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January 5, 2025–Signs in the Skies

Catalyst Question

What constellations, comets, or other celestial objects can you identify?

Signs in the Skies

Happy New Year! Last year, many in the United States experienced a total solar eclipse. As this article details, 2025 forecasts a number of different events involving the sun, moon, stars, comets, and more.

We’re not the only ones who look to the heavens with interest. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 2:1-12, Magi from Persia follow heavenly body to Bethlehem and visit Jesus. Magi were priests and scholars who looked to the stars for divine wisdom. They asked questions about anything from the best time to plant and harvest crops to whether a natural disaster might visit their region. Magi sought the sacred in the stars. While Lutherans don’t typically look to the stars in exactly the same way, we do look to the heavens because we believe they reveal God’s wisdom and might.

This Sunday, we celebrate The Epiphany of Our Lord. The word epiphany means “reveal.” This festival celebrates that, in Jesus, God is revealed to all people. Jesus is not just for the polite, religiously acceptable people, but for the people who look for God in ways that seem strange to others. Jesus is not just for the insiders, but for the outsiders. In Jesus, God is revealed to all nations, all peoples, all sorts of all of us.

This year, as you look to the sky, remember that many other people will be looking at the same stars, the same comets, the same sun and moon. They might be very different from you, but the God in Bethlehem’s manger came for them, too.

Ask Yourself: Epiphany reveals that God for everyone. Who is it hardest for you to believe Jesus is here for? Why is that?

Ask a Friend: When you look to the stars, what do you learn about God?

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For what shall we pray?

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.

 
Prayer prompts:
For areas of the world impacted by ongoing war and conflict: Gaza, Syria, Ukraine…
For the family of Jimmy Carter and all those who mourn…
For the families of those killed in the Jeju Air plane crash…
For those affected by tornadoes in Texas, North Carolina, and Louisiana…
For those experiencing homelessness in the US…
For Trinidad & Tobago in the face of rising violence…
For victims of violence in New Orleans…
For the new year and transitions of all varieties…

Events and observances:
Name of Jesus (Jan 1)
New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
World Day of Peace (Jan 1)
Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe, renewer of the church, died 1872 (Jan 2)
Epiphany of Our Lord (Jan 6)
Orthodox Christmas (Jan 7)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer of good courage (ELW)
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for the oppressed (ELW)
Look with mercy, gracious God, upon people everywhere who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Rouse us from our complacency and help us to eliminate cruelty wherever it is found. Strengthen those who seek equality for all. Grant that everyone may enjoy a fair portion of the abundance of the earth; through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for faithful living in society (ACS)
God, our gracious giver, your Song Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there our hearts will be also. Tech us to love people more than money, relationships more than things, and you above all, that the way we live will reflect what we truly value and believe. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who emptied himself in love for us, and now reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement

Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.

Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession

Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.

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December 29, 2024–The Gift of Time

Catalyst Question

When you think of words like “education” or “school,” what comes to mind?

Witnessing a New Era

Merry Christmas!

Now, you might be thinking, “How was Jesus forn was just a few days ago, and now already he’s a 12-year-old?!” Rather than a mutant-like growth pattern, a la Marvel’s X-Men, this is simply a reflection of how little scriptural material addresses Christ’s childhood.

Even so, it’s remarkable how normal this childhood appears. In Luke 2:41-42, we find Jesus in school. Not exactly like the middle school that today’s 12-year-olds attend, but a school quite common for the day: religious instruction. At the temple, Jesus learns from the teachers, probably rabbis with the possibility of priests chiming in as well. He both listens and asks questions.

One fascinating thing about this story is that, apparently, the adults welcome Jesus as a student. They gave Jesus the gift of time. Jesus finds welcome and support amongst his elders as he seeks to grow. Today, we might call that mentorship. It sounds like this article, which describes how having mentors increases the likelihood of success among adolescents as they grow intellectually, socially, and psychologically. Similarly, research from the Springtide Institute found that an interested adult in an adolescent’s faith life led to a more robust spiritual experience for the young person.

This Christmas (and don’t forget, Christmas lasts for 12 whole days), give the gift of time to someone younger than yourself. To mentor someone can be as simple as knowing their name, taking an interest in their life, sharing your passions, and taking their questions seriously. It made a difference in Jesus’ life and can make a difference for people today, too.

