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Mini-Worship
Nov. 26-Dec.1, 2024
Take a few deep breaths and center yourself and quiet down
Entering the presence of God
(M) Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
(W) My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
(All)Trust on him all times O people;
pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Confession :
Our strong and loving God, this season reminds us of waiting, expectation and celebration. We can sense that your Holy Spirit is walking among us and is whispering to us. We welcome you to help us to reflect the meaning and purpose of this season. May you remind us of your long ago promises again. May you lighten our hearts to see that hopeful future. May you keep us to walk on your righteous path. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading
Luke 1: 5-14; 76-77
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth. ...76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
Thoughts to share and to ponder
While I was reading this text, I was struck by the waiting of the couple Zechariah and Elizabeth and their belief in the fulfillment of their expectations. I was also struck by the gentle touch of God through the appearance of his angel.
Zachariah and Elizabeth were pious persons. They were faithful. They were good. They were almost perfect. The only thing which they missed was to have a child. But they just could not have any. I imagine that they lived through many profound disappointments. They probably waited from the time when they were young, through the time when they still could have children, then to the age when they did not think it possible. I am sure that they were priest family and that they prayed a lot for their own desire. But, no answer was given! I am also sure that they prayed a lot for others. They prayed a lot for the coming of God’s saving Messiah to their country fellows. But there was simply no answer. All prayers were replied with silence! Look around. Their land was ruled by one power after another power. Their people wandered everywhere for making a better living. They struggled in adjusting themselves with many new peoples and cultures. They guessed a lot about when, how, where, when God would fulfill that promise. They invented many versions of Messiah. There must be many disappointments and uncertainties. How long would they wait? How long would God show them something real? They must have felt very anxious and frustrated.
I do not know how Zechariah and Elizabeth handled these things privately. But what we know is that they kept praying, kept loving God, and kept serving people. What kept them going on? Their hope was grounded in the promises of the word of God and in who God was. They treated that waiting period as a season of waiting upon the Lord and a season of faithful working. They did what they knew. They expected. They prepared. They worked. They reached out.
And then, one day the angel appeared to them and gave them an unbelievable message, “Your prayer has been heard.” They were going to have a child after all! Not only so, God also invited them to participate in the preparation work for the coming of Messiah. What a great honor it was. It was probably most shocking news in their lives.
To us believers in this 21st century, we know that Jesus has come. We have tasted the new life in Him and through Him. We are still waiting for His second coming. Apostle John told us that His coming would be "soon." That was in the end of the first century. We are still waiting in this beginning of the 21st century. How long shall we wait for? Jesus told us that would only God the Father know that timing. We really do not have a sure answer. Look around our world; we see wars, evil works, sudden storms, tsunamis, chronic illnesses, economic recessions, space debris, global climate warmth, etc... Our personal lives are full of ups and downs. In midst of all these crises and disasters, do we see the sign that Jesus is coming back soon? How shall we live with this waiting period? Where is the base of our hope?
We can learn something from Zechariah and Elizabeth. Our waiting period is a season of waiting upon the Lord and faithful living. Our hope is grounded in the promises of the word of God. We do what we know. We expect. We prepare. We work. We reach out. We are in better time now than their time. God has given us a written word the Bible to show what God did say and how we are going to live. God also has given us the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and keep our hope alive. The waiting can be long and hard. But our hope is sure and has solid foundation. We do have many works to do.
At our personal level, we live in an "instant" age when all technologies provide us "ASAP" effect. We are losing the art of "waiting." We cannot put up with "waiting." We even do not know where to learn "waiting." Zachariah and Elizabeth taught us how to live with "waiting.” What lays heavy in your heart today? What have you waited for a very long time but simply with no answer? Keep praying. Think about your faith in God. Do not give up in your loving and serving God. Do not put aside the time waiting upon before God. In His timing in His way, God will touch our impossible difficulties with his loving and wise grace. He will turn our disappointments to His appointments.
Prayer Suggestions:
Living Jesus, come to be near us to stir up that eternal hope in us. We long for your coming again. Thank you that you have let us foretaste your awesome reign in our lives. Please lead us to reach out to the people in need and share your good news around. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Benediction
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Prayer Request
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