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What does a generous life look like? Generous in what way? For some people, it means giving money to worthy causes. For others, it might be using their time with someone who needs comfort or help with chores.  We can use our social connections to help others find employment or support for a difficult situation. Our world often points to those who make grand gestures, but giving is more about a lifestyle than a one-time donation. It’s a spiritual discipline that all Christians need to practice.   Proverbs 11:24-25:  “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”   How can we practice generosity?  Remember that’s it not the amount that counts, but the spirit in which we give to and serve others. I came across this little story on the internet about a wealthy man who complained to the pastor about giving.  “Do you have any idea how much money I make? How could I possibly give 10 percent away?” To which the pastor, replied, “Let’s pray together that God will reduce your income to a level where you feel comfortable giving 10 percent away.”   Giving is hard, no matter how much you have. Generosity fits a disciple and it’s all about the posture of the heart. You can’t out-give God!

I’m worried I may be replaced. At least in some measure. I have been trying out a new Artificial Intelligence Content Writer. You can ask it to write an essay, or create an article or advertisement. It will even write a sermon based on a bible passage and it does. It’s pretty good too.This month I am writing about our spiritual practices or disciplines. I asked it to write an article on why going to church is important. Here’s part of what it wrote for me:Attending church is an important aspect of many people’s lives, and there are many reasons why it is worth making the effort to go. Here are a few reasons why going to church is important: In conclusion, attending church is an important aspect of many people’s lives for various reasons.I think the AI Writer did a good job. All excellent points. So, I may not be needed to write these articles in the future. Time will tell.  But as a member of the church, you are still needed. You can’t be replaced. We need each other in order to grow in our faith. Technology can’t replace that. We weren’t meant to be alone. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5 As we commit to new habits in the coming year, let’s not forget about regularly being with the church. For your sake and for others, show up and be counted.

The fight was over something silly. She told him that they needed milk for the morning. He said he had checked and there was lots of milk. He didn’t need to go out and get more. But the next morning there was no milk. Now he blames her, and she’s frustrated because he just can’t admit he lied. The boss wanted the documents so he could close the file. She said they had been left at home and she’d bring them tomorrow. In truth, she had lost the paperwork and was scrambling to figure out where they had gone. She didn’t want to have to tell her boss the truth. Why is it so difficult to admit when we are wrong or make a mistake? There seem to be a lot of people in the public eye these days who have a hard time admitting they ever did anything wrong. When presented with evidence and eyewitness accounts, they spin a story about how everyone else is to blame. It’s just not popular to own our errors or blunders. Confession is an important part of our Christian faith. Richard Foster starts his chapter on the Discipline of Confession with these words, “At the heart of God is the desire to forgive and to give.” Yet to receive the forgiveness of God and live in right relationship with him it is necessary that we confess our wrongdoings. Worse, we must confess that we have sinned.  The very thing most people hate to do. It’s not just an initial confession that is needed. Part of a Christian’s spiritual life includes regular confession. It is another one of our spiritual practices or disciplines. We need to regularly examine our hearts and see if there is anything that is displeasing to him. Anything we need to confess as sinful or not of Christ. While we have been saved, it doesn’t mean we never sin again. Acknowledging our sins is what keeps us close in our walk with God.  This calls for some time in our day when we give careful reflection on how we used our words, what our motives were, or what was in our thought life. The Psalmist reminds us of the power of confession.Blessed is the one    whose transgressions are forgiven,    whose sins are covered.Blessed is the one    whose sin the Lord does not count against them    and in whose spirit is no deceit.When I kept silent,    my bones wasted away    through my groaning all day long.For day and night    your hand was heavy on me;my strength was sapped    as in the heat of summer.Then I acknowledged my sin to you    and did not cover up my iniquity.I said, “I will confess    my transgressions to the Lord.”And you forgave    the guilt of my sin. (Psalm 32:1-5) How good it is to be forgiven. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience that today.

If you live in Switzerland, you are familiar with the official ‘quiet hours’. Every day from noon to 1 pm, 10 pm to 7 am and all-day Sunday, we are to refrain from ‘excessive’ noise. Times may vary between cantons, but we are to respect our neighbors by keeping it down. What exactly counts as a noise violation is a little vague. The good news, however, is that if you do violate the noise ordinance you will be notified. When was the last time you really had silence? We live in a noisy world that seeks to grab our attention for every waking moment. If it’s not music playing in the background, it’s our phone notifications making sure we don’t miss anything. Our world is designed to keep us busy, so we don’t pay attention to the important things. Over the centuries, one key spiritual discipline for Christians is practicing silence. Simply being quiet before the Lord. If the monks, centuries ago, needed this discipline, how much more are we needing it today? How can God speak to us when we are so distracted by everything around us? How can we formulate our prayers and think about our souls? When do we have time to hear the voice of the Lord? Silence is a spiritual practice. It is necessary to renew and restore us.  When Jesus was travelling and teaching, he had a regular habit of withdrawing in order to be with the Father. “The news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16) It wasn’t just that Jesus took time to pray but he would find a quiet place to do so. When was the last time you really had silence? For some, quietness is uncomfortable. But it is essential. Start small. Schedule some time when the phone and computer are off. No checking notifications. No one else around. Can you sit quietly for 10 minutes? Can you invite God to fill those moments with his presence? If our desire is to grow in Christ-like character, then we need silence to hear.

