Elliott's Muses

Merry Christmas Day to you all. Let's read the timeless story and muse on what is next. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with g...

A part of today’s reading comes from my book “An Advent Sojourn”.  It was from the date Christmas Eve: “One Christmas Eve, many years ago, I was pastoring a small rural church in Wisconsin. Our church building was an old white clapboard building with beautiful old stained glass windows that reflected brilliantly at night. The organ was an old wind-driven, bellowed organ that filled up the room with a sound that made everyone want to sing.  I came to our Christmas Eve service with great expectations. By this time I had fallen in love with Advent and Christmas Eve was the penultimate of our celebration of Christ’s birth. It came time for the service and all fifty or so of us were gathered. Then just before the service was to begin, the power went out. I stood there in disbelief, “No. Lord, do something.” But nothing happened…now what? The power stayed off.  It was time to begin our service, so I made a quick decision: “Get the candles out, pass them around, and we’ll do the...

The one verse of Scripture that almost every person - believer or non-believer - knows is John 3:16:  “for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten (i.e. one and only) son…”   It is a theme repeated throughout the Bible that God is Love.  While we love that God loves we sometimes forget that His love for us came with a terrible price - the death of His son. Love… a much-used word for many things and in many settings.  I love my spouse, and I love football…I love food, and I love God… I love God’s word, and I love fishing.  We use that word in so many different ways that it needs a context to be attached to it to have meaning. Paul, writing to the Corinthians said something about God’s love without using the word love: 2 Corinthians 9:15 - “thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift”. Did you ever get an inexpressible gift?  It’s a gift that leaves you speechless and in awe.  It means we have no words to attach to the gift that would do ju...

After a few days of travel, I wanted to return to some of my Advent musings.  As I traveled I kept "musing" on the announcement of the angels to the Shepherds on that glorious night when Christ was born that the child is Christ the Lord, our Savior.  In the account of Luke the angels declare who Christ is: Luke 2:7 - 11 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.      And   in   the   same   region   there   were   shepherds   out   in   the   field ,  keeping   watch   over   their   flock   by   night .    And   an   angel   of   the   Lord   appeared   to   them ,  and   the   glory   of   the   Lord   shone   around   them ,  and   they   were   filled ...

Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, a prophet called his nation to return to God before judgment would come.  They didn't, the judgment came, and the northern part of Israel was taken into captivity.  Yet, in the middle of his prophecies he made a startling prediction:   Micah 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Bethlehem is known as "the house of bread".  It was also the home of Joseph, who had at one time moved away and settled in Nazareth.  As Mary's pregnancy went on, they heard the decree of Caesar and were forced to take a 75 mile journey south to Joseph's home town - Bethlehem. Luke 2:1-7 1  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2  (This was the first census that took pl...

 It's Wednesday in this third week of Advent and I needed to muse out loud about Joy for heavy hearts.  I've been thinking about some friends and "bad news" that has dimmed the joy of the season.  I'm thinking of friends who have lost loved ones right before Christmas.  It was 1963, and I was 14 years.  I had a morning paper route, delivering Milwaukee Sentinel papers.  It was December 6th.  I had gotten up early and pedaled my bike around the small town I lived in, stopping at each house to put the paper either on the front porch or the front door.  I loved the winter scenery with lights, trees lit through the windows, decorations, and street lights covered by freshly fallen snow.  With the last paper delivered I pedaled my bike back home, looking forward to breakfast.  As I walked through the door, I saw my mom across the kitchen standing, apron on, holding something in her hand, and she was crying.  I stood still for what seemed ...

 The wonder of Advent is wrapped up in the Mystery of God. While most of Advent is centered on the stories within the scripture about the promises and the fulfillment of Jesus' coming.  There is another dimension to the first Advent - it is the theological dimension.  Where we cannot fully understand all that God did in the creation of humans, the idea that God would enter into the human creature and become one with us - is a strange action of humbling love.  The Gospel of John reminds us of how this mystery came into being. John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God...   The Son of God was "with" God, and "was" God.  He shared the Divine nature of the Trinity. Theologically, this is called the "Hypostatic Union".  The word originates in the Greek word " hypostasis", and it can be found in four different passages of Scripture, but the passage that explai...

