Notorious Permalink

Jezebel

Read: 2 Kings 9:30-37

When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window. As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?” He looked up to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down; some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, which trampled on her (2 Kings 9:30-33, NRSV).

Jezebel. Her name has become a byword for wanton wickedness, a metaphor for immorality. If there were a lifetime achievement award for biblical villainy, she would be a contender.

Still, one wonders if a biographer from her home town of Sidon might have been more sympathetic than the biblical author. She is royalty, after all. Even her enemy, Jehu, admits as much when he sends some servants to “see to that cursed woman and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter” (2 Kings 9:34). A less prejudiced perspective might even highlight some admirable qualities. Let’s run with that for a moment.

Jezebel is deeply religious. (OK, so it’s a fertility cult, but her zeal is impressive.) She does her level best to kill off all the prophets of the LORD (1 Kings 18:4). Plus, she is a staunch patron of the prophets of her own gods, Baal and Ashera. Four hundred of the prophets of Ashera were said to eat at her table (1 Kings 18:19). That must have been some running tab.

She is politically ambitious and has the intelligence and savvy to achieve her goals. In fact, she and her husband, Ahab, are the original power couple. (Think Francis and Claire Underwood in House of Cards.) One could argue that she’s the more powerful of the two, especially in light of her “take charge” attitude in the Naboth’s vineyard incident (see 1 Kings 21). She must have clerked at a local law firm to come up with that plot to entrap Naboth and steal his coveted vineyard.

We should also acknowledge her strength, courage, and adaptability. It couldn’t have been easy coming into a foreign palace—and a foreign culture—as an outsider. Yet, she thrives on the challenge. Even the prophet Elijah—riding the wave of a spectacular victory over the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18—turns tail and runs for the wilderness when Jezebel threatens him (1 Kings 19).

And then there is this final scene in 2 Kings 9—Jezebel’s spectacular exit. You have to admire her poise. When Jehu the usurper rides into town (fresh from killing Jezebel’s son, Joram), Jezebel must know the score. Yet, she calmly applies her make-up. After taking her own sweet time, she makes her way to the window and hurls out an insult designed to cut Jehu to the quick. “Zimri,” she calls him. Zimri was an infamous assassin whose reign didn’t outlast a head of lettuce (1 Kings 16:8-20). Say what you will about Jezebel, that insult was well-aimed.

Jehu, of course, is not amused. “Who is on my side? Who?” he shouts. Three of Jezebel’s eunuchs shoulder past her to stick their heads out the window. “Throw her down,” Jehu commands. One imagines them glancing at one another and shrugging. (Hmmm—why might three men castrated so they could serve in the queen’s bedchamber have reason for resentment?) They toss her out.

By the time anyone ambles down into the courtyard to retrieve her body, there’s not much left of it. The biblical author is quick to remind us that this poetic justice is in perfect fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy that the dogs would lick up her blood at the scene of one of her most notorious crimes—the murder of Naboth. What goes around comes around, I guess you could say.

Jezebel surely deserves her notoriety. Still, we’re drawn to her character even as we’re repelled by it. (Think Tony Soprano.) And I think it’s that mix of admiration and revulsion that makes her one of the Bible’s most memorable characters.

Say what you will about Jezebel, you’ll never forget her.

Ponder the misogynistic, racist trope that applies the term “Jezebel” to women of color. (Hint: it says more about the people who use it than the women they slander.)

Pray: Judge us all according to your steadfast love and mercy, gracious God. Shape our values and our character according to those same qualities.

 Notorious Permalink

Cain

Read: Genesis 4:1-16

Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:8-9, NRSV).

Cain is notorious for being the world’s first murderer. While that reputation is well-deserved, I would like to focus on his facility for lying. Since most of us are not guilty of murder, it’s easy to sidestep this story as being “about somebody else.” When we focus on Cain’s lies, however, it’s a story that strikes closer to home.

So, Cain and Abel each present an offering to the LORD. God shows a preference for Abel’s offering (we’re not told why), and Cain is not amused. In fact, he is “very angry.” God notices this, and warns Cain that he is on thin ice. (Actually, the metaphor God uses is that “sin is lurking at the door,” which sounds every bit as dangerous.) Cain, however, ignores the warning and invites his brother out for a walk from which Abel will not return. Did Cain plan to kill his brother on that walk? If so, it’s premeditated murder. In any case, God shows up after the fact and confronts Cain with a question: “Where is your brother Abel?”

