with a brother or sister today in wonder and expectation of God's powerful embrace. And, together, we praise God through his son, Redeemer of all humankind: Thank you! Thank you!

Congregated

"The skies must praise your wonders and faithfulness, O Jehovah, in the congregation of the holy ones," Psalm 88:5.

Your steadfast love, O Lord, captures the melodies of our hearts! We will shout out your loyalty to every generation to come! You keep on building on your steadfast love for ever! You made faithfulness the foundation for your skies. You swore to your chosen servant to build your eternal covenant, to establish His throne for ever. A throne rising from a manger. And He calls you: Father, my God, Rock of my salvation! As do we, for ever, through the same Christ.

We wait in His sacred congregation with all the brothers and sisters made holy by the blood of God's covenant. And, congregated, from earth through the skies, our hearts can't help but sing out loud thanksgivings for salvation in his coming Christ!

Once

"He has appeared once at the end of the ages for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself," Hebrews 9:26.

Who appeared? Christ. How many times? Once. Why? To bring an end to sin's terrifying consequences. How? By the sacrifice of his own self. Where did he appear? On earth, born of a woman (of course!), but more to the point: Appeared in God's very presence, in the holiest place of all the skies. On whose behalf? Ours. How many times did he die? Once. Why? (Already said it, but to say it again ...) To bear the sins of many. Why only once? Because God ordained that people die only once. And after this? Well. After death comes Judgment. Ah! And, after death, too, Christ will appear a second time. Why? To save. To save from what? The terror of sin's judgment. To save whom? Those waiting for him eagerly.

We wait with a brother or sister today for the Lord Jesus Christ to appear that second time for our salvation. And, anticipating together, we praise our God for that hope: Thank you, Lord! Hosanna! Maranatha!

Legitimacy

"The genealogy book of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham," Matthew 1:1.

Context for what's next. In modern culture we're introduced by trading first names. (That's how my first grandchild at age 4 announced she had made a new friend on the playground: We traded names, she would say.) We might trade last names, too. If we're being rather formal, we (or someone on our behalf) would include schools we graduated from, degrees gotten, the kind of work we did for a living. Might include remarkable jobs worked on in the trades. Might mention various and sundry accolades received. Anyway, stuff that gives social definition and legitimacy to say or to do whatever we've got to say and do next. Indigenous peoples introduce by giving a genealogical survey going back several generations, as many as needed for establishment. In this book, Jesus' genealogy reached back 2000 years. Context for sacrifice.

We meet with a brother or sister today remembering Jesus' having come to die for our sin. And, waiting together, we give thanks for his imminent return to lift us up for ever into the skies.

Unknown

"He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light," John 1:7.

Who, he? John. John, the baptist. The baptizer. (A baptist is somebody who goes around baptizing people.) Baptizin' John, they called him. (He was not the other John, not the apostle.) So, who was this? A man God sent out. What was his witness? That he was not the Christ. Not the Light. Not Elijah. Not the Prophet. So ... what was his witness? That he was a voice calling to prepare for the coming Light. That the true Light giving everyone light was coming into the world. That the Light was already standing, unknown, among his hearers. That John came baptizing in water to make known the Light, Jesus, the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world.

When we visit with a brother or sister today, we confess our unworthiness even to kneel in Jesus' presence. Yet, together, in deepest praise, we do believe wholeheartedly God forgives us by the Lamb. Totally.

Keeping

"May the God of peace himself keep you," 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

You? You who? You, who are always happy. You, who pray all the time. You, who give thanks no matter what. You, who attend to what God wants in Christ Jesus. You, who do not quash the Spirit. You, who do not ignore prophecies. You, who test everything. You, who keep what is good. You, who stay away from every bad thing. Yes! May God keep you. Keep? Keep for what? For wholeness. For your spirit, soul, and body, for all your being integrated into holiness. To what end? Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, yeah! And God will do it.

We wait today with a brother or sister as we yield our whole selves into God's keeping. And, together, we give thanks for Jesus who will appear. Coming soon!

Spirit

"The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me," Isaiah 61:1.

When Jesus came the first time, he opened ministry in his home town's synagogue on a Sabbath day. He stood up. He unrolled the Isaiah scroll to that place. He read aloud its plan for God's Messiah. To bring good news to the poor. To comfort the brokenhearted. To announce freedom to captives. To recover sight for the blind. To release prisoners. To preach the year of God's grace. He stopped the reading right there. He rolled up the scroll. He sat down. He announced it fulfilled in their hearing. (Interesting: he did not read Isaiah's very next line: To preach God's day of vengeance. No. Jesus came first to save.) Glory! Glory as of the only son from the father, full of grace and truth.

