by David Anderson
Matthew 22: 15-22 “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” At Advent we say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” The Lord of your life is the one who receives your highest loyalty. Who is that for you? When Jesus’ enemies asked him the loaded question about paying taxes to Caesar, Jesus asked for a coin stamped with Caesar’s […]
by David Anderson 3 Comments Filed Under: Advent, authority, Identity, Surrender
Isaiah 2:1-6 “They shall beat their swords into plowshares,and their spears into pruning-knives.” On October 7th Yaron Bob was happily living in his kibbutz, one mile from the Gaza border. Then terror struck. “A lot of my friends were killed,” said Bob. He survived after hiding in a safe room for 33 hours with no […]
by David Anderson 1 Comment Filed Under: Advent, Conflict, Faith in Action, Healing, Justice/Peace, Peace, Transformation
James 5:7 “Be patient, then, my friends, until the coming of the Lord.” Advent is not simply about the first coming, or even the second coming of Christ. There is a third advent. St. Bernard of Clairvaux called it the “Middle Coming,” the long, faithful road from Bethlehem to the end of time. Here is […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Awe, Seeing, Uncategorized
Luke 1:57-80 “The morning sun from heaven will rise upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.” When John the Baptist is born, his father Zechariah bursts into a song of praise. John will merely pave the […]
by David Anderson 3 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Awareness, Discernment, LIght, Seeing
Isaiah 61:1-3 “…to proclaim liberty to captives and release to those in prison.” Jesus begins his ministry in a synagogue, reading from the prophet Isaiah’s scroll. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, . . . freedom for the prisoners and recovery […]
by David Anderson 7 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Freedom, Hope, Justice/Peace, Mercy
Exodus 3: 1-12 “And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside and seethis great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” The story of the Burning Bush begins with a murder. The only reason Moses is out here in the wilderness is because, in his zeal and anger, he killed an Egyptian slave master who was […]
by David Anderson 3 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Awareness, Awe, Death/Dying, Discernment, Faith/Trust, Mystery, Now/ the Present, Salvation, Silence, Surrender, Transformation
Isaiah 40:1-8 “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” I want to go home. If you’ve ever been far from home, felt lost or trapped in the wrong place, you know how the people of Israel felt in exile. They want to go home, […]
by David Anderson 7 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Faith/Trust, Faithfulness, Hope, Identity, Salvation, Waiting
Matthew 3:1-12 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is comingafter me . . . he will baptize you with fire.” One of the truest rock ‘n roll songs I know is AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” It’s an anthem of excess that screams, If “livin’ easy, livin’ free” lands me in hell, […]
by David Anderson 9 Comments Filed Under: Advent, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Salvation