We as readers may have some questions at this point as well. If God knew that Cain was a ticking time bomb, why didn’t God stop him rather than simply warn him? If God knew what happened, why did God bother to ask? While these are good questions, the Bible isn’t interested in answering them, so I suggest we move on. The biblical storyteller is interested in Cain’s response to God’s question, so let’s look there. “I don’t know,” Cain says. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

First of all, “I do not know” is a bald-faced lie. Cain knows full well that Abel is lying dead in a field somewhere. Cain could have led God right to the scene of the crime—or at least he could have if he weren’t so eager to distance himself from the deed.

In for a penny, in for a pound, as they say. So, Cain shrugs his shoulders and asks, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

You’ve got to hand it to him. This is a classic bit of misdirection designed to make God feel guilty even for asking. If God were more of a push-over, God might have replied, “Oh, well, no—sorry I asked.” But God is not a push-over, and is having none of it. Of course, being omniscient helps some, too, and God knows full well that Abel is lying in a pool of his own blood and that it was Cain that put him there. So, there is that. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that after the initial lie, Cain’s first instinct is to shift the blame.

One could argue that Cain came by this character flaw quite naturally. Back in Genesis 3 Cain’s father, Adam, is quick to blame Cain’s mother, Eve, for the forbidden fruit affair. She in turn passes the buck to the snake. But God is not fooled by either of them, and wastes no time dealing out the consequences.

There are consequences for Cain as well. First, he will have a much harder time farming. There is a certain poetic justice to this, since he desecrated the ground by spilling his brother’s blood on it. But God also condemns him to being a “fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” This is too much for Cain, and he cries out that “My punishment is greater than I can bear.”

This is the point at which God puts a “mark” on Cain—not to brand him as a murderer but to protect him from being a “marked man.” Justice, it seems, is being tempered with mercy. It’s a lesson Cain will have the rest of his lonely life to learn.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain asked earlier in the story. Ironically, that’s the moment when he inadvertently stumbles onto the truth. He expects the answer to his rhetorical question to be “No.” But it’s “Yes.” Yes—a thousand times yes. We are our brothers’ and our sisters’ keepers.

Ponder this quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” When is silence not only betrayal, but a lie we tell ourselves?

Pray: Give us the wisdom to know the truth and to tell it—to ourselves, to others, and to You.

 

“Notorious” Series Introduction

The dictionary defines someone who is “notorious” as a person who is “famous or well-known, typically for some bad quality or deed.”

Some of the characters featured in this series deserve that reputation; others do not. We’ll take a closer look at those in both categories, and you can make up your own mind. But whether the characters deserve to go to jail or to rehab, they can teach us a few things about integrity.

So, strap yourselves in and get ready to meet some of the Bible’s most notorious characters!

Carol M. Bechtel

 Christmas Permalink

Love Came Down at Christmas

Dear readers: This was scheduled to go out several days ago, but it didn’t. Sorry for the delay. Happy epiphany!

Photo by Mieke Butera*

Read: John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14, NRSV).

Many of us stop celebrating Christmas on December 26—or whenever the leftovers are gone and the tree is taken down. But in some parts of the world, Christmastide stretches all the way to Epiphany on January 6. Not only does this make room for a more generous celebration, but it also gives the faithful a full twelve days to contemplate the meaning of Christmas. Given the weight of that wonder, I’m not sure twelve days are enough.

Incarnation. The word itself is unremarkable. In fact, it may seem a little dull—like something only a seminary professor might get excited about. But what difference does it make for the rest of us? Or for the rest of creation?

Although I am a seminary professor, I’m not silly enough to think I can explain the cosmic consequences of the Word made flesh. Better, perhaps, to pass the baton to a poet. Christina Rosetti puts it this way:

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Rather than try to dissect the incarnation, Rosetti is content to hint at it. The goal is not so much to explain as to evoke a sense of wonder.