 Monday, the third week of Advent, we return to the passage in Luke 1 - Gabriel's visit and announcement to Mary.  The encounter Mary has with the angel Gabriel is sudden, unexpected, and in the translation of the NIV, Mary is "greatly troubled".  The Greek word Luke chooses to use means "to be agitated, disturbed", and then add to that the word "greatly", which amplifies how agitated or disturbed she was. Read the passage as it leads to her question.  Luke 1:26-38  In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with G...

 The Holy Child Advent Sunday - the beginning of the third week of Advent – and we listen to the Angel Gabriel tell Mary HOW, and WHO is going to be birthed by God in her.  The passage below describes their encounter: Luke 1:26-35  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,  and he wi...

 As a young child, my family attended a local Lutheran church.  Christmas Eve practices and memorization of a passage for the Christmas Eve program was yearly ritual.  All through those years, we sang Christmas hymns and carols during Advent.  I don't think I ever got tired of singing the songs of Christmas.  One of those songs was "O Come, All Ye Faithful" O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him Born the King of Angels: O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. God of God, Light of Light, Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; Very God, Begotten, not created: Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of Heaven above! Glory to God In the highest: Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given! Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! Many of you may know this, but this song had its origin i...

 Advent reminds us of many paradoxes.  Christ Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.  Jesus is the "word" that is eternal - "with the Father in the beginning" and "the word that became flesh".  Jesus is born of a woman, "the virgin", conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus was born to a peasant couple who had to travel from their home, Nazareth, to a village 75 miles away, Bethlehem, because of a government census.  Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a manger because there is no room elsewhere.  The first people who hear about the birth of Jesus are peasant night workers, by angels sent from Heaven.  The message of the Angels further magnifies the paradox of Christ's birth Luke 2:8-11   And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said t...

 Yesterday, an old friend of our family, Lovice Paul, passed on to glory at the age of 96.  If there was ever a woman who embodied the spirit of living wholly, it was Lovice.  I met her when I was 28 years old.  Her husband, Ray, ran a cafe in Randolph where I had moved to the year before beginning my first Pastoral position.  Ray and Lovice came to our church along with their two kids Lona and Michael about a year after I met Ray at the cafe.  Their last name was Paul - which oddly enough was my mother's maiden name.  The connection was made in conversation - Ray was my mother's cousin.  Their fathers were brothers, and so my grandfather was Ray's Uncle.   As time passed, our oldest kids began school at Randolph Elementary.  Lovice was their teacher.  We had another connection.  At the same time, Lona became our children's babysitter - another connection.  Ray and Lovice were hospitable and generous people.  Man...

  Dec. 6th is St. Nicholas’ Day Saint Nicholas’ Day is more of a European celebration than an American one. Most Americans relate St. Nicholas to Santa Claus. Who was he? He was St. Nicholas of Myra (in modern Turkey) an early church Bishop in the 4th century.    St. Nicholas was born into a wealthy household, but decided to become a Priest, and after his parent's death, he took the inheritance and gave it away to the poor.  In fact, St. Nicholas' reputation was based on what he did for the poor.  In one story, he gave a large sum of money so that a poor man's daughters would not be forced into slavery.  "the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there" , goes the oft-repeated Christmas rhyme. In the story of Nicholas rescuing the poor daughters from being sold into slavery, he reportedly threw three bags of  gold coins  into the window and the bags landed in the stockings that had been left to dry b...

 I love to watch Christmas movies, and among my favorites is the old classic:  "It's a Wonderful Life" which starred Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.  I look forward to watching it every year.  While there are other favorite films, this movie touches so many aspects of life that relate to ordinary life.  The story of how the film came into being is a fascinating one.  A few years ago I ran across an article in which Jimmy Stewart - who said it was his most favorite movie he ever did - wrote about how the movie came to be.  Here's Stewart's account: When the war was over in 1945, I came back home to California from three years service in the Air Force. I had been away from the film business, my MGM contract had run out and, frankly, not knowing how to get started again, I was just a little bit scared. Hank Fonda was in the same boat, and we sort of wandered around together, talking, flying kites and stuff. But nothing much was happening. Then one day Frank...