Following the Star

Pause

May the love of God create in us a new heart this Advent.

May God wake us up to be joy,

to seek joy,

and to notice Christmas joy.

May God prepare our hearts to receive God’s good news of great joy.

Listen

Don’t complain about each other, brothers and sisters, so that you won’t be judged. Look! The judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of patient resolve and steadfastness.

James 5:9-10

Think

Grumble, bicker, complain. It bubbles up naturally, but that doesn’t mean it is right. I can just hear the noise level as my family gathers for the holidays. Something is not what they wanted, not the way we have always done it, or they would rather just be somewhere else.

If James wrote to us today, I imagine the words might be something like this: Beloved, do not be sarcastic, cynical, or judgmental. Do not react to life, others, or yourself with sarcasm, cynicism, or by being passive-aggressive. Beloved, be patient and kind.

You are beloved. So be love to others.

Consider loving others the way they want to be loved. There is great abiding joy in accepting that you are loved by God abundantly and offering that love to others.

Michelle Thomas-Bush

Pray

There is a good possibility, God, that today

Someone is going to make me tired

Misunderstand an ordinary comment

Push my buttons

Judge me unfairly

Refuse my kindness

And probably a whole lot of other things are just annoying.

Give me grace to respond in love and be love in all I do today.

Amen.

Go

The good news of great joy isn’t just something to receive, accept, or even consume.

Be great joy.

Offer great joy in kind, loving relationships with those you love and those you haven’t even met yet.

God is still trying to get to us to bring good news of great joy for all the people. ALL THE people. That means you. And me. And them.

Good news of great joy for ALL.