by Faye Schmidt
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Read Psalm 90:12–17
When we have eaten a meal, we often refer to ourselves as being satisfied – we have eaten sufficient for our needs.
In our school days, we may have received a note on our report card that our performance was satisfactory. This indicates that we met the standard required.
If we have applied for a new job, the assessment may be that we have satisfied the key selection criteria.
In every case, to be satisfied implies that we have met a marker. We have not exceeded it. We have not achieved more than what was required, and the issues were satisfied.
In our psalm today, the prayer to God is that he ‘satisfy us’. We leave it to God to determine what that will require and how it will be done.
Paul had been pleading with God to remove the thorn from his side when, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, we read, ‘But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me’.
What is sufficient for us, what God satisfies us with, is his grace. That is all we need. His grace and mercy to which we respond with joy and gladness all our days.
Our circumstances may be such that in the morning, we do not feel like being glad and joyful in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. But the promise of God is that through his grace, there is hope, joy and gladness in knowing that he is beside us, walking with us and providing all that we need for our life of faith in him and his promises.
On my waking and sleeping, Lord, may I always be glad and give praise for your unfailing love and grace. Amen.
Faye Schmidt continues her diaconal calling through governance, having served on the Vic–Tas District Church Board, the General Church Board and currently as chair of her congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide. Having lived and worked in many locations within Australia and overseas, Faye has a heart for the stranger and the newcomer and for being open to new ideas, learning from others and responding to needs.
Little Donkey 3rd Saturday in Advent Read: Luke 2:4-7
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 (NIV) What do you call a donkey with one leg and a bad eye? A winkey wonkey donkey. Why didn’t the donkey cross the road? He saw what happened to the zebra. Where in the Bible does it say that Mary and Joseph travelled on a donkey to Bethlehem? Nowhere! We can read in Luke that they travelled to Bethlehem from Nazareth, a journey of 145 km. They could have walked or ridden a camel.
So how do we come up in most Christmas Nativity plays that Mary rides on a donkey to Bethlehem? It was a long journey and Mary was heavily pregnant and donkeys were quite prevalent, I think we like to think that Mary didn’t have to walk the whole way. Maybe there is also the association of thirty-three years later Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem as King on Palm Sunday (Zechariah 9:9). The Christmas Carol ‘Little Donkey’ was a one-hit-wonder by a British songwriter Eric Boswell in 1959. He wrote many other pieces of music about his home area in Britain, but none made it as big as this simple tune. It is a popular one to perform with children’s musicals and nativity plays. When Eric Boswell was wanting to write a simple song for Christmas, he decided to focus on the treasure that the donkey was carrying to Bethlehem. Christmas can be a time of worries – family, presents, celebrations, food, and the list continues.
Mary and Joseph had worries of their own in trying to get to Bethlehem before census day and before their baby was born… I rather feel they had more issues than us! Were their cares and worries gone with the birth of the baby? Maybe they didn’t focus on them immediately, but having Herod out to kill them might have later become real. As the song says this donkey carried Mary safely… our loving Saviour also carries us with our issues and burdens. Celebrate and enjoy a Christmas filled with joy at the birth of the little Jesus.
Sing or listen to: Little Donkey PRAYER Little donkey, little donkey had a heavy day. Little donkey carry Mary safely on her way. Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road. There are wisemen waiting for a sign to bring them here. Do not falter, little donkey there’s a star ahead. It will guide you, little donkey to a cattle shed. Amen. 2
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly 3rd Friday in Advent Read: Luke 2:7, 12, 16
“I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Isaiah 1:2b-3 (NIV) There are many things about a child’s birth that we remember, and some that we choose to forget. I am an avid believer in the blessing that God gave to mothers in a short-term memory loss when it comes to childbirth, otherwise I truly believe every couple would only have one child. I do remember the baby shower given to me for my f irst child. Surrounded by family and friends, celebrating with me the upcoming birth of a new little child. Gifts were given, games were played, and amazing blue and pink food enjoyed.
Overall, the event concentrated on and celebrated the new life coming. The Christmas carol for today – ‘Infant Holy, Infant Lowly’ concentrates on the wonder of this new baby, born in a stable, placed in a manger, and celebrated by the animals and low in society (shepherds). This beautiful carol talks of what happened in the stable in the most beautiful way. This was originally a Polish carol thought to be written by Piotr Poweski (1532-1612). He was a tutor, Catholic priest and missionary who wrote this carol ‘W żłobie leży’ (in Polish) just a few months before his death.
Edith Margaret Gellibrand Reed was able to translate it in 1920 to the carol we have today. It originally had a Polish tune, but Joseph Herl in the early 2000s wrote the music that we know today. The word manger is mentioned 3 times in Luke – it was obviously an important detail. But it was also foretold by Isaiah 700 years earlier in the above Bible verse. It was in this humble setting that Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a wooden or stone manger – which was an animal’s feeding trough - not a normal child’s crib, and certainly not an appropriate one for the Messiah.
In the Isaiah text we can look deeper and see that the ox and donkey knew their ‘owner’s manger’, but the people of Israel remained clueless to God’s child coming in Bethlehem. Will you recognise the Saviour born this Christmas for you?
Sing or listen to: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly PRAYER V1: Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, For his bed a cradle stall; Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ the child is Lord of all. Swiftly winging, Angels singing, Bells are ringing, Tidings bringing: Christ the child is Lord of all! Christ the child is Lord of all! Amen
Joy to the World 3rd Thursday in Advent Read: Psalm 98 “The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.” Psalm 98:2 (NIV) Sometimes we assume that because a song is classed as a Christmas Carol that it was written especially for Christmas. That is not the case for this Christmas Carol – ‘Joy to the World’. I don’t think that a Christmas has gone by for me without having sung this carol at least once (more than likely many more times). “Since the 20th century, ‘Joy to the World’ has been the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.
As of December 2009, it was published in 1387 hymnals in North America.” [Wikipedia] But it wasn’t written as a Christmas hymn. In 1719, Englishman Isaac Watts wrote it as a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98 and Genesis 3:17-19. It was not written to depict the birth of Jesus but rather concentrated on the second coming. The tune used usually with this carol is from an 1848 edition by Lowell Mason’s ‘Antioch’, but it has also been attributed to George Handel. This hymn was first played during the Christmas season – maybe that it why it is classed a Christmas carol. God brought the first ‘Joy to the World’ when He sent His Son as a baby in Bethlehem, but our second ‘Joy to the World’ happens when our Lord and Saviour comes for the second and final time to redeem all people.
This makes this hymn a great Advent hymn as it reminds us to keep our eyes on the imminent return of Jesus, both at Christmas and throughout the year. Read the words to the hymn with new eyes. The church needs to sing for joy to God for Jesus is coming! We are to be prepared. We are to look forward to a world without sin and curse any longer. We are to be filled with His truth and grace by which He rules. We are to be awed with the wonder of His love. Our Lord has come, and He is coming again!
Sing or listen to: Joy to the World PRAYER V1: Joy to the World; the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room, And heaven and nature sing. V4: He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove. The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love. Amen. 2