Most of the psalms are prayers – people talking to God. Psalm 50 is God talking to his people. The scene is much like a cosmic courtroom where God is judge, lawyer and jury all in one. Even though the psalm is worded as an accusation, it is full of grace. God reminds us in no uncertain terms that he is the Sovereign Savior who delivers us and that obedience is our best act of gratitude for all he has done. Psalm 50 calls us to renew our commitment to gratefully follow God in all things.
After Jesus was born, Magi from the east came and worshiped him. We don’t know much about them, but they have become the stuff of Christmas legend. With the few details we do have, we see God using an unlikely beacon to invite an unlikely group to the birth party of Jesus, the newborn King. God invites them, and they come and worship. May our hearts and eyes be open to the unlikely beacons God still uses to call unlikely people, and may our focus always be Jesus, the Savior of the world.
The Psalms have been the prayer book of believers for 3000 years, covering the full range of human emotions and responses to God. As we enter into this new year not knowing what the future holds, let's begin firmly rooted in what we do know: our world belongs to God, and he will not let go of us.
“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.” –Psalm 150:6
Our Advent theme this year is “A Savior Made Known.” On this fourth Sunday in Advent we celebrate through the angel’s message to the shepherds on the very first Christmas: “A Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Jesus is a Savior for us! May our response continually be just what the shepherds did: they went to know Jesus, and they immediately started making Him known. Glory to God in the highest!
Our Advent theme this year is “A Savior Made Known.” On this third Sunday in Advent we celebrate through Zechariah’s song (the Benedictus) that God has sent his messenger, John, to prepare the way of the Lord. Zechariah proclaims that God is making his covenant promises through the ages come true in “the rising sun,” Jesus. May we join in Zechariah’s praise: Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.”