We have apps now that will measure most of our activities during the day. Our steps are counted and calories calculated. I get a weekly report on how many hours of screen time I’ve wasted. I get a morning reminder from our office suite about my tasks and what projects are left undone. However, I haven’t yet found an app that tracks my time spent in prayer. That might be a good thing. I’m not sure I am always as faithful in prayer as I think I am or want to be. For a Christian, prayer is one of those keystone habits we hear so much about. Keystone habits are those routines and practices that we use to operate our lives. There are certain routines we do so often that they become regular habits. Most of the time those habits make life better. At the beginning of a New Year, we often think about resolutions or goals that we have for the year ahead. It’s the 4th of January and you may already be behind. But don’t give up. Making prayer a regular part of our lives doesn’t need to be hard. We do need to be intentional, but we don’t have to make it difficult. No one starts off by praying for an hour each day. Many times, our prayer takes place over the course of the day in little bits here and there. The main thing is to start a practice, find a time and keep the routine. We are counselled to devote ourselves “to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2) Some of the best advice on prayer comes from the Alpha course. In the session on prayer, a priest offers these three pointers: Keep it simple – no need for formal or fancy words Keep it honest – be yourself and share from the heart Keep it going – make it regular, even when it’s tough Starting with that routine should be easy enough for all of us. Building spiritual practices into our lives isn’t meant to burden us, but rather place us before God where he can speak into our lives and do the work that only he can.

What do you call this period of time between Christmas and New Year’s? The Norwegians have a name for these six days: Romjul. In the UK it might be referred to as Boxing Week while some in the United States are calling it Twixtmas.  It can be an odd period of time when we aren’t quite sure what to do with ourselves. Some people have to work for a few days. Others are off for the week and finding ways to spend the downtime. Not many of us feel like starting any big projects in the middle of this lull. No matter what you call it, it leaves us in limbo before we start the New Year and get down to working on our resolutions.   As we prepare to say goodbye to 2022, I want to leave you with a simple verse of scripture: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)  This week we might find ourselves with more time to think and contemplate. Each year brings its own joys and sorrows. It’s important to acknowledge the good times and the bad times. But whatever you have been through, whatever you are hoping for or expecting in the days ahead, know this – God is faithful. Remembering this truth will help carry you through the days to come.   My prayer for you in 2023 is that you would grow in your knowledge and depth of God’s faithfulness and love. 

The mystery of Christmas isn’t some secret that we don’t know. It’s about a reality that our minds have trouble comprehending: the God of the universe became a baby.   There is one common characteristic about every baby ever born – helplessness. They can literally do nothing for themselves. A baby must be fed, burped, and have their diaper changed by someone else. They must be picked up and moved, protected from the elements, and cared for or they don’t survive. How is it possible that the God of the universe would willingly subject himself to become such a powerless infant? How could he trust a young inexperienced couple with his future here on earth? That is the mystery. As one writer put it: “God’s infinity, dwindled to infancy.”  As Jesus grew, he was just like any other child. The creator of the universe, the one who separated the land from the sea, had to learn to crawl across the floor before he could take his first steps. I wonder what his first words were. Did he drool much when he started teething? Did he catch the typical childhood illnesses?   It is astounding that our God came to earth and was just like us. He knows what it is like to be helpless and frail, dependent on someone else. He did it willingly because he loved us. It wasn’t an experiment so that he could simply identify with his creatures. He came because there was no other way to rescue us from the powers of sin and death. To help helpless people, God himself needed to become the helpless one. A Christmas mystery indeed.   “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”  Galatians 4:4-5  Christmas evokes many feelings in people. But seldom do we pause to try and comprehend the baby lying in a manger. He is fully God and fully human – Emmanuel, God with us. May we never lose the sense of wonder and mystery at Christmas.   Have a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas.  

In many ways, he was a man who had it all. He was a strong and powerful king who had been successful on the battlefield. He was handsome and a gifted musician. His court was well established; his kingdom was growing wealthier. This man of action was deeply prayerful and attentive to his inner life. King David was a man after God’s own heart. And yet, his family was a mess. More problems than we can count. Upon hearing about his son Absalom’s death, David cried out “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son! (2 Samuel 18:33) What’s so stunning about this verse is that Absalom died while trying to kill his father and take over the kingdom. Into this family mess the prophet Nathan had already spoken God’s promise: “‘The Lord declares to you (David) that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood … and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever … my love will never be taken away from him…Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:11-16) In the middle of his messy life, raising children, fighting battles, and dealing with the disappointments of family, God makes this promise to David of an everlasting kingdom and a descendant to rule. As Fleming Rutledge writes: “God did not wait until David got his family straightened out before he made the promise. God’s unconditional promise came to David in spite of himself.” Here in the middle of the Old Testament is the promise of God we find realized at Christmas. God did raise up a descendant of David to rule forever. Things don’t need to be perfect. We don’t need to be perfect for God to keep his word. God’s promises are faithful and true even when we are not. All we can do is look upon God’s goodness in wonder and give him thanks.

When we think of Christmas, it’s hard not to think about children. It seems like a holiday for those who are carefree and innocent. We love watching their wonder and joy throughout the season.   But in Luke’s gospel, he starts with the old people. Well, not the really old people, more likely middle-aged. People for whom wonder and joy seem to be far away. People who have grown a little cynical. Zechariah and Elizabeth had been married for many years, but without children. Beyond social judgement, they would have suffered with their own disappointment and sadness. Yet they were faithful to God and continued to serve him. One day as Zechariah is chosen to serve in the Holy of Holies, everything changes. Their long-awaited dream, perhaps even a dead dream comes true. After many long years, God has answered their prayer for a son. (Luke 1:5-25)  Luke isn’t finished. He does include the really old people, the senior citizens. People who longed to hear from God but aged while waiting. Simeon, waiting for God’s promise to him, is moved by the Spirit to visit the temple. He lays eyes on Jesus and suddenly he is at peace. Anna spent years of her widowhood hanging around the temple in prayer and fasting. That same day the Spirit reveals the Messiah to her. God has indeed spoken and answered their heart’s desire. (Luke 2:22-40)  Many spiritual and faithful people have, at times, felt that God is hidden or silent. Anguishing prayers of sorrow, crying out to God are found in the Psalms and in the lives of many saints.  Amid pain and questions about life, God seems to be absent. Why doesn’t he answer our prayers? Theologians even have a term for that – Dues Absconditus, the God who hides himself.    There will be times when we feel we are in the dark of night, forgotten in some way. There will be times in our advancing age when we begin to lose hope in the promises of God. This season is a reminder that we shouldn’t give up that hope. The ‘Advent to Christmas’ movement is all about God who breaks his own silence and comes to earth in person. John tells us, “No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who dwells in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” (John 1:18)  Christmas is not just for children. It is for all those who are waiting for God to speak, to answer a prayer. The foundation of our hope is found in a baby laid in a manager. God has broken his silence, he has come.  

Bruce Jameson was one course short of graduating from university. He wanted to finish it, but as he said, “life happened.” He got married, found a job, and started a family. There was no time to go back to school. Then, at the age of 93, he was awarded his Bachelor of Engineering degree. And that one course, German 2…he didn’t have to take after all. Bruce had a dream, but he had to wait for it. Life happened and it was all he could do to keep up with everything else. It wasn’t until his grandson investigated the matter that the university agreed to help. Bruce waited 70 years to walk across that stage. Most people today can’t wait while their phone charges. Seriously, we are a very impatient generation. God, however, still uses delays to shape and build us: Waiting reveals what is truly in your heart. People without the right heart desires won’t wait around long enough to make a commitment to something serious. Good things are worth the wait, and we clarify our values as we wait. Waiting helps to build patience in your life. This doesn’t seem to come naturally to anyone. I haven’t met anyone who likes waiting. Yet, as we learn to be patient with small things, we develop muscles to wait for bigger things. If we believe God for great things, he is going to test us to see whether or not we can handle it. In Scripture, we see that his servants had to learn to develop patience. His methods haven’t changed. Waiting increases your dependence upon God. This is the lesson that the saints in the Bible learned. God will always honor his promises, but his timing tested many people. It was during these difficult times of waiting that people drew closer to God and discovered what real dependence on him means. Our ultimate need is to be fully reliant on God. This waiting period before Christmas is called Advent. It is a good time to practice our waiting and reflect on our need for the Lord. James writes, “You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high, for the day of the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:8) So whatever you are waiting for today, don’t be discouraged. It just means that when it comes to pass, you will have developed a great relationship with God.