Author: John Tillman

Links for today’s readings:

Dec 15   Read: 2 Chronicles 17 Listen: (2:48)  Read: Psalms 119.121-144 Listen: (15:14)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 119.121-128

121 I have done what is righteous and just;
    do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Ensure your servant’s well-being;
    do not let the arrogant oppress me.
123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,
    looking for your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your love
    and teach me your decrees.
125 I am your servant; give me discernment
    that I may understand your statutes.
126 It is time for you to act, Lord;
    your law is being broken.
127 Because I love your commands
    more than gold, more than pure gold,
128 and because I consider all your precepts right,
    I hate every wrong path.

Reflection: The Door to Joy — Joy of Advent

By John Tillman

How can we be joyful in the dark?

The psalmist makes a bold statement! God, you’re late.

It is time for God to show up, but the psalmist’s eyes fail waiting for God. It is time for God to destroy oppressors, but oppressors still stand, whip in hand. It is time for justice to fall on law-breakers, but the judge of all the earth seems to be holding his court in recess.

Moments of darkness can become moments of doubt. It is easy to become discouraged and disillusioned. How long, O Lord?

Like the psalmist, we see oppressors and law-breakers and systems of justice that seem inadequate or absent. Oppressors and law-breakers are, in some ways, unchanging. Every time and culture has criminals who break laws and the most literal form of oppression, slavery, still exists today. But the form and means of lawlessness and oppression change and adapt.

Oppressors today might use an algorithm instead of a whip or banking policies instead of chains. Law-breakers may use the legal systems intended to uphold the law to upend justice by enacting unjust laws or enforcing just laws through unjust means.

But oppression is not only outward; it is inward. We are oppressed individually by sinful temptations, addictions, tendencies, and desires. Sin pressures, prods, and pushes us towards lawless paths by small steps. As God warned the downcast Cain, Sin crouches at the door to pounce. (Genesis 4.7) If we do not master it, it will be our master. (Romans 6.16)

The psalmist resisted by leaning into love for God’s word. This makes him “hate every wrong path” and is how he held onto joy in the dark. Jesus is our door to enter Advent’s joy. 

Joy may not be the first thing people think of when they think of Advent.

Many perceive Advent as somber and sober. We sit in the dark and light candles very slowly. (One a week!) Christmas is the party, the good gifts, the joyous celebrations. Avent is just the waiting. However, Advent is not a static and staid ceremony of somberness. Advent prepares us to party, but has joys all its own. Advent arms us with joy and light.

Joy thrives even in sunless realms. Christian joy is not based on temporal circumstances but on eternal realities of God’s character revealed in Jesus. Enter Avent’s joy from any dark place you find yourself by the door of Jesus, Emmanuel. (John 10.9)

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, “Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honored with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” — Luke 1.39-45

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Links for today’s readings:

Dec 4  Read: 2 Chronicles 3-4 Listen: (5:42) Read: Psalms 108-109 Listen: (4:28)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 108.1, 10-13

Reflection: Steadfast Hope — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

Do even steadfast hearts waver?

Having a “steadfast heart” is a common theme in psalms and elsewhere in scripture. It typically describes those who are determined to be firm, unwavering, and loyal to God.

The first few lines of Psalm 108 are a beautiful testimony of praise. But even the psalmist of the steadfast heart has moments where his heart skips a beat and doubts, anxieties, and fears flutter to the surface.

In the middle of the poem, the psalmist recalls God’s voice from the sanctuary and his promises. God speaks like a warrior returning from conquering enemies and liberating the oppressed. Shechem, Sukkoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah represent God’s people as prized possessions. Moab, Edom, and Philistia represent the people’s subdued enemies. The psalmist remembers that God promised honor and safety to his people, and victory over their enemies. But where is that victory? The psalmist doesn’t see it. The psalmist doesn’t see God.

The psalmist is outside a fortified city, where God no longer goes out with his people. The people need to be saved. There are enemies to be defeated and dangers to be delivered from, but where is God? The “right hand” of God does not move to help. The God who would lead them to safety or to victorious battle has rejected them. The “human help” they have reached for is worthless, and the aid of the Almighty is absent. The God who would gain the victory seems to have abandoned them.

Yet the psalmist still hopes. “With God we will gain the victory…” Despite not seeing God, despite feeling abandoned, despite being rejected, despite looking up at the fortified walls of an undefeatable enemy, the steadfast heart hopes.

This psalm ends unresolved. The psalmist waits, sometimes wavers, but holds steadfast hope. Do you feel like the psalmist? I do. Dangers and enemies seem abundant. Where is God in the midst of this chaos and darkness?

Like the psalmist, return to what God has spoken. The psalmist heard God from the sanctuary. Our sanctuary is in the words of Jesus. The promises we have in Jesus are already true and not yet fully manifested. In Advent, we wait and hope in the dark, remembering that the light has already come and has promised to come again.

When your steadfast heart wavers, return to Jesus’ promises. In him, we have and will have victory.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Your testimonies are very sure, and holiness adorns your house, O Lord, forever and forevermore. — Psalm 93.6

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Mercy Seat and Manger — Hope of Advent

David met an angel, made a sacrifice, and prepared a place to welcome God’s presence. Generations later, David’s daughter, Mary, did the same to welcome Jesus.

