December 15th, 2023
by Sarah Turner, Webster Worship Director & Digital Media Specialist
by Sarah Turner, Webster Worship Director & Digital Media Specialist
Scripture
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11
Reflection
I hope I’m not the only one, but often I find myself asking the Lord, “Why?” Sometimes it’s difficult to see the “good” in the midst of chaos. As I was meditating and reflecting on this verse, that little footnote after welfare caught my eye. So I dove in.
Sometimes I find myself living in a state of unknowns, dealing with the different complexities life has to offer. I was recently trying to describe this feeling to a friend and found myself saying “it’s like I’m flailing my arms in the shallow end of a pool, forgetting that I can just… stand up!” To me, I think that’s what that peace is. This wholeness, complete peace offered to us through Jesus. Remembering that the pool is shallow when we have the temptation to be overwhelmed by its depths. This same promise offered to the exiled Israelites in Jeremiah, return to the Lord and He will hear your prayers and restore you, is the same hope given to you and me through Jesus.
I hope in your moments of floundering in the shallow end of the pool, you can be reminded with me that we have been reconciled back to God through Jesus. This is our hope.
(Okay I want to share one more fun thing with you! If you have three minutes and forty eight seconds… check out this youtube video by The Bible Project on Shalom. It’s really cool. Shalom - Peace)
Prayer
God of Peace,
Thank you for holding us. Thank you for the gift of Jesus. Thank you for calling us back to you when we have wandered and that your grace extends in abundance. Help us remember in this season that you sent heaven down to us so that we may know you, dwell with you, delight in you. Lord, give us peace and help us become people of peace. May we experience shalom this advent season. Amen
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11
Reflection
I hope I’m not the only one, but often I find myself asking the Lord, “Why?” Sometimes it’s difficult to see the “good” in the midst of chaos. As I was meditating and reflecting on this verse, that little footnote after welfare caught my eye. So I dove in.
- Jeremiah 29:11 Or peace
Sometimes I find myself living in a state of unknowns, dealing with the different complexities life has to offer. I was recently trying to describe this feeling to a friend and found myself saying “it’s like I’m flailing my arms in the shallow end of a pool, forgetting that I can just… stand up!” To me, I think that’s what that peace is. This wholeness, complete peace offered to us through Jesus. Remembering that the pool is shallow when we have the temptation to be overwhelmed by its depths. This same promise offered to the exiled Israelites in Jeremiah, return to the Lord and He will hear your prayers and restore you, is the same hope given to you and me through Jesus.
I hope in your moments of floundering in the shallow end of the pool, you can be reminded with me that we have been reconciled back to God through Jesus. This is our hope.
(Okay I want to share one more fun thing with you! If you have three minutes and forty eight seconds… check out this youtube video by The Bible Project on Shalom. It’s really cool. Shalom - Peace)
Prayer
God of Peace,
Thank you for holding us. Thank you for the gift of Jesus. Thank you for calling us back to you when we have wandered and that your grace extends in abundance. Help us remember in this season that you sent heaven down to us so that we may know you, dwell with you, delight in you. Lord, give us peace and help us become people of peace. May we experience shalom this advent season. Amen
Posted in Advent Devotional
Recent
Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
October
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way // M-Note 10.5.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Love Thy Political Neighbor // M-Note 10.11.2024Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Fear is a Powerful Motivator // M-Note 10.19.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Why Do Bad Things Happen? // M-Note 10.26.24Why? Discussion Guide - Week 1
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 4Explore - Week 3God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideSENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23Lent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
2 Timothy
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Devotional
Discussion Guides
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Evangelism
Explore
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Hebrews
Holy Ambiguity
Holy Spirit
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Inside Voice
Isaiah
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Lectio Divina
Lent
Life
Limitations
Longing
M-Note
Matt Miofsky
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
The Bible
The Church
The Gathering
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments