WELCOME TO ADVENT!

That's right. Today is the first Sunday of Advent. You wouldn't know it by all the Black Friday sales & Christmas decorations, but we haven't entered the season of Christmas yet. First comes four Sundays of Advent, which is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus--this time, not as a baby born in a manger, but as the glorious Lord & Savior who will come again on the last day to take His people home with Him to heaven. Advent is a time of penitential reflection, but it is also a time of celebration as we look forward to the return of our Lord.

Today's Gospel reading was an interesting choice:  the genealogy of Jesus Christ, as found in Matthew 1:1--17. It struck me again how many shady characters were part of His genealogy. Abraham tried to pass off his wife Sarah as his sister. Jacob stole his brother's birthright. Judah had sex with his daughter-in-law. Rahab was a harlot. Ruth was a Gentile. David committed adultery & was guilty of murder. And Joseph? He was a descendant of Judah, which had been prophesied, but he came from peasant stock, not royalty.

What are we to make of all this? Despite all the nefarious ancestry, Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit & born of the Virgin Mary. He is not just the God of any one people or nation. He is the God of sinners, of the poor, of the humble. Welcome to Advent!

TODAY'S OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE

1 Chron. 29:10b-14.  “O Lord God of our father Israel, praise Your name for ever & ever! Yours is the mighty power & glory & victory & majesty. Everything in the heavens & earth is yours, O Lord, & this is your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. Riches & honor come from You alone, & You are the Ruler of mankind; Your hand controls power & might, & it is at Your discretion that men are made great & given strength. O our God, we thank You & praise Your glorious name, but who am I & who are my people that we should be permitted to give anything You? Everything we have has come from You, & we only give You what is Yours already!” The Living Bible

THE LORD HEARS

"O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled . . . Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of Your steadfast love . . . The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer." (Ps. 6:1-2, 4, 9)

CONFRONTING PAIN & DESPAIR

"Yet when we confront our pain & despair &begin to accept the loss, surrendering ourselves to God in our powerlessness, then pain & despair can give way to hope.The unwanted pain can be accepted & transformed. When we accept our pain as our own, suffering can grow into compassion. It's as if the heart opens. Out of sorrow come warmth & joy." Philip Williams, Men's Devotional Bible

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

"We make financial decisions daily. We decide whether to spend our money, give it, lend it, save it, or invest it. Because money is a very important part of life, it's important to come to know what our Lord teaches us about it in His Word. While money itself is neutral, we can make it either a positive or negative part of our lives. When God has first place in our lives rather than money, a big obstacle to an intimate relationship with Christ is eliminated. With God's strength, guidance, & wisdom, we can make the right choices regarding the resources He entrusts to us. We need to show self-disciple in our own demands & desires for self-gratification. God wants us to share with those in need, & He wants us to use our money in ways that extend His kingdom." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

RECOGNIZING GOD'S WILL

"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born from water & the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, & what is born from Spirit is spirit.'" (John 3:5-6)

"Thereby it is concluded that through the teaching & works of the Law, which people can do, no one is freed from sin or justified before God. Through the Law nature does not become different, but remains as it was before. That is why through the Law people still cannot come into God's kingdom or obtain eternal life.

"On the other hand, 'what is born from Spirit,' He says, 'is spirit.' 'Spirit' means what God creates in us beyond nature & human ability, namely, the spiritual knowledge, light, & understanding which He reveals to us, through which we know God, turn to Him, lay hold of His grace, sling to Him, etc. If this is to begin & happen in anyone, then his heart must be renewed & kindled through the Holy Spirit so that he learns to recognize God's will toward him & knows how to obtain grace & eternal life." A Year in the Gospels with Martin Luther

AN ADVENT PRAYER *

* Source:  Lutheran Prayer Book

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, King of kings & Lord of lords, the Son of the living God & Son of David, come. Come now to Your Church that You have purchased with Your blood. Come with Your gracious presence, that we may rejoice in You. Come & rule over us, that we may serve & follow You. Come with Your love, humility, & perfect obedience, & let Your lowliness become our glory. Come into the midst of Your people & bless us, for we are Your heritage. Forgive us our sin, & do not angrily cast away Your servants, for You are meek & gracious. Clothe us with the garment of Your righteousness, for You are the only righteous one & our helper. Satisfy us with the abundance of Your mercy, for You did become poor for our sakes, that by Your poverty we might be made rich. Hear us, Lord Jesus, for the sake of Your holy name. Amen.

AN ADVENT HYMN

Savior of the Nations, Come (LSB #332, St. 1)

Savior of the nations, come, Virgin's Son, make here Your home! Marvel now, O heav'n & earth, That the Lord chose such a birth.

