Each Wednesday, a devotion is posted here, sent via email to our email list and also posted on our Facebook page. If you would like to be part of our email list please contact the church office. In addition, check out past Devotions on our Facebook page. 

I often receive feedback that the devotions are rich in content and are complex. Reading devotions whether short and concise or longer and complicated should never be read once quickly. All types of devotions should be read multiple times using contemplation, reflection and pausing. In those spaces of contemplation and reflection we experience the Holy Spirit interacting with us. Sometimes, individuals will reach out and provide their thoughts and reflections on their devotion. My intent has always been to create a dialogue. So read these in the way that best works for you to experience the Holy Spirit and create a dialogue with others in our community.

Wednesday December 18, 2024

Hi St. Andrew’s UMC Community…

How are you today? We are still managing our pump issue and we will have a short-term solution to get us by and a long-term solution to sustain us into the future. Now, we can choose to see this as an impediment and a nuance – which it is. Or we can be joyful that the damage has been minimal and that we are working on solutions. When we focus on Joy, we live into God’s providing nature. We don’t always get what we want but God provides for our needs in some way. So regardless of our challenges, let us live into joy!

Joy is Life Affirming

Proverbs 17:22

The third week of Advent is Joy. Joy makes sense at this time of the year, right? Parties, gifts, time off – who wouldn’t be joyous? And then there are those situations where one is struggling with loss, abusive relationships, family relationship issues, relationship issues in general, illness, finances, work challenges, etc. Why would one be joyous when one is dealing with so much emotional baggage?

When you consider the nativity scene, where do you see joy? Where do you see despair, oppression and unfairness defeated by joy? Do you see joy in Mary and Joseph? Do you see joy in the baby?

Where in your life do you have joy? What blocks you from having joy. The authors of Proverbs, an ancient text, knew that how we feel affects out physical state. Do you experience that? That when you feel down, you feel worse, and even in pain, you feel better when you have joy?

Joy, where is that found for you? Is it in something you buy or do? Or is joy innate to you – as if God gifted you with the ability to be joyous no matter what? Joy is difficult when we are dealing with trials. And yet the nativity reminds us that no matter what the circumstance, there is always space for joy? What do you need to let go of so your heart and soul will have room for God’s joy in your life?

Dear God, You created me to have joy no matter what. Yet I keep choosing non-joy. Help me to let my grip go of the situations that do not let me feel joy and be open to Your joy in my life, regardless of what is going on. Amen.

(Image: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Nativity. 2001 by Joseph Mulamba-Mandangi, Nativity, 2001.)

by Rev. Dave Piltz