Month: November 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Waiting Oaks

 Waiting for the blessed Hope…

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…”
Titus 2:13

My niece Ellie took this great shot of the oak grove next to Trinity Lutheran Church at sunset.  I feel like these grand old trees are patiently waiting for the end of another day.  Some of these trees have been here hundreds of years and have seen many sunrises and sunsets.  Oh, the stories they might tell of what they have seen and heard underneath their branches.

sunset-groveFor it was in this oak grove that the church held “mission festivals” for many years, outdoor services with a missionary speaker who shared the joy of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in faraway places.  These old trees have seen generations of believers come and go, each generation perhaps thinking that it might be in their lifetime that Jesus would come again.

And still the old oaks wait.  Maybe they are thinking, “Perhaps this will be the day, the day of the Lord’s appearing.” Or perhaps they just wait patiently,   content with each day the Lord gives them.  Whatever these old fellows are thinking, they teach me a lesson in patiently anticipating each new day and thanking God for the ending of each day also.

Whether we wait for just a day or for a hundred years, we trust in the Lord’s timing and in His sure Word, that He is coming again.  And I know that it will be at the fullness of time that He will appear in His glory.  Just as in the fullness of time the Lord Jesus was born into this world and the angels sang praise and the shepherds bowed in worship.

Lord Jesus, whether you come soon or later, grant me faith and trust in your promise that You will come at the proper time.  I wait on You, yes, my soul waits upon you all day long.  Grant me the patient expectation of the old oaks… Amen.

Text Copyright Steve Nickodemus

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PWTE Daily Devotion

The Advent of our Hope

Hope lies in a little child.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

In Tanzaniadezcspchildfx we visited a Child Survival Project which ministers to mothers and their children age four and under. As we gathered in the church for a special program, all the mothers entered singing a song in Swahili while they handed us their children. One mother handed me her child and sat with the rest of the mothers on the other side of the church. The little boy looked up at me as he sat on my lap. While he seemed content, I was concerned he might want his mother soon. I was focused on making him comfortable, thinking about his needs. I prayed over him, for his health, his future, but most of all for him to know Christ as His Savior. I hoped someday he would give hope to the people of his country. Children are our hope for the future in this world.

With Advent comes the time we focus on another child. Jesus came as a baby to be our hope—for a future we wouldn’t have without him—the hope of eternal life.

“And his name will be the hope
    of all the world.”
Matthew 12:21 New Living Translation

Hold the baby close this season. Focus on Him and the future that awaits you because of His love and sacrifice. Then we wait with expectation…

“While we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.”
Titus 2:13 New Living Translation

Text copyright Desiree Bustamante
Photo copyright Steve Bustamante

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

The Kingdom Comes

(Today begins the season of Advent: This week we’ll focus on HOPE)

Waiting in hope for Jesus to come.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that the summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
Luke 21:30-31

When the trees sprout leaves, you know summer is not far away.  And when you see these signs, you know that Jesus will come soon.

sprouted-leavesWhat signs are these?  Why, the signs are abundant!  Christmas trees appear, Christmas music resounds, Nativity scenes pop up, and people madly rush to get ready for Christmas.  The celebrations of Christ’s first coming are abundant!  Children wait in hope for that magical day of Christmas.  And surely as it will soon be December 25th, Christmas will come.

Even as we begin to look toward Christmas on this first Sunday of Advent, even so we look in hope to Christ’s second coming.  Though no one knows the day nor the hour, the signs are abundant.  There are wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines and disasters, people’s love begins to grow cold,  and the Good News of Jesus is preached throughout the world.

And in the middle of these and other tumultuous signs, believers have hope.  For our hope springs from the One who came to be born, to die, to rise again, to save us.  Our hope is in the Savior of the world who came as an infant and will come back as a mighty King.

As we light the first candle of Advent, our sure Hope is Jesus Christ our Lord.  He is the true Gift to everyone who would receive Him.  And as His people, we watch in expectation and wide eyed wonder for His second coming, even as we prepare to celebrate His first coming among us.

Dear Lord Jesus, my hope is in You alone.  Thank you for coming to save me.  Grant me faith and strength as I await Your coming in glory.  And prepare my heart to receive you again this Advent-tide. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Steve Nickodemus