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Links for today’s readings:

Dec 3  Read: 2 Chronicles 2  Listen: (3:41) Read: Psalms 107 Listen: (4:12)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 107.4-16

Reflection: Dependent Hope — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves.” Jefferson referred to humans suffering from earthly despotism and tyranny, but the principle applies elsewhere.

The psalmist writes of being lost in wastelands from wandering, chained by tyrannies resulting from rebellion, and hopeless in darkness due to rejecting the light. All tyrants promise freedom. All evils call themselves good. All sin calls itself righteous. Believing these claims, we often go step by step down slippery slopes into the sufferings of many kinds.

The sufferings grow slowly, like gradually rising muck in a sinkhole or cave. At our ankles, we say, “It isn’t so bad.” At our knees, we say, “I can always go back.” At our waist, we say, “Well, I’ve come this far.” By the time we say, “This is intolerable,” it’s at our armpits. By the time we say, “I must get out,” it threatens our chin.

How do we hope to get out? The psalmist says we don’t. God comes to get us. That’s what Advent celebrates. God comes to lost wanderers and leads them out of the wilderness. God comes to those in darkness to bring light. God comes to those imprisoned to break bars and shackles. 

Jefferson disbelieved miracles. He called Jesus’ teachings a “sublime and benevolent code of morals” yet cut everything miraculous from his New Testament with a razor blade, including Jesus’ miraculous Advent.

Extraordinarily committed and fortunate individuals, like Jefferson and other Declaration signers, might shake off a human tyrant to enjoy a limited measure of freedom for a limited time. But from the tyrants that really matter, sin and death, we cannot break free. We cannot “right ourselves.” Our hope is not in glorious revolution or declaring our independence. Hope is dependent on God’s arrival. The advent of his kingdom is our only hope.

If Jesus’ kingdom was of this world, we would take up arms to fight. Instead we take up towels to wash feet in service, take up crosses to deny ourselves in humility, and take up his gospel to declare our dependence upon it.

Commit your life, fortune, and sacred honor to Christ’s description of his kingdom’s advent. May the spirit of the Lord be upon us bringing good news to the poor, loosing the captives, making the blind see, and lifting the oppressed to stand in freedom.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Let us make a vow to the Lord our God and keep it; let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared. — Psalm 76.11

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: Scandalous Surprise of Hope — The Hope of Advent

Who are we to have such hope as advent promises? That Christ would come to us is baffling, surprising, and to some, scandalous.

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Links for today’s readings:

Dec 2  Read: 2 Chronicles 1 Listen:(2:47)  Read: Psalms 106 Listen: (4:52)

Scripture Focus: Psalm 106.1-5, 44-47

Reflection: Enduring Love — Hope of Advent

By John Tillman

“Come to my aid when you save them…” Despite the long history of sin and rebellion the psalmist confessed, he expected God’s arrival, bringing salvation. He looked to God’s advent with hope.

The psalm begins with a familiar phrase: “his love endures forever.” (Psalm 136; Ezra 3.11; Jeremiah 33.10-11) The psalmist’s hope for salvation is not based on his or Israel’s worthiness. His hope is in God’s unchanging nature of faithful and enduring love. This enduring love is expressed in God’s self-description to Moses. (Exodus 34.6-7) 

When someone says, “Tell me about yourself,” what is the first thing you think to say? Your career? Your hobbies? Your music tastes? Your exercise habits? In these situations, we are often burdened with insecurities. Not only might we be unsure how to answer, we might not want to “overshare” or reveal too much in awkward social situations.

God doesn’t have insecurities or doubts about his nature and glory. God does not always reveal everything about himself to all people at all times, however, when he does reveal himself, he does so exactly as he intends. So when Moses asked to see God’s “glory,” it is notable that the first descriptors God chose to use were “compassionate” and “gracious.” 

God is a compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love kind of God. This faithful and enduring love does not overlook injustice and sin, withhold discipline, or bend righteousness to our crooked ways. God’s judgment, discipline, and even his wrath, are motivated by his love for the victims of the suffering sin causes and do us good by correction and restoration. God’s faithful love punishes, but also restores.

God’s faithful, enduring love sent Jesus to be born, exhibit righteousness, suffer testing and death, and be resurrected, victorious over all sin. 

During Advent, follow the psalmist’s example and examine yourself individually and ourselves collectively. Like Israel and the psalmist, we do not deserve salvation. Our Advent hope is based not in our worthiness but in God’s nature of enduring, faithful love.

Are we willing to confess our individual and collective sins and wicked actions? Are we hopeful that he will hear our cry? Do we praise the Lord for the mercy we have now and cry out in faith for the salvation to come?

Let us look to our past and repent and look to our future and rejoice. Our enduring hope flows from God’s enduring love.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Show us the light of your countenance, O God, and come to us. — Psalm 67.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Read more: This We Proclaim — Hope of Advent

At the time when all seems to be sinking, God rises and raises us with him.

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