We meet with a brother or sister today listening to Jesus' words of comfort, hope, and joy. And, together thankful for his generosity, we praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Promises

"God will soon save those who respect him," Psalm 85:9.

We wait for you, O Jehovah God! We will listen to you. You have ordered peace for your people, for all who worship you. (Don't let us go back into foolishness. Please!) Your salvation is near to rescuing whoever respects you. Thank you! We await your shining light to dwell among us. Your steadfast love and loyalty join in your arrival. Yes! Your goodness and peace unite here. We will be loyal to you. Your goodness will shine down from the skies! We wait for your goodness to show up, and the earth will yield its fruit. Goodness prepares your path! Praise you, God!

We visit with a brother or sister today asserting allegiance to God and his Christ. And, waiting together, we praise God for infusing his love, loyalty, goodness, and peace in Jesus' promises.

Doing

"We're waiting for our blessed hope: the appearing of the glory of our great God," Titus 2:13.

Yes - that's what God's own people are doing right now: waiting for that bright shine to show up! God's grace had already shown up when Jesus first came to bring everybody salvation. His grace trains us right now, in this present time, to reject passions fitted by this broken world, ways that oppose God's path. His generosity trains us to live by God's wisdom and righteousness in this age. Yes - Jesus gave himself to buy us back and clean us up to become his personal possession, now eager to do good. That's what we spend time doing in this age, while waiting for that glory to appear!

We visit with a brother or sister today in training by God's grace. And, together, we live out thanksgivings to God for his generosity in Christ Jesus.

Reserve

"By God's power you are being protected through faith for a salvation ready to be shown at the end of time," 1 Peter 1:5.

So, supported by his power, God's people wait to the end. And here's what God's already done for his people. (He's got lots and lots of mercy!) He's already resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead. Yes, through him, he's already birthed us anew to a living hope. He's already secured our birthright. And what an inheritance! Indestructible. Unpolluted. Colorfast. God's own special reserve for his heirs. Already kept safe in the skies. And, he's already protecting to the very end all who trust in him. So his people persevere through the current assaying of true faith. We do not see him but we love him. We do not experience him but we trust in him. With a joy better felt than told.

We wait today with a brother or sister anticipating the outcome of genuine faith: life after death! And, together, we praise God for the end glory he will show in Christ forever.

Prep

"Prepare the way of the Lord," Mark 1:3.

That's what the Lord's people do while they wait for him to show up. They prepare. They prepare for his appearing, for the revealing of the Son of man. Coming in the clouds. When all the tribes of the earth will see him. Yes. For when Jesus sends out mighty angels to collect all his chosen people from one end of the cosmos to the other. So. His people prepare for that. While they wait. So what does the prep look like? Mostly, like changing hearts and minds. By his Spirit, to look like Jesus. Who went around doing good for all people. Who did the will of his Father.

As we wait today with a brother or sister, we encourage each other to walk worthily of Jesus' calling. And, together, we praise God thankfully for sending his Son back then to deal with sin, and once again soon to save those waiting for him eagerly.

Exposed

"We're waiting for new skies and a new earth," 2 Peter 3:13.

Right now. In this moment. As we go about this day, today. We're waiting. Waiting on God. Waiting for his day. We're waiting for cataclysm. Oh, yes. Waiting for the meltdown never experienced before. Surprised by terror. When the skies above us roar away and everything up there goes down in flames. When the earth and all in it bares open, exposed. When every thing is destroyed. When the skies melt away in conflagration. When God's hand sweeps away the reality of this age. When God's voice calls in new skies. With a new earth. We're waiting for that. So. How do we live? We live holy. Godly. We prepare for a new cosmos. For a world of righteousness.

When we meet with a brother or sister today, we stir one another up to love and good works. And, thankful together, we wait with all creation for God's new order in Christ Jesus. Coming any day now.

Voice

"A voice says: Cry out! Then I said: What shall I cry out?" Isaiah 40:6.

This: People are like grass! All their beauty, like wildflowers! Here today, gone tomorrow. Withered dry. Faded away with God's breath. But God's very breath announces his everlasting Word. And what word is that? Good news! God's coming! He'll shepherd his flock! He'll collect the lambs in his strong arms! He'll guide their mothers gently! The Lord's coming! Coming with his reward! The war's over. Sin's paid for. Forgiveness. Comfort. Good news!

With a brother or sister today we get ready for the Lord to reveal his glory! And, together in thanksgiving to him, we shout out the message, true and glad, for the sinful and the sad.