OWNING YOUR CONSERVATIVE RELATIVES AT THANKSGIVING *

* Compliments of Babylon Bee

> Say a toast for the indigenous land acknowledgement.

> Volunteer to say grace & thank Biden for the meal.

>. Dress the turkey in drag.

> Invite Elizabeth Warren:  She can demonstrate how indigenous peoples would hand-shuck corn.

> Set up a TV screen to play Kamala Harris speeches.

> Talk about how thankful you are for inflation.

> Sit at the kids' table & indoctrinate the young impressionable minds.

> Show everyone your paid off student loans:  Oh, wait.

MORE THANKSGIVING NEWS

"Tension at first Thanksgiving as One Pilgrim wears 'Make America Great Someday' Hat." Babylon Bee

CULINARY TRADITIONS

"In the end, the culinary traditions that mark this holiday are deeply personal, shaped by our region, our upbringing, our family, and our palate. May the diverse offerings adorning our tables this Thanksgiving remind us to remain united in gratitude for our nation and its blessings of liberty." Alexandra DeSanctis, National Review Online, 11/24

AMERICA'S THANKSGIVING HYMN

"Our freedom not only is consistent with humble gratitude — it inspires a thankful attitude. We see this point articulated and celebrated in the song “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee).” Written to the same melody as “God Save the Queen,” Samuel Francis Smith composed the lyrics while attending Andover Theological Seminary in 1831, publishing it the following year — 190 years ago. For its beautiful tune and soaring lyrics, it remains one of America’s best-known songs. Yet it also is a song grounded in a profound and sincere spirit of thanksgiving. In fact, one rightly could call it America’s Thanksgiving Hymn. The song’s gratitude centers upon American freedom." Adam Carrington, NRO, 11/24

GRATITUDE FOR THE U.S.

"Gratitude for the United States is hard to come by these days. Intellectually, it’s quite en vogue in fact to argue that the United States is a particularly pernicious polity. As various original sins are presented as the foundations for the American republic, it’s not hard to understand how Americans, particularly younger Americans, might think the world would have been better off had the union never existed. But gratitude and thanksgiving for the United States and constitutional liberty have been important aspects of American civil, cultural, and social life since the beginning of the republic." Miles Smith IV, NRO, 11/24

CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING

"We live at a time, of course, when even the concept of “thoughts and prayers” is under attack as meaningless. They are real things for those of us who believe that all good gifts come from God. And even if you are not sure about God, we did not show up on the scene and invent all that is good. There is history before us, and it’s not all to be canceled, but to be learned from.

"As we celebrate Thanksgiving — and in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the new year — let’s choose to bear in mind that we are blessed and have life-giving responsibilities that will encourage others in ways that only Providence can fully transform for the fullest freedom. We just need to be humble and cooperate!" Kathryn Jean Lopez, NRO, 11/24

THE LORD HAS DEALT BOUNTIFULLY

"Consider & answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, 'I have prevailed over him,' lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me." (Ps. 13:3-6)

THE GIFT OF GRATITUDE

"Gratitude does not spring forth from sinful hearts. Gratitude does not start with you . . . Think about this profound truth:  the Lord gives good gifts to ungrateful sinners. He gives you gifts that you have not earned & do not deserve.

"Name one reason why the Lord God should have died for you, baptized you, claimed you, & made you His own. There is no reason why He should have done any of these things for you & one thousand reasons why He should not have. And yet, He did all this for you!

"The air you breathe, the peace you enjoy, the food you eat, the love you share, & the forgiveness you receive are all sheer gifts from the Lord! When you contemplate all you have been given, gratitude has a way of bursting forth.

"Lord, I praise & thank You for all the good gifts You have bestowed on us. Grant us gratitude. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. Amen." Matthew Richard, Minute Messages

THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR

"Yes, we are still a free people. We have taken this for granted for too long. Our gratitude for our incomparable liberty and the prosperity it produces includes fighting to ensure that our children and their children will enjoy those same blessings. Our Founders fought a war for it. We can do no less. Happy Thanksgiving, America." Laura Hollis, Townhall

PRAYERS FOR THANKSGIVING

From My Prayer Book

With a heart full of appreciation because of Your goodness & with thanksgiving in our souls for Your boundless grace, I come on this national day of thanksgiving, God of loving-kindness & mercy, to join with heart & voice all the people of this country to praise & adore You as a wonderful God & understanding Father in Christ Jesu. Throughout the year You have opened Your hands & poured out on us blessing after blessing. You have provided us with all that we need to sustain body & life. You have opened Your heart & drawn us closer to Yourself, blotted out all our sin, cleansed our conscience from guilt, & spoken peace to our hearts. Richly & abundantly You have offered to us Gospel & Sacrament, that our souls be healed, our faith strengthened, our character developed, & our lives directed. Accept the thanks & praise of our grateful hearts. I sing of Your goodness, I shout for joy because of Your mercies.