Ask Yourself: Who is someone older than me that took an interest in my life? Take a moment to reach out to that person and thank them for the impact they made.

Ask a Friend: Jesus, our greatest teacher, took the time to learn. How can we help one another stay humble enough to learn as we grow in our own callings?

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December 22, 2024–A New Way for All to Win

Catalyst Question

How do you define success?

Witnessing a New Era

This week, a new era in began in college sports: a twelve team playoff to name the national champion in collegiate football. For many years–in fact, for more than a century–champions were determined through voting of either coaches or media professionals. In 2014, a four team playoff format began. This week, this playoff expanded to include twelve contenders, with teams from Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame inaugurating this new era.

With more games, there will be more fans who witness the plays on the field, and likely more who will watch on television as well. Given the size of these stadiums, hundreds of thousands of people will experience this first playoff in person, and millions more at home. At the end of the whole process, we’ll witness one winner amongst the field of 134 contenders.

It’s odd that this new method of crowing a champion begins during Advent. Advent is also a new era of victory, but one where God prioritizes a very different sort of success. As we hear in this Sunday’s reading from Luke 1:399-55, God isn’t interested in crowing one winner. Mary’s song reminds all who hear, or read, that God lifts up the lowly, that all might become winners. Rather than a playoff to crown one true champion, Jesus arrives in Bethlehem to share divine success with all who play the game of life.

It’s interesting that, rather than a stadium full of adoring fans, God arrives among us through a backwater town. Born into a feeding trough, there was no live stream to witness Christ’s arrival. Especially because Jesus is God’s victory for all people.

In Advent, we await the successful culmination of Emmanuel with God’s arrival among us in Jesus. Jesus is the victorious presence of God in Christ. This divine arrival, which successfully brings divine blessing to all creation, is starkly juxtaposed this week with a very different kind of winning.

Let’s remember, as we approach the manger this week, that Mary reminds us God’s success is defined in profoundly different ways than our own. There is no tournament to God’s blessing, for in Bethlehem, God chooses to bless us all.

Ask Yourself: How can I encourage others with the Christmas reminder that there is no competition needed to earn God’s blessing?

Ask a Friend: Who are the “lowly” people, mentioned by Mary, who God lifts up? Who are those that the world looks at as losers but God welcomes into the winners’ circle?

Finally, this is the last week to take this survey and give your feedback about Faith Lens as we determine the format for the next season of this resource!

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Humanitarian Response Training in Indonesia

Asia is one of the most disaster-hit regions in the world, with floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Unplanned urbanization, a steep increase in population, depleting forest green cover, and environmental degradation trigger the most severity and complexity.

The impacts are on the day-to-day lives of people, affecting their resources and disrupting earning sources, and delays in service delivery, poor health status, and loss of assets contributing significantly to acute food insecurity, inadequate access to safe water, sanitation, and hygienic conditions, loss of shelter, and settlements with increased health care risks.

Attendees of the humanitarian response training in Sidhikalang, Indonesia

Women and girls are always disproportionately affected, as in most disasters, loss to women/girls’ lives is greater. Lack of opportunities to learn, poor access to engage in the planning process, lack of care at the family level, gender-based violence(GBV), discrimination to exercise their human rights in different platforms, and overall recognition of gender roles in nation-building initiatives, increase their exposure to disasters. In our counts of countries in Asia that are hit by disasters every year, Indonesia is always in the news due to high frequency and multiple occurrences of hydro-geo-meteorological hazards.

As these recurring events target communities multiple times, it is very difficult for people to recover their losses and improve their resilience. Without strategic support, it becomes more challenging for the communities to plan for their future needs. When a disaster strikes in Indonesia, it depletes economic assets and breaks the sociocultural fabric of the society.

Subhashis Roy and Chandran Martin teaching in Sidhikalang, Indonesia

In such difficult situations where we witness the loss of life, livelihood, infrastructure, household assets, and environment, the role of Lutheran Churches in Indonesia has been widened being first responders to disasters. Lutheran Churches are strategically placed to address “people in need.” High risk with low coping capacity makes Indonesia more exposed to disasters and demands a strategic move to increase resilience toward disaster impacts.

Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) is one unique flagship program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America(ELCA) that contributes to global, regional and national efforts in reducing the suffering and enhancing accountability for those affected by disasters.

