Scripture: Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thought for the Day: On this Sunday when we transition from a week focused on hope to a week where peace takes our attention, I remain very troubled by the more than 200 girls/young women who were kidnapped almost 20 months ago in Nigeria by the group that calls itself Boko Haram. The Chibok schoolgirls remain missing, and it is thought that they have been forced into marriages or sold into the sex industry. I simply cannot imagine being a parent of one of the missing girls, and even as an outsider, I find the thought to be gut-wrenching. In this season of Advent, I again listen for the words of truth from the stories of the Christ Child’s arrival. Within them, I believe the salvation of the world is found. And as people of faith, we continue to hope – not passively, but actively – for their rescue and redemption. We also seek a world where peace is the norm, and all people (including young women) are respected, treated with human dignity and encouraged to explore the fullness of their potential. This requires that all people are at peace within themselves; that all people have a sense of security in regard to their own safety; that all people have access to health care, shelter, water and food. I believe this is possible because I believe in the God who declared it in the arrival of the Christ Child. Many will call me naive, but their skepticism is part of the problem.
Prayer: May the world learn to embrace your vision of peace, O God of Hope, and may my life-witness provide a clear example from which others can draw inspiration. Amen.
TODAY
is
The Second Sunday of Advent
Peace Sunday
Sermon Title: Too Much Wrapping Paper
Malachi 3:1-4
AND TONIGHT
at
7:00pm
