Advent Devotional - Day 19

He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.  (Psalm 147:14)

The gifts of God for the people of God.  That’s what I think of when I read the words of the psalmist.  God has gifted us with so much – rules to order our lives together as we develop into community – food to nourish our bodies – water to quench our thirst – scripture and prayer to nurture our faith – and the promise of peace, even in the midst of our human made divisions.  During this time of Advent, we are given the opportunity to reflect on the gifts of God for all of us.  These gifts are worthy of our praise.

Direct our thoughts, O God, away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping – and help us to voice our deep appreciation for all of the wonderful gifts that you have given to us.  Hear our prayers of thanksgiving, O God, hear our prayers. Amen.

Sylvia Carlson is chair of the Redstone mission committee and is honorably retired.

Advent Devotional - Day 19

Romans 15:13:  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

With this, Paul begins to draw his magnificent letter to the Romans to a close.  The focus is upon the agency of God in granting joy, not in some innate human ability to produce it.  When we attempt to generate joy for ourselves, we fail.

As Americans, we are obsessed with the “pursuit of happiness” as guaranteed within our founding documents.  Yet, this season and the witness of scripture remind us that joy is not the result of our pursuit; rather it is the remarkable gift of God.  Thanks be to God!

PRAYER
Lord God, may we always be turned by your Spirit to find our joy in your gifts – life, love, grace and more – and may we witness them in the faces of those around us. Amen.

Rev. Martin R. Ankrum, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Greensburg

Advent Devotional - Day 17

Luke 2:14:  Peace among those favored by God

An informed discussion of “peace” will likely “blow” everyone’s mind. “Over a period of seventeen centuries the longest era without a major war involving two or more of the ‘great powers’ of that era lasted thirty-eight years, nine months and five days.” (It’s a Different World by Lyle E. Schaller, p. 36) We have now gone 73 years!

However, Jesus of Nazareth is not a friend of peace lovers. He says: “Oh the blessedness/leadership of the peace makers.” The world and religions strive/work for a peace of escape. Jesus gifts us with a surpassing covenant contentment within hardships. (Philippians 4:7)

The phrase from the KJV which is included on most Christmas cards from Luke 2:14 “Peace, good will toward men,” should be substituted with “peace among those favored by God” which older, more reliable manuscripts translate.

In II Corinthians 5:20 we are to be ambassadors (a form of Presbyterian!) for Christ reconciling the world back to God.

Jim Farrer, Honorably Retired

Advent Devotional - Day 14

Micah 5: 4-5a:  And he shall stand and feed his flocking the strength of Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord, his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall be one of peace.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, we need to stay focused on the day that will come of total peace. In the meantime, we are called to work for peace and be people of peace in our own lives, trusting in the peace that passes all understanding.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, bless us with your peace in our lives, so that we can be a witness of your peace to a hurting world. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Glenn Hart, Commissioned Pastor Harmony Presbyterian Church, Belle Vernon and Sewickley United Presbyterian Church, West Newton 

Advent Devotional - Day 13

John 1:5:  “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

Every year, a child lights a lantern from a perpetual flame in the grotto marking the spot where tradition says Christ was born. From that flame in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, the light then spreads across Europe and North America. The “Peace Light” is shared across more and more communities, with plans to share the light across all continents. It reminds us of our unity, our connection, and our shared vision of peace through Christ who is our Peace.

On a frigid November morning, I met a man who carried the Peace Light from Massachusetts to Colorado. In the parking lot, he lit my lantern and charged me to share the light, and to share peace, with every person I meet.  Peace is shared from one person to another, like a candle flame. Christ’s light is shining in the darkness, and the light is growing to illuminate the whole world!

PRAYER
O Christ, our Light and our Peace, just like we light candles this Advent season, teach us to share your peace with our neighbors, both near and far. Amen.

Rev. Laura Blank, Pastor, Pleasant View Presbyterian Church, Smock

Advent Devotional - Day 12

Romans 12:16:  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

The choir was breaking up. Made up of retirees who liked to sing, the choir had met at our church every Monday morning for over 25 years. Now their numbers had shrunk, their voices no longer allowed them to hit the notes, and they were giving it up. But not before singing one last song. And so, they sang what they called their theme song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin with Me."

There they were – Catholics, Orthodox, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and at least one agnostic – singing as loudly and clearly as they possibly could, declaring beautifully how God's peace is to be done in this world. If only it could be. 