I especially like the way she sets us searching for a sign. Like the shepherds with their angel, and the wise men with their star, Rosetti recognizes that all of us long for a sign that this unlikely story is true. Love, she says, is “plea and gift and sign” all at once. Look for love, and you will not be far from God made manifest among us.

Another poet, G. K. Chesteron, says something similar in a poem called “The House of Christmas.” I’ve paraphrased the poem slightly to make room for the incarnation’s implications for all creation, but the star of love’s sign is easy enough to follow. At last, the journey leads–

To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all [creation is] at home.

For me, that poem is its own kind of epiphany.

Ponder this beautiful setting of Rosetti’s poem,  Love Came Down at Christmas

Pray: Lead us to the end of the way of the wandering star…to the things that cannot be and that are.

*The photo is by Mieke Butera, who caught this picture of a European robin in a snowy olive tree outside her home in Torre Pellice, Italy. “For some time now,” she writes, “he comes to greet me every morning and finds breadcrumbs.”

 Christmas Permalink

In the Bleak Midwinter

Read: 1 John 4:16b & 19

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them…We love because [God] first loved us (1 John 4:16b & 19, NRSV).

As I write this reflection, many of us in the Midwest are bracing for a blizzard. That, and the fact that it is just a few days before Christmas, brings to mind a line from Christina Rosetti’s Christmas carol, “In the Bleak Midwinter”: Snow was falling snow on snow—snow on snow. While I’ve always wondered if that line was fancifully applied to Palestine, it aptly describes what I’m seeing out my window!

A closer look at Rosetti’s poem reveals far more than a weather report, however. The first stanza sets the stage by calling our attention to a cold, unwelcoming setting.

In the bleak midwinterFrosty wind made moanEarth stood hard as ironWater like a stone

Snow had fallenSnow on snow on snowIn the bleak midwinterLong, long ago

The point is less about the weather than it is about the brutality of the conditions into which God is willing to become incarnate. In the next stanza, the angels come to bear witness to this wonder, and Mary worships the Christ-child with a kiss.

Angels and Arc AngelsMay have traveled thereCherubim and SeraphimThronged the air

But only his MotherIn her maiden blissWorshiped the belovedWith a kiss

Mary’s kiss gives rise to a question. What can I give him? The answer is at once obvious and profound.

What can I give him?Poor as I amIf I were a shepherdI would give a lambIf I were a wise man

I would do my partBut what I can I give himGive him my heartGive him my heart

As you gather to exchange gifts with friends and loved ones during this season, give some thought to what this poem suggests about the most important “gift exchange” of all. We love because God first loved us, after all. God’s gift to us in Jesus Christ demands nothing less than our hearts—given freely, joyfully, and fully.

What might that look like in your life? What might that look like in the life of your church?

If we read ahead in 1 John 4, we may well get some help answering these questions. Verse 21 says: The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

Ponder this beautiful setting of Rosetti’s poem as you reflect on what it means to “give your heart.” It is set to a tune by Gustav Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter – Rosetti & Holst. Note that the choir singing the carol is donating all proceeds from the recording to cancer research.

Pray: Give us the wisdom to know how to respond to the gift of your love, gracious God.

 Advent Calendar 2022 Permalink

Advent Calendar Readings for 2022 – Week 4

Introduction

I hope you are enjoying your Advent calendar. We’re reading a few verses from the Bible each day as we count down until Christmas.

This week we’ll finally find our way to the stable where Jesus was born, but there will be some interesting things that happen along the way. Enjoy!

Week Four:

Dec. 18

Mary’s Song of Praise (Part 2)

Read: Luke 1:51-56 (NRSVue)

51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

Ponder: How do you suppose Mary and Elizabeth spent those three months together? What did they talk about? What did they do?

Dec. 19

The Birth of John the Baptist

Read: Luke 1:57-66 (NRSVue)

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

Ponder: What do you imagine Zechariah was thinking when the neighbors motioned for him?

Dec. 20

Zechariah’s Prophecy (Part 1)

Read: Luke 1:67-74 (NRSVue)

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his child David,
70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71   that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us

74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.

Ponder: The birth of John was really big news for Zechariah and Elizabeth. But what does Zechariah talk about as soon as he is able to speak? Why do you think he did that?

