"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Sunday, 25 December 2016 with Scripture John 1:1-14

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Sunday, 25 December 2016 with Scripture John 1:1-14
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John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word,
    and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2     He was with God in the beginning.
3 All things came to be through him,
    and without him nothing made had being.
4 In him was life,
    and the life was the light of mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness has not suppressed it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was Yochanan. 7 He came to be a testimony, to bear witness concerning the light; so that through him, everyone might put his trust in God and be faithful to him. 8 He himself was not that light; no, he came to bear witness concerning the light.
9 This was the true light,
    which gives light to everyone entering the world.
10 He was in the world — the world came to be through him —
    yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to his own homeland,
    yet his own people did not receive him.
12 But to as many as did receive him, to those who put their trust in his person and power, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 not because of bloodline, physical impulse or human intention, but because of God.
14 The Word became a human being and lived with us,
    and we saw his Sh’khinah,
the Sh’khinah of the Father’s only Son,
    full of grace and truth.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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For the Advent season we are looking back and reflecting on the previous week's readings.
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth." On this festive day, we celebrate literally Christ's mass (the old English origin of our word, Christmas). The word "mass" itself is an older word for worship in word and sacrament. Luther calls his major reform of the Sunday liturgy: The German Mass. Reflecting on this old expression helps us reframe the meaning of this day. Christ's mass is Christ's offering himself, God offering God's self to the world. Christmas is the beginning of a journey, God's own journey of giving to us, of opening a way of mercy, of immeasurable goodness. Yet, we know too, that this generosity is not always welcomed by us. Christ's journey that begins in the manger ends on the cross. Luther notes that the wood of the manger is the wood of the cross. As a reminder of this truth, the liturgical calendar places the commemoration of the first Christian martyr the day after Christmas: Dec. 26 is St. Stephen's Day. Today though we rejoice as we take deep into our heart this reality: the word became flesh. The word became a human being. Christ is present, born over and over again we might say, in the lives of our neighbor and within us. 
Sing to the Lord a new song, for God has done marvelous things. O God, raise up a new song every day, continually in our hearts. Amen.
Dirk G. Lange
Associate Dean, Graduate Theological Education and Fredrik A. Schiotz Chair of Missions and Professor of Worship, Luther Seminary
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.[New Revised Standard Version]

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"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Saturday, 24 December 2016 "Savior of the Nations, Come" (ELW 263)
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"Savior of the Nations, Come" (ELW 263)
For the Advent season we are looking back and reflecting on the previous week's readings.
1. Savior of the nations, come;
virgin's son, make here your home.
Marvel now, O heav'n and earth:
God has chosen such a birth.
2. Not by human flesh and blood,
but the mystic Breath of God,
was the Word of God made flesh,
fruit of woman, blossom fresh.
3. Wondrous birth--oh, wondrous child--
from his throne, a virgin mild!
Very God, and Mary's son,
eager now his race to run!
4. From God's heart the Savior speeds,
back to God his pathway leads;
out to vanquish death's command,
back to reign at God's right hand.
5. Now your manger, shining bright,
hallows night with newborn light.
Night cannot this light subdue;
let our faith shine ever new.
6. Praise we sing to Christ the Lord,
virgin's son, incarnate Word!
To the holy Trinity
praise we sing eternally!
"Savior of the Nations, Come" Text copyright 2006 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution allowed without the written permission of Augsburg Fortress.
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Our eyes are turned to the one who is already with us. Prayer is living in the assurance that God is always with us, knowing our prayer, holding our prayer, guiding and shaping our prayer and our life. Just as Jesus is born in a little corner, a hidden away, dark corner of this world, passed over by thousands of people, so Jesus is continually born in those many dark, hidden, places of our heart, those places that even we don't want to acknowledge, those places where we don't want to look. Jesus touches our whole being, without exception, and without hurting. "Now your manger, shining bright, hallows night with newborn light. Night cannot this light subdue; let our faith shine ever new" (see verse 5 of Savior of the Nations, Come). 
In the darkness of night, as we gather around the manger, touch us O God by your radiant light. Hold us in that communion of all those now gathered, with all those around the world and with all those who have gone before us. Amen.
Dirk G. Lange
Associate Dean, Graduate Theological Education and Fredrik A. Schiotz Chair of Missions and Professor of Worship, Luther Seminary

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