Advent Devotions
All are invited as we Make Room this Advent season.
Support through hard times
Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Deb Cordes.
It’s been a tough year for me. 6 deaths. Each one felt harder to cope with. My prayers became “dear Lord, please no more” and “I can’t take anymore”. Yet, there were. Sorrow is not something I show to others. In our family, it’s assumed you just carry on. Crying is for a private space. It was hard to move forward. I can say this now but not then.
Through this time my community – my family, business colleagues and Prince of Peace stayed with me. Silently supporting. Quietly asking how things were and being OK with short non-answers. The community provided love, encouragement, and companionship when most needed – even if people didn’t know that’s what they were doing.
God’s love exists in those who wrote, walked, spoke, and just cared. There are no words to fully express how grateful I am. You provided assurance of God’s unfailing love and comfort in the hardest times.
My prayer today: May each of us understand that we are the expression of God’s love in a world of chaos, hurt, and sorrow. May our hearts be open to simply walking with others just where they are. God help us to be empathic and open. Thank you for loving us just as we are.
Previously…
God’s work, our hands
Today's author is Prince of Peace member, Carol Swanson. Text: Chapter 9 of the Gospel of John. As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither...
Honing your belief
Today's author is Prince of Peace's Intentional Interim, Pastor Steve Sylvester. I’ve told several of you that John’s Jesus is my least favorite Jesus, but at the same time, it’s my favorite Gospel. I find the Jesus in John to be offputtingly imperious and a bit...
Restoration
Today's author is Prince of Peace member, Debbie Jorgens. God will restore you, even if your body has to die first. The other day I was reminded of a sweet, simple hymn that endeared itself to me years ago: “Have No Fear, Little Flock” (ELW 764). In difficult times or...
A Word of Promise
Text: John 4:46-54; 5:1-18 Photo: Ales Krivec on Unsplash Today's author is Prince of Peace member, Debbie Jorgens. The writer of John’s gospel gives us two back-to-back contrasting stories about healing - the first centered on an official whose young son is near...