Dec. 21

Zechariah’s Prophecy (Part 2)

Read: Luke 1:76-80 (NRSVue)

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Ponder: What are Zechariah’s hopes for his son?

Dec. 22

The Birth of Jesus

Read: Luke 2:1-7 (NRSVue)

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

Ponder: The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 90 miles. Imagine the conversation between Joseph and Mary when they found out they would have to make the trip. What do you think they said to each other? Remember that they couldn’t use an airplane or a train or a car.

Dec. 23

The Shepherds and the Angels (Part 1)

Read: Luke 2: 8-14 (NRSVue)

8 Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

Ponder: Retell this part of the story from the perspective of one of the sheep. What did you see? What did you hear? How did it make you feel?

Dec. 24

The Shepherds and the Angels (Part 2)

Read: Luke 2:15-20 (NRSVue)

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, 19 and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

Ponder: Why do you suppose the shepherd’s words meant so much to Mary? What do you think it means when it says that she “pondered them in her heart”?

Dec. 25

Merry Christmas! Here is a poem about the meaning of Christmas by Christina Rosetti. It’s called “Love Came Down at Christmas.” You can listen to it and sing along if you click on the link.

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love incarnate, love divine;
Worship we our Jesus:
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,
Love shall be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and to all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Ponder: How will you show a sign of love today?

 Advent Calendar 2022 Permalink

ADVENT CALENDAR 2022 – WEEK 3

Introduction

I hope you are enjoying your Advent calendar! We’re reading a few verses from the Bible each day as we count down until Christmas.

This week we continue the story of the birth of John the Baptist. We’ll also hear the story of how Mary learns that she will be the mother of Jesus.

Week Three:

Dec. 11

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (Part 3)

Read: Luke 1:13-17 (NRSVue)

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Ponder: Imagine that you are Zechariah. What are you feeling as you hear the angel’s words? Surprise? Joy? Fear? Confusion?

Dec. 12

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (Part 4)

Read: Luke 1:18-20 (NRSVue)

 18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.”

Ponder: What do you think Gabriel was trying to teach Zechariah by taking away his ability to speak?

Dec. 13

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (Part 5)

Read: Luke 1:21-25 (NRSVue)

21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. 23 When his time of service was ended, he returned to his home.

24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25 “This is what the Lord has done for me in this time, when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”

Ponder: What do you think it was like when Zechariah got home unable to speak, but with great news to share?

Dec. 14

The Birth of Jesus Foretold (Part 1)

Read: Luke 1:26-33 (NRSVue)

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Ponder: What do you suppose Mary might have been doing just before Gabriel showed up?

Dec. 15

The Birth of Jesus Foretold (Part 2)

Read: Luke 1:34-38 (NRSVue)

34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Ponder: What do you suppose Mary might have done just after Gabriel left?

Dec. 16

Mary Visits Elizabeth

Read: Luke 1:39-45 (NRSVue)

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Ponder:  Why do you think Mary was so eager to visit Elizabeth?

Dec. 17

Mary’s Song of Praise (Part 1)

Read: Luke 1:46-50 (NRSVue)

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

Ponder: A magnifying glass makes things look bigger and clearer. How do Mary’s words “magnify” the Lord?

 Advent Calendar 2022 Permalink

Advent Calendar 2022 – Week 2

 

Introduction

I hope you are enjoying your Advent calendar! We’re reading a few verses from the Bible each day as we count down until Christmas Day.

This week we continue the story of Moses from the book of Exodus, and by the end of the week we’ll begin the story of Jesus from the book of Luke.

 Week Two:

Dec. 4

Moses Flees to Midian (Part 2)

Read: Exodus 2:15b-22 (NRSVue)

So Moses fled from Pharaoh. He settled in the land of Midian and sat down by a well. 16 The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 But some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and came to their defense and watered their flock. 18 When they returned to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come back so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian helped us against the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Invite him to share a meal.” 21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage. 22 She bore a son, and he named him Gershom, for he said, “I have been an alien residing in a foreign land.”

Ponder: Why do you think Moses helped the women?

 Dec. 5

Moses Flees to Midian (Part 3)

Read: Exodus 2:23-25 (NRSVue)

23 After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery and cried out. Their cry for help rose up to God from their slavery. 24 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them.