Attendees from the humanitarian response training in Mentawai, Indonesia

ELCA acknowledges the role of Lutheran churches in Indonesia in saving lives, spiritual care, and leading life with dignity. Recognizing the role of Lutheran Churches in Indonesia, the ELCA contributes to increasing capacity through its multi-faceted and multi-sectoral support that help ELCA companion churches and ecumenical partners response to immediate and medium-term needs and spreads God’s love to people most in need.

Since 2023, ELCA has been accompanying the Komite Nasional Lutheran World Federation (KNLWF) in Indonesia to reach some of the most remote areas and increase their capacity to prevent, prepare, mitigate, recover, and build back better from disasters. In this journey, a successful accompaniment model has emerged that truly shares, learns, spreads, and transfers knowledge and resources for people to recover early. Based on the positive feedback and recognition of ELCA-supported capacity-building events in Indonesia, ELCA-KNLWF organized the 2nd phase of the training events in November 2024 in the Sidhikalang and Mentawai islands of Indonesia. More than 40 participants have actively engaged in such sharing and learning events.

Participants expressed very positive and overwhelming views on the significance of such events and preparing church members with tools and techniques that ease their role in disaster management.

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For what shall we pray?

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.

 
Prayer prompts:
For Syria and all nations facing conflict, transition, and uncertainty…
For victims of gun violence, especially in Madison, WI…
For political stability in South Korea, France, and Germany…
For post-earthquake recovery and rebuilding efforts in Vanuatu…
For victims of Cyclone Chido in south-east Africa…
For access to healthcare, food, and shelter for those most vulnerable…
For health and safety in areas where avian flu has been identified…
For the many world religions celebrating holidays in this season…

Events and observances:
Monthly Observances in December: World HIV/AIDS Month, Universal Human Rights Month

Katharina von Bora Luther, renewer of the church, died 1552 (Dec 20)
Winter Solstice (Dec 21)
Yule (Dec 21-Jan)
Nativity of Our Lord (I), Christmas Eve (Dec 24)
Nativity of Our Lord (II & III), Christmas Day (Dec 25)
Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (Dec 26)
Hanukkah (Judaism, Dec 26-Jan 2)
Kwanzaa (Dec 26-Jan 1)
John, Apostle and Evangelist (Dec 27)
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs (Dec 28)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
Resources for responding to gun violence
Prayer for Lament (ACS p. 61)
Service After a Violent Event (ACS p. 64)

A prayer for time of conflict, crisis, or disaster (ACS p. 49)
God most mighty, God most merciful, our sacred stories tell us that you help and save your people. You are the fortress: may there be no more war. You are the harvest: may there be no more hunger. You are the light: may no one die alone or in despair. God most majestic, God most motherly, grant us your life, the life that flows from your Son and the Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

A prayer for interreligious cooperation and understanding (ACS p. 51)
O God, whose name is above all names, your grace cannot be contained within human limits. We offer our thanks for holy wisdom that comes in other voices, in religions and worldviews different from our own, and in prayers offered in the wideness of your love. Move us more deeply into understanding and partnership, willing to work together in mutual respect, always open to the grace that we have experienced in Christ Jesus, our light and our life. Amen.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement

Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.

Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession

Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.

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The Latest: Know Your Rights Information

 

Everyone in the United States has certain rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, regardless of immigration status. Given the heightened levels of uncertainty and fear in communities, noncitizens and citizens alike may require even greater accompaniment and comprehensive support during this time and months ahead. Depending on someone’s individual circumstances it may make sense to talk to a lawyer for more specialized assistance. The resources listed below can help communities stay generally informed, prepared, and united in support of immigrant neighbors.

Note: This information is not a substitute for advice from a lawyer. Laws may vary by state.

 

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

General Know Your Rights Resources

Red Card: This guide provides basic information about important practices to remember during encounters with law or immigration enforcement. You can print the Red Card which can be handed to an officer to assert your rights.

Your Rights: You have certain rights if questioned or pulled over.

What to do if ICE comes to your door?

What to do if ICE comes to your workplace?

What to do if ICE questions, detains, or arrests you as a U.S. Citizen?

What to do in an immigration raid?

What is a family preparation plan? A family preparation plan is a comprehensive plan in case of immigration emergencies, regardless of immigration status. Many organizations provide step-by-step instructions.