Long

"Shepherd of Israel, listen to us," Psalm 80:1.

You, who lead your people like a flock. You, whose throne sits above monsters. You, our Shepherd: Shine! Shine out! Be strong and save us! Shine the power of your kind face on us! Bring us back home! And come! Please bring us home. O Jehovah, God of armies! Please don't ignore our prayers! How long, O Lord? How long until your face shines? Until it shines for our salvation? You, O God, have brought us so far. Please don't stop now. Remember your Child. Remember the Son of man. Guide him with your hand. We call on your name. We'll follow! Shine your face on us, Lord, and show your salvation!

We wait with a brother or sister today looking into (and for) the glory of Jesus, our Lord. And, being changed together, we give thanks as we long for the appearing of our chief, the Shepherd.

Imminent

"Yes! I am coming soon," Revelation 22:20.

Jesus said that. He said: Look! I am coming soon. He said: And look! I am coming soon. He said it three times at the end of the Bible, 2000 years ago. He announced that whoever kept the words of his prophecy would be happy. He promised he would repay everyone their wages for all their work. He warned every one hearing his message not to add to (or take away from) his words, or else. Or else plagues would be added to (or inheritance would be taken away from) them. But for any who washed their robes, these will have right to the tree of life in the city of God. So. As we wait, we join the Spirit's invitation to the thirsty: Come, all you people! Drink freely from the water of life, free, for life! And, too, we call out expectantly to Him: Come, Lord Jesus!

With a brother or sister today we call out to the world: Come and drink life's waters! And, together thankfully, expecting his imminent visitation any day now, we call out: We're waiting for you! Come, Lord Jesus! Maranatha.

Wars

"When you hear of wars and stories of coming wars, don't be afraid," Mark 13:7.

Say we, Why not, Lord? Because. Says Jesus. Because it's nothing new; it's just the way things are; the way things have been; the way things will be. But it's not the end. Say we, Wait a minute, Lord! What about all the earthquakes and famines and revolutions and scary stuff that we hear about all the time? Says Jesus: Don't be alarmed; it's barely the start of labor pains; no big deal. Say we, What about the bad government guys dragging us in front of courts for faith in you? Says Jesus: No worries; the Holy Spirit will guide your words. Say we, What about families turning on each other, and people hating us for you? Says Jesus: Hang in there. Just hang in there with me, then you'll be safe.

We wait with a brother or sister today listening to the Spirit's call for endurance. And, together, we persevere in thanksgiving songs praising our able and faithful God.

Generation

"This generation will not pass away until all these things take place," Mark 13:30.

Who's Jesus talking to? To Peter and James and John and Andrew, privately. Jesus told them: See to it that no one leads you astray. He told them: Be on your guard. He told them: When you see the desolating abomination, may people in Judea run to the mountains. He told them: I've told you these things beforehand. He told them: Learn this lesson from the fig tree. He told them: When you see these things. He told them: Be on guard, keep awake. He told them: Stay awake for you do not know when the master of the house will come. He told them: What I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. He told them: Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.

We wait alert with a brother or sister today, attentive to Jesus' unpassing words. And, together, we give thanks to God for cutting earth's troubles short and heralding the new world in Christ.

Rich

"Grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Corinthians 1:3.

Wow! What a God! What a generous father! So, we give thanks to God for his generosity, for his peace. Where did we get this grace? In Jesus, in God's Christ. God makes us rich in Christ. He gives us all the words, all the knowledge, all the security we need about Christ. So right now we wait. Yes, we wait. Eagerly! We wait expecting eagerly. For what? For the day our Lord Jesus Christ shows himself, for his reveal! Yeah, and he will hold us up without guilt until that reveal, his Day! Oh, Yes! God is faithful. God is faithful. He called us into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We meet with a brother or sister today in the generosity and peace of God. And, together, we give thanks to God for receiving us into secure fellowship with his son.

Shape

"Jehovah God, you are our father; we are like clay, and your hands fashioned us all," Isaiah 64:8.

So, when you come down and you split the skies open and the mountains tremble and fire boils the waters, all your foes will know your name and the nations will tremble. Once upon a time we did not look for you or for your works. We have, every one of us, sinned. But no one had ever heard of you. No one had ever heard you. No eye ever saw you. That is, no one heard or saw any God - except you! Only you ever acted for people who wait for you! So. We wait for you. So. When you come. So. Please. When you come do not remember our sins for ever. Please! When you come, look at us, re-shape us, O Potter, your people!

We wait with a brother or sister today in hope of a coming day when God re-makes all things new. And, together, we give thanks to Jesus, whose sacrifice reconciles us to God.