PRAYER
Holy God, who reaches out to us in peace in Jesus Christ, make me an instrument of your peace this very day. In Christ I live and pray. Amen

Rev. Ken Foust, Pastor, Grace Community Presbyterian Church, Lower Burrell

Advent Devotional - Day 11

Matthew 5:9:  Blessed are those who work for peace; they will be called children of God.

Redstone Presbytery has had a partnership with the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church since 2004 and the South Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church since it became the youngest country in the world in 2011. War broke out in December 2013 over issues related to political leadership. More than 3 million people were dislocated.  On October 31, 2018, a peace agreement was celebrated in Juba, South Sudan. All of the political leaders made a commitment to implementing last summer’s peace agreement. Church leaders have been very involved in the peace process from the beginning. We pray that a lasting peace is coming. 

PRAYER
God of peace, we celebrate with our partner churches, the hope for peace to finally come to South Sudan. We pray that we would all learn the ways that lead to peace.  Amen.

Rev. Sylvia Carlson, Honorably Retired

Advent Devotional - Day 10

Numbers 6:26:  The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace

Picture yourself at the manger on Christmas morning.  What do you see?  In every depiction you see two loving parents looking into the face of their newborn son.  There is a peaceful calming feeling as the baby sleeps.  Babies seem to bring a peace around us.  They make everything better.  As we remember the manger and the Baby Jesus looking up ready to bring peace to the world and take away our sins, we need to look into the faces of all the people we meet and find that peace.

PRAYER
Lord, help us to see peace in all the people we encounter as we seek your love and understanding each and every day.

Bobbi Jo Huebner, Elder, First Presbyterian Church, Belle Vernon

Advent Devotional - Second Sunday in Advent

Isaiah 9:6:  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A little peace can go a long way. 

We all find ourselves grateful for a moment or two of peace in our manic and unpredictable lives. Life grabs us by the horns and somehow manages to drag us in a dozen directions at once. The holiday season can often do just that to us, leaving a myriad of constant errands, desperate shopping, and familial disharmony in our wake.

While we search for peace, we may forget the Prince of Peace described in Isaiah, and this Wonderful Counselor hasn’t just brought peace for you and I – he has peace for the entire world. There is nothing fleeting about this peace, because, unlike the hurried moments of clarity or levity we so desperately seek on yet another frenzied day, this peace is not given by our anxious and fickle world. As Jesus explained, “peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” And the peace of Christ is forever.

Joshua Scully, Commissioned Pastor, Little Redstone Presbyterian Church, Fayette City

Lenten Devotional - Day 37

Today’s Scripture: Romans 5:1-21

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1-2)

  Peace is an elusive concept. In cultural terms, it may be the absence of war. But humans know on a very gut, instinctual level that there is a different kind of peace. We’re not sure how to find it or even what it might feel like when we get there, but we search for it in many ways. Some think they will find it if they make enough money, if they buy a bigger car, if they get a different job, a different spouse. It might be hiding in the bottom of a bottle or in the next pill. The search grows, consuming the searcher’s time, money, talents, until there is nothing left. But the search cannot stop. Like an infection, the searching moves from one member of the family to the next, leaving discontent and fear in its wake. Searching wears us down, shuts us down, and takes us down. Like a shiny object, it distracts us and disrupts our plans, our hopes and our dreams.

  Active addiction is a never-ending search, not only for the addict but also for those who love and care for her. While the addict is searching for his next high, his release from pain, the family is searching for the next treatment option, the way they can “cure” their loved one or, at the very least, keep him safe. Unsuspecting but caring individuals have been bilked out of millions of dollars trying to find the magic cure for what ails them, ranging from home remedies to expensive, intensive therapies at exotic locations to torture disguised as therapy.

  Thank God that His grace has the power to interrupt this cycle of searching! God’s grace is the antibiotic for our fear, the chain-breaker, and the peace-bringer. “My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”  (Isaiah 54:10). But how do we, as people of God, participate in the movement of the Holy Spirit to bring hope and peace to searchers? Pandita Ramabai, a social reformer and educator from India, said, “People must not only hear about the kingdom of God but they must see it in actual operation, on a small scale perhaps and in imperfect form, but a real demonstration nevertheless.” Your steps, however small and imperfect they may be, will set you on the path to peace. Resolve today to take a step.

Susan Perry, Contributor

Remember in Prayer: Our ability to see God’s grace alive and well around us.

Click Here PDF - Day 37 Devotion

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