 

Information by Category

Adjustment of Status and Naturalization

Asylum

Deportation Defense

What is deportation defense? Deportation defense can include community-led campaigns to stop the deportation of community members using legal interventions and community advocacy to highlight that community member’s contributions to society.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

What is DACA? DACA has allowed young immigrants who grew up in the U.S. to seek temporary protection from deportation and to have the ability to work. It’s fate is currently being litigated in the courts.

Deferred Enforced Departure

What is DED? DED allows foreign nationals to be protected from deportation and have the opportunity to work. DED is granted through the President’s foreign relations power.

Non-Immigrant Visas

Sensitive Locations

Temporary Protected Status

What is TPS? TPS may be designated by the Department of Homeland Security in cases of ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions which prevent individuals from safely returning home. Individuals must meet certain presence requirements but may be eligible to remain in the country during the designation period and obtain work authorization.

  • Visit uscis.gov for more information.
  • Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc.: Latest on TPS and DACA
  • Alianza America: Re-registration Information for beneficiaries from El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua [Spanish]

Unaccompanied Children & Sponsors

 

CRISIS RESOURCES

Find Legal Help

Find Mental Health Help

  • National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Helpline: 800-950-NAMI (6264) or reach out to info@nami.org
  • Substance Abuse and Mental health Administration (SAMHSA) Helpline: 800-622-HELP (4357)
  • Healing Horizons, Trauma Informed care for immigrants and asylum seekers: Healing Horizons

Trafficking Hotline

  • National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888 or Text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)
  • Indicator Card: This card provides a brief list of common indicators of human trafficking, the difference between human smuggling and human trafficking, and a DHS reporting option. [Spanish | Arabic | Chinese (Simplified) | Dari | Haitian Creole | Urdu ]

 

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December 15, 2024–What Are You Waiting For?

Catalyst Question

In some situations in life, we know the right thing to do and yet don’t do it, even in the simplest of circumstances. What do you think prevents us from taking action to do the right thing?

Active Waiting

Sometimes Advent can seem a bit boring. People can treat this powerful season of life like it’s the waiting room for Christmas. They endure these four weeks as though there’s nothing to do but scroll through the lectionary until the heavenly doctor arrives.

That approach clearly doesn’t take the Advent readings seriously, especially this week’s Gospel. In Luke 3:7-18, John the Baptist tells his followers that Christ is arriving soon. With Jesus on the way, John suggests, there’s no time like the present to make the necessary changes they’ve been avoiding in their lives. Have you been greedy? Stop it. Have you been selfish? Stop that too. Have you used your position of power to take advantage of others? Definitely quit that nonsense.

Advent isn’t a boring waiting room. This waiting for the Messiah is the months or years of intentional practice that lead up to a major performance. Advent is active waiting.

Consider the 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Italy. Athletes have already been training to give themselves a chance to win. Amateur and professional athletes are competing against their national teammates for an opportunity to represent their country. At the same time, Olympic officials are scheduling backup locations in case of facility problems or weather interruptions.

Waiting without changing isn’t at all what the Advent season is about. Advent is the season where we wait on God while both listening to God’s call for justice and shaping our lives around that call. While this season is defined by waiting for Christmas, it is not a season that waits on change. It is a season that expects change without delay.

Ask Yourself: What are three things I can do to live God’s justice in my own life?

Ask a Friend: What is something we can do together to help change the church or our community so it better reflects God’s love?

One last reminder: please take this survey and give your feedback about Faith Lens as we consider the path ahead for this devotional resource!

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For what shall we pray?

“For what shall we pray?” is a weekly post inviting individuals, groups, and congregations to lift up our world in prayer. This resource is prepared by a variety of leaders in the ELCA and includes prayer prompts, upcoming events and observances, and prayer suggestions from existing denominational worship materials. You are encouraged to use these resources as a starting point, and to adapt and add other concerns from your local context. More information about this resource can be found here.