Let our thanksgiving, however, go beyond words & give evidence in the sharing of our blessings with the hungry, the needy, the lonely. Give us the grace to continue to praise You as thankful children of Your love & with all the family of Your household to serve You with faithfulness & loyal devotion through Jesus, our Savior & Friend. Amen.

From Lutheran Book of Prayer

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good & His mercy endures forever. Lord God, heavenly Father, You have created us & endowed us with all that we are or have as a pure gift of Your "fatherly, divine goodness & mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us." You sustain us from day to day with the gifts of daily bread in the food that we eat, the family that surrounds us, the friends we enjoy, the country where we live, & countless other benefits that we constantly receive from Your open hand. 

On this Day of Thanksgiving, cause us to gratefully remember the good gifts that You shower upon us. Deepen in us the knowledge of Your goodness, & awaken our hearts to praise You for all of Your gifts, especially the forgiveness of sins that You have purchased & won for us & the whole world in the atoning death of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep us mindful of Your mercies every day, & grant that we may thank, praise, serve, & obey You not only with our lips but also with lives dedicated to the service of our neighbor. To You, O Lord, Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, be all honor & glory, praise & thanksgiving, now & forever. Amen.

A Thanksgiving Collect from Lutheran Worship

Almighty God, whose mercies are new every morning & whose goodness, though undeserved, still abundantly provides for all our wants of body & soul, grant us, we humbly pray, Your Holy Spirit that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness toward us, give thanks for all Your benefits, & serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen.

A THANKSGIVING HYMN

For the Fruits of His Creation (LSB #894)

For the fruits of His creation, Thanks be to God. For His gifts to e4v'ry nation, Thanks be to Go. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, Silent growth while we are sleeping, Futur needs in earth's safe-keeping, Thanks be to God.

In the just reward of labor, God's will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God's will is done. In our worldwide task of caring For the hungry & despairing, In the harvests we are sharing, God's will is done.

For the harvests of the Spirit, Thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, Thanks be to Go. For the wonders that astound us, For the truths that still confound us, Most of all, that love has found us, Thanks be to God.

VERSES FROM PSALMS

"Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King & my God, for to You do I pray . . . For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you . . . But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, & spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For You bless the righteous, O Lord; You cover him with favor as with a shield." (Ps. 5:2, 4, 11-12) . As I continue working my way through "Engaging the Psalms:  A Guide for Reflection & Prayer," I'm going to continue posting some of my favorite verses from the Psalms I've read. 

TRENDING

"Locals call for tourist to be sacrificed after dancing on Mayan temple." Drudge Report

"Scholars believe overflow crowd watched Sermon on the Mount via Jumbotron." Babylon Bee

"New Disney CEO promises to make child grooming slightly less obvious." Babylon Bee

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Stacey Abrams announces election bid for Senate in Pennsylvania after finding out any Democrat can win there." Babylon Bee

"Qatar authorities throw U.S. soccer team off top of building." Babylon Bee

"Nancy Pelosi steals Speaker of the House podium as souvenir." Babylon Bee

"Taliban quits Twitter to protest return of Trump." Babylon Bee

MAN'S BEST FRIEND

"Your next dog may be a robot." Drudge

"Hybrid animals could soon roam Earth." Drudge

THANKSGIVING

"FBI closely monitoring gathering of Christian Nationalists. The FBI has dispatched surveillance teams after several reports surfaced of Christian Nationalists planning to spend a day thanking God for His blessings & praying for America." Babylon Bee

"Turkey denied presidential pardon after image of it attending Jan. 6." Babylon Bee

WEDDINGS

Last SAT, we were privileged to attend the wedding & reception for the daughter of one of our very close friends. I don't know about you, but whenever I'm at a wedding, I remember with great fondness & appreciation our own wedding on 10/31/75. God blessed us with a beautiful wedding. He blessed me with a godly wife & devoted mother to our children. I'm also reminded at every wedding that it's not really all about the wedding. It's all about the marriage. If a wedding is the high point of a couple's marriage, something is wrong. 

Lessons from a good wedding *

* Column by Sharon Randall in Norfolk Daily News

"Weddings can teach us a lot about life. For example:

> Be yourself. If you like who you are, others will usually like you, too. If you don't like who you are, be someone else--the kind of person you want to be be.

> Be happy--as happy as you can possibly be. Smile every chance you get. You deserve it. And others need to see it.

> Be committed to someone or something. Commitment changes the world. It brings out the best in us & each other.

> Try to remember that not everything is about you.

> Surround yourself with people who will make you laugh, hold you when you cry & maybe even bake your wedding cake.

