Daily Scripture: Psalm 130:(0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) Adonai, I call to you from the depths;
2 hear my cry, Adonai!
Let your ears pay attention
to the sound of my pleading.
3 Yah, if you kept a record of sins,
who, Adonai, could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you will be feared.
5 I wait longingly for Adonai;
I put my hope in his word.
6 Everything in me waits for Adonai
more than guards on watch wait for morning,
more than guards on watch wait for morning.
7 Isra’el, put your hope in Adonai!
For grace is found with Adonai,
and with him is unlimited redemption.
8 He will redeem Isra’el
from all their wrongdoings
Reflection Questions:In Psalm 130, the psalmist said he was crying “out of the depths.” The CEB Study Bible said, “The term describes the destructive forces that diminish life and confront people with deadly threats.” Yet even in a time like that, he wrote, “I hope, Lord….I wait for God’s promise. My whole being waits for my Lord” (verses 5-6). This resilient, persistent hope is one of God’s promises for Christmas. It’s the reason we light the candle of hope on the first Sunday of Advent.
- In verse 6, the psalmist repeated for emphasis the image of a watchman in a dark, dark night (there were no electric streetlights!) waiting, hoping, for the morning. Then he said, “Israel, wait for the Lord!” (verse 7) A spiritually dark world waited for the arrival of God’s light. And the hope of a Redeemer was not empty—Jesus' birth made that hope a reality. Where do you see “darkness” in your life? How can you mentally “change the channel” from darkness to hope?
- Waiting is hard—we’re action-oriented people. But pastor Don Williams showed how “waiting” connects to hope: “What is this waiting?...It is being before God in expectation and patience (Psalm 40:1)….It is knowing that God will act, and waiting for Him to do so.” When have you had to wait for God through the darkness, until light dawned? What helps you firm up your trust that God WILL act, in eternity if not now?
Roberta Lyle has been on the Resurrection staff since 2006. She oversees the Collection Ministry, coordinating the donations of clothing, beds, food, furnishings, cars and computers and re-purposing them through our ministry partners to provide to those in need in our community.
I really don’t like to wait for things. I don’t like waiting at traffic lights or in the doctor’s office. I did not venture out on Black Friday until late in the afternoon in the hopes of avoiding waiting in long lines at stores (it didn’t work). And of course there have been times I’ve faced uncertainty as I’ve waited for word on possibly life-changing issues. I’ve learned that I can fret about the wait or look for productive ways to occupy my time. I had the opportunity to be reminded about the importance of waiting well on Thanksgiving.
One of the locations where Resurrection served a meal on Thanksgiving was at Hope Faith Ministries in KCMO. When I arrived volunteers were busy in the kitchen rolling silverware in napkins, cutting pies and warming food for 600 meals. Two dining areas were quickly filling as people came in from the rain and found a spot at the tables. A staff member came out and announced that there would be a 45 minute delay in serving the meal.
The volunteers and those waiting for the meal could have been frustrated by the delay, but instead those who weren’t busy in the kitchen moved through the room chatting with the guests, filling cups of coffee and lemonade and even leading several choruses of Christmas carols. During this time some shared stories of family trials and hardship where the outcome was uncertain while others talked about plans for the future. Hugs were given and received. Before we knew it the food was warm and ready to be plated and delivered to the tables.
I know those who attended the event enjoyed the good food, but even more I feel we were all more blessed by that unanticipated time of fellowship than the actual activity of serving. I am one who can be very task oriented, and am not always good about recognizing times of holy interruption. My prayer is that, especially during this season of Advent as we wait in expectation, we can all be alert to those times that God calls us to put aside the daily business and participate in His Kingdom building.
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
I really don’t like to wait for things. I don’t like waiting at traffic lights or in the doctor’s office. I did not venture out on Black Friday until late in the afternoon in the hopes of avoiding waiting in long lines at stores (it didn’t work). And of course there have been times I’ve faced uncertainty as I’ve waited for word on possibly life-changing issues. I’ve learned that I can fret about the wait or look for productive ways to occupy my time. I had the opportunity to be reminded about the importance of waiting well on Thanksgiving.
One of the locations where Resurrection served a meal on Thanksgiving was at Hope Faith Ministries in KCMO. When I arrived volunteers were busy in the kitchen rolling silverware in napkins, cutting pies and warming food for 600 meals. Two dining areas were quickly filling as people came in from the rain and found a spot at the tables. A staff member came out and announced that there would be a 45 minute delay in serving the meal.
The volunteers and those waiting for the meal could have been frustrated by the delay, but instead those who weren’t busy in the kitchen moved through the room chatting with the guests, filling cups of coffee and lemonade and even leading several choruses of Christmas carols. During this time some shared stories of family trials and hardship where the outcome was uncertain while others talked about plans for the future. Hugs were given and received. Before we knew it the food was warm and ready to be plated and delivered to the tables.
I know those who attended the event enjoyed the good food, but even more I feel we were all more blessed by that unanticipated time of fellowship than the actual activity of serving. I am one who can be very task oriented, and am not always good about recognizing times of holy interruption. My prayer is that, especially during this season of Advent as we wait in expectation, we can all be alert to those times that God calls us to put aside the daily business and participate in His Kingdom building.
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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