 
Prayer prompts:
For the nation of Syria of conflict, transition, and uncertainty…
For peace among nations of the world…
For all victims of gun violence…
For victims of gang violence in Haiti and for grieving families…
For those struggling to afford or access healthcare…
For safety and advocacy for those without stable housing…
For those affected by earthquakes in California and Nevada, and for those affected by brush fires in southwestern California…
For continued political stability in South Korea and France, and for the safety of political protesters in the nation of Georgia…

Events and observances:
Monthly Observances in November: World HIV/AIDS Month, Universal Human Rights Month

Human Rights Day (Dec 10)
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec 12)
Lucy, martyr, died 304 (Dec 13)
John of the Cross, renewer of the church, died 1591 (Dec 14)
Bill of Rights Day (Dec 15)

Prayers from ELCA resources:
A prayer for peace (ELW p.76)
Gracious and holy God, lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, Amen.

A prayer for refugees, migrants, immigrants (ACS p.51):
Holy God, as you have accompanied your people through times of captivity, wilderness, and exile, shelter and sustain all those who flee persecution, oppression, warfare, violence, hunger, and poverty. Open our hearts and homes, our gates and doors, so that they find safety, peace, and welcome—a place to live in freedom and without fear; through Jesus Christ, our refuge and hope. Amen.

A set of worship resources for the crisis in the Holy Land is available on ELCA.org. Several prayers are provided that could be used during the prayers of intercession or at other times, in public worship or for devotional use at home or in other settings. PDF DOC

A set of worship resources for national elections is available on ELCA.org. Scripture readings, prayers, and assembly song suggestions are offered, to be used in settings such as prayer vigils, Morning or Evening Prayer, regular weekly worship or personal devotion in the weeks preceding or following an election. PDF DOC

ELW = Evangelical Lutheran Worship
ACS = All Creation Sings: Evangelical Lutheran Worship Supplement

Additional topical prayers are found in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (pp. 72–87) and All Creation Sings (pp. 46–55), as well as in other resources provided in print and online at sundaysandseasons.com.

Crafted intercessions for every Sunday and festival are provided in the Sundays and Seasons worship planning guide published in-print and online by Augsburg Fortress. Further assistance for composing prayers of intercession can be found here: Resources for Crafting Prayers of Intercession

Prayer Ventures, a daily prayer resource, is a guide to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world.

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December 8, 2024–What’s Wrong with a Remake?

Catalyst Question

What’s your favorite remake? It could be a song, movie, or other piece of art. How does it compare to the original?

What’s Wrong with a Remake?

In Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist cries out, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” Straight paths. Leveled hills. Smooth roads.

It’s all so unoriginal.

Hundreds of years before John’s wilderness prophecy, another prophet said the exact same things. In Isaiah, after Jerusalem is overrun by enemies and God’s people are forced into Exile, the prophet similarly calls for leveled trails and paved streets.

But is there anything wrong with a remake? Recently, the film adaptation of Wicked–a massively popular Broadway musical–became quite successful in its own right. Story continuations in the Moana and Gladiator universes saw similar support. Remakes are also quite popular with music. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, from the original Wizard of Oz, was recast as a ukulele lullaby by Izzy. Luke Combs’ recent cover of  Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” reignited appreciation for Chapman’s talent by today’s audiences. It seems there’s something essentially human in connecting our current lives with stories from our past.

In that light, John the Baptist doesn’t appear lazy. Instead, he seems deeply connected with the human condition. And of course, getting connected with the human condition is just what God is up to in Jesus.

Advent is a time when we can appreciate the present relevance of ancient stories. Isaiah was a prophet who saw his homeland conquered by an outside empire (Babylon). John the Baptist was a prophet who saw his homeland conquered by an outside empire (Rome). Both of them saw the need for God in the midst of that suffering. Both of them wanted any obstacles removed that might prevent God’s quick arrival. John remembered Isaiah’s prophecy. John found resonance with Isaiah’s ancient words for his present situation. And so, John recast those words for his own life.

Just like John’s prophecy, your prayer life doesn’t need to be original to be meaningful. Sometimes, the words of scripture sum up just how we feel. At other times, worship lyrics give voice to the depth of our hearts. Not only can we learn from the faith of those who came before us. That faith can carry us in moments when our world seems to fall apart.

Ask Yourself: What is one example of a Bible story, a piece of spiritual art, or a person from church history that can help strengthen your faith today?

Ask a Friend: In this Advent season, as we wait for Jesus to arrive among us as a baby in Bethlehem, what obstacles might be preventing us from finding our way to the manger? What can we do to follow John’s (and Isaiah’s) encouragement to remove those roadblocks?

Finally, remember to take this survey and give your feedback about Faith Lens as we consider the path ahead for this devotional resource!

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