> Dress for the occasion, but wear sensible shoes

> Fall in love with someone who loves you, who will be your perfect match & best friend forever.

> Finally, remember this:  Things don't always go as you plan. Life is full of surprises. Sometimes a toad turns out to be a treasure.

NUMBERS AREN'T PRETTY *

* Source:  Editorial in NDN, 11/8

Recently, [Planned Parenthood] released its 2020-21 annual report, albeit nine months later than it typically would do so. Even though delayed in becoming public, some of the data is still telling. Such as:

* Planned Parenthood performed 383,460 abortions--an all-time high in 2020-21 & up from 354,871 the previous fiscal year.

* Performed 371,755 breast screenings & gynecology tests, down from 542,659 the previous year.

* Conducted 127,095 'well woman' exams, down from 208,248 the previous year.

* Made 1,940 adoption referrals, down from 2,667 the previous year & less than half of two years ago.

What to make of that data?

First, Planned Parenthood performed nearly 200 abortions for every adoption referral it made. Next, the declines in PP's actual health services, such as breast screenings, are striking. 

For many years, PP representatives are pushed to have their organization described in the media as a comprehensive women's health services provider. These most recent numbers, however, would seem to indicate that it's becoming primarily an abortion provider.

At the same time, the organization's funding is increasing. The report indicated PP had more than $2.1 billion in net assets, up from $2 billion the previous year. Government funding increased from $618.1 million to $644.4 million in the 2020-21 year . . . 

The unfortunate reality is that Planned Parenthood & its allies (including the Biden administration & many in Congress) are pulling out all the stops to still promote abortion on demand . . . if PP has its way, abortions & taxpayer funding will keep rising, even as its other key health services keep declining.

THE REASON FETTERMAN WON

* Source:  Column by Christine Flowers, NDN, 11/16

"The real reason that Fetterman was elected over a competent, well-educated surgeon who saves lives instead of seeking the release of those who took them in the most brutal manner, is because more people hated us than liked Oz. Let me put it another way:  The reason Fetterman was elected to the U.S. Senate is that his supporters cast a vengeance vote. There was nothing appealing, nothing inspiring, nothing admirable in this man who will now represent 50% of our senatorial presence in D.C.

"There was nothing noteworthy, particularly commendable or even redemptive about him. The thing that Fetterman harnessed better than anyone else could was the anger, the hatred & the resentment that Democrats have harbored since Donald Trump was elected president of the U.S. six yers ago.

"It has festered, & it has corroded the innards of every progressive & even every center-left liberal for a very long time, & this was their opportunity to exact that pound of flesh at the ballot box. Simple as that. The truth is that we now have a senator who was elected out of hatred & anger, misogyny towards conservative women, disregard for victims of crime, & a sense of gotcha.

"Well, they got us, that's for sure. And they should be prepared for what happens in 2024. Elephants have long memories."

ONE PERSON WITH YOUR WIFE

Malachi 2:15. “You were united with your wife by the Lord In God’s wise plan, when you married, the two of you became one person in His sight. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. Therefore guard your passions! Keep faith with the wife of your youth.” The Living Bible

GOD ANSWERS

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious in me & hear my prayer! . . . In peace I will both lie down & sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:1, 8

LIFE THOUGHTS

"Parents delivering children to death, as in abortion, indicates the end of the age is near (Luke 21:16). We rejoice that God has given limits to evil, & this will not linger forever. Our neighbors cannot afford for our tongues or talents to grow idle (2 Thess. 3:6). The Lord moves in surprise pregnancy & terminal diagnosis, turning hearts of parents & children to one another (Mal. 4:6). Let us also be about this the Father's business." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

STEWARDSHIP CORNER

Prior to Jesus ascension, He told His disciples, ' . . . you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem & in all Judea & Samaria, & to the end of the earth' (Acts 1:8). Our witnessing takes pace in our homes, neighborhoods, at our places of work & beyond. Our goal in witnessing is to help others come to know Jesus as the way, the truth, & the life (John 14:6). We have the opportunity to tell others of the greatest miracle that has ever occurred. The Son of God came to earth to live as one of us, to humble Himself for the sake of all people. This miracle is one to be shouted from the housetops, for it is meant not just for you & me, but for all humankind. Don't keep this miracle a secret. Spend your time, talents, & resources so that others (if not you yourself) are enabled to be His witnesses to 'all nations.'" Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

TODAY'S HYMN

Take My Life & Let It Be (LSB #783, Sts. 1, 4, 6)

Take my life & let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments & my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my silver & my gold, Not a mite would I withhold; Take my intellect & use Ev'ry pow'r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet it treasure store; Take myself, & I will be Ever, only, all for Thee.