Ponder: Why is it so important to know that God hears and cares when we cry?

 Dec. 6

Moses at the Burning Bush (Part 1)

Read: Exodus 3:1-2 (NRSVue)

3 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb,[d] the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

Ponder: Why do you think God used a burning bush to get Moses’ attention?

Dec. 7 

Moses at the Burning Bush (Part 2)

Read: Exodus 3:3-6 (NRSVue)

3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Ponder: What do you think Moses might have written in his diary that night?

 Dec. 8

Moses at the Burning Bush (Part 3)

Read: Exodus 3:7-10 (NRSVue)

7 Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Now go, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

Ponder: How do you think Moses felt when he heard that God wanted to save the Israelites? How do you think he felt when he heard that God wanted to send him to help with that?

Dec. 9

Readings from Luke 1-2 (NRSV Updated Edition)

Introduction

Today we are going to start reading some stories from the book of Luke. They tell us about things that happened just before Jesus was born. Just like the story of Moses, these stories teach us about how much God loves us and wants to help us when we are in trouble.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (Part 1)

Read: Luke 1:5-7 (NRSVue)

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Ponder: Zechariah and Elizabeth had probably given up on having any children. Have you ever felt like giving up when you waited a long time for something you really wanted? What was that like?

Dec. 10

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold (Part 2)

Read: Luke 1:8-12 (NRSVue)

8 Once when he was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. 10 Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified, and fear overwhelmed him.

Ponder: What do you think the angel looked like? Draw a picture.

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Advent Calendar 2022 – Week 1

Week One:

Nov. 27

Introduction

I hope you are excited to start your Advent calendar! Each day we will read a few verses from the Bible as we count down the days until Christmas Day.

We’re going to start with the story of Moses in the book of Exodus. Some parts of this story are a little scary, but it reminds us that God knows when we are afraid and will come to help us. This is also an important part of the story of Jesus, which we’ll read later.

As the prophet Isaiah said:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine… because you are precious in my sight and honored and I love you” (Isaiah 43:1b & 4a (NRSVue).

Ponder: Had you ever thought about the fact that God knows your name? How does that make you feel?

 

Nov. 28

Joseph and his Descendants in Egypt

Read: Exodus 1:1-7 (NRSVue)

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 The total number of people born to Jacob was seventy. (Joseph was already in Egypt.) 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and that whole generation. 7 But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Ponder: How many people are in your family? Can you name all your cousins? Remember that God loves families of all shapes and sizes.

 

Nov. 29

The Israelites are Oppressed (Part 1)

Read: Exodus 1:8-14 (NRSVue)

8 Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13 The Egyptians subjected the Israelites to hard servitude 14 and made their lives bitter with hard servitude in mortar and bricks and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

Ponder: Why do you think the Pharaoh was so mean to the Joseph’s family? What does it feel like when someone is mean to you?

 

Nov. 30

The Israelites are Oppressed (Part 2)

Read: Exodus 1:15-22 (NRSVue)

15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and allowed the boys to live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.”

Ponder: The Hebrew midwives were very brave. Why do you think they disobeyed Pharaoh’s order?

 

Dec. 1

Birth and Youth of Moses (Part 1)

Read: Exodus 2:1-4 (NRSVue)

1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. 4 His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

Ponder: How do you think the mother and sister felt as they watched to see what would happen to the baby in the basket?

 

Dec. 2

Birth and Youth of Moses (Part 2)

Read: Exodus 2:5-10 (NRSVue)

5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed it. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

Ponder: What do you think Moses’ sister, Miriam, thought and felt when she saw Pharaoh’s daughter open the basket?

 

Dec. 3

Moses Flees to Midian (Part 1)

Read: Exodus 2:11-15

11 One day after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and saw their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting, and he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.

Ponder: Have you ever gotten into trouble for trying to help someone? How did that make you feel?

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Getting Ready to Wait

Read: Luke 2:25-35

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah (Luke 2:25-26, NRSV).

It was the L’Occitane ad that put me over the edge. For only $80, the ad extolled, I could order their “Classic Advent Calendar” and “unbox 24 days of delights”—i.e.—their most popular skin-care products. And for $140 I could get the premium version, which would allow me to “indulge in our most luxurious gifts, from nourishing shea to powerful anti-aging” products.

I could use their anti-aging serum as much as the next person, but I’m not buying their attempt to coopt Advent for commercial gain. Neither am I content to capitulate to our culture’s impatience, treating the whole month of December (and even November) as one big Christmas extravaganza.

Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to the story of Simeon. He’d been waiting his whole life—and his people had been waiting for centuries. Yet, when he saw the Christ child, he knew that the wait had been worth it. Taking the baby into his arms, he poured out all his pent-up praise, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word: for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

It’s also why I’ve decided to use this space to share an Advent Calendar. Consider it as my small act of protest. It’s a bit different from my usual offerings, but I’m hoping it will help people of all ages join in a countdown to a less commercial Christmas.

The series will start next week, so if you want to buy a special calendar, feel free. (Although it’s not necessary, and I would certainly steer clear of the “premium” versions!) It will feature two stories—one from the Old Testament and one from the New. We’ll begin with the story of Moses in Exodus 1-3 and then move on to Luke’s version of the Christmas story in Luke 2. I’ve decided to try out the new updated edition of the NRSV (NRSVue), hoping that it will make the stories more accessible for all ages. As difficult as it is for me, I have refrained from commenting on the stories themselves, although I do include one or two questions for people of all ages to “ponder.”

Since Advent begins on Sunday, November 27, look for the first week’s readings to show up in your inbox (or on Facebook) on Saturday, November 26. Until then, let’s get ready to wait!

Ponder: Did you grow up with Advent? How does it help us to wait? How does the secular, commercialized version of it undercut that?

Pray: Teach us to wait, faithful God, and to trust in your love for us.

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Love On the Menu

Read: Proverbs 15:17

Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it (Proverbs 15:17, NRSV).

How does the old song go? Over the river and through the woods—to Grandmother’s house we go….

It was November of 2000, and my husband and I were making our annual pilgrimage to the family farm for Thanksgiving. I don’t remember going over the river or through the woods. I don’t even remember the traffic around Chicago. What I do remember is being glued to NPR, waiting for news of who had won the presidential election.

But wait, you may be saying. Why were you still waiting for the results of the presidential election at Thanksgiving? We were waiting because the election was so close, everything hinged on a recount in Florida to determine who would win the electoral college. That recount was mandated by state law since George W. Bush was only 537 votes ahead of Al Gore (who had, for the record, won the national popular vote). The election wasn’t decided until December 12, when the Supreme Court, in a 5 to 4 decision, stopped the recount and effectively declared George W. Bush the winner.

All of this is to say: You think it’s tense THIS year?

Realistically, though, there is a sense in which it is more tense this year. Our nation is even more polarized politically and culturally than it was two decades ago. And as we anticipate our annual holiday gatherings, tension will be on the menu for most of us.

Which brings me to this pithy little verse from Proverbs.

Proverbs become proverbs because generations of people recognize the truth in them. Having said that, it’s easy to see why Proverbs 15:17 made the grade. Many of us have learned the truth of this one the hard way.

But what wisdom does this proverb offer to those of us who are preparing to head over the river and through the woods to family gatherings fraught with tension?

Maybe this proverb is telling you to avoid the gathering altogether. Better a green bean casserole at home than turkey with all the fixings in a war zone.

Or maybe it’s nudging you to make sure love is on the menu. This is easier said than done, obviously. You could start by praying for your “frenemies.” It worked for Job and Jesus, after all. Of course, the relatives on the opposite end of the political spectrum may well be praying for you, too, but God will sort that out. I’ve always suspected such prayers benefit the “pray-er” more than the “pray-ee,” anyway, so it’s worth a try.

May God grant you courage, wisdom, patience, and grace as you anticipate family gatherings this year. And may love be the main thing on the menu.

Ponder: In Britain people often refer to political opponents as the “loyal opposition.” In the U.S.A. we’ve taken to thinking of them as “the enemy.” What are the causes of this? The consequences?

Pray: Grant us courage, wisdom, patience, and grace, O God. And then grant the same to those with whom we disagree.