Intentional Faith

Today’s Prayer

Lord, they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what do we do with the work of artists that is vile and demeaning? Please inspire more artists that create a beauty that inspires and comforts. Deal with the self-possessed minds that only want to shock and disturb. Raise an awareness of the work of the artist can even heal. Amen.

Family Devotions for Today’s Text

Isaiah 12:2-6. This song of praise is a response to the messages of Zephaniah, John the Baptist, and Paul. It is full of short, simple phrases praising the strong, active God who saves us.

Avoid theological generalities like salvation and reconciliation. Instead, talk about specifics. Praise God for specific saving events in the life of your family of faith and community. Cite local examples of people who have become friends with one another and with God.

CHILDREN: If you could be a superhero, which one would you be? What is special about your superhero? What is so special about God?

YOUTH: Name one or two people besides your parents that you trust. Why do you trust them? Why should we trust God?

ADULT: With the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, it seems the world is headed down a slippery slope. But did you notice how many people stepped up to help? How does it help to know that tragedy can bring out the best in us?

Thoughts on Today’s Text

Foreign invaders, political instability, and crises of one kind or another formed the context of Isaiah’s proclamation. The people to whom he was sent and those for whom this book was originally composed lived in a world that was unpredictable and out of their control.

Isaiah 12 is composed of two songs, each beginning with the phrase, “You will say in that day” (12:1, 4): “that day,” when the pride of everyone shall be humbled and the Lord alone will be exalted (2:11, 17); “that day,” when people will throw away their idols of silver and gold (2:20); “that day,” when God will bring judgment against the women and men of Zion (3:16-26), when those who remain are called holy (4:2-3). “That day” is a day of judgment and salvation, a day that calls God’s people forward, beckoning us to live into its reality in the present moment, no matter the circumstances.

During this season of Advent, as dark nights grow longer and media outlets continue their relentless proclamation of the world’s bad news, we wait — like the people of Isaiah’s time–for “that day” when God’s salvation will come to us in all its fullness. “Do not be afraid,” the angel will say, “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people; to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). We are drawn toward that future, ready to “shout aloud and sing for joy” together with the whole people of God who will proclaim, “Great in [our] midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6).

Today’s Scriptural Reading

Isaiah 12:2-6 (NIV)
2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4 In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

Sharing Today’s Reading with Your Family

Zephaniah 3:14-20.
To fully understand the word pictures in this poem, the hearer must have detailed knowledge of Old Testament history. Most children do not. However, if they are told that when the prophet spoke of Jerusalem and Zion, he also was speaking of all God’s people (even us today), and if they are challenged to listen to the passage as if it were addressed to each of them as one of God’s people (which it is), then they can grasp the prophet’s message that God’s plan has a good ending for them and that God has the power to make this plan a reality.

CHILDREN: Sometimes things don’t go our way. What hasn’t gone your way lately? God says that one day He will make everything work out. How does that make you feel?

YOUTH: What do you do when things don’t go your way? In this scripture, God says he will address our troubles with His love. How can love make things better?

ADULT: This Christmas, you will try to please your family. Do you think you will be successful? Can we satisfy a person that is not already content? Our text offers the atonement of Christ as the final solution. Are you satisfied with your salvation?

Take a listen to the Christian music being produced: http://www.ccmmagazine.com/

Today’s Prayer

Father, we know that we do not understand and so do not appreciate the music and musicians our children enjoy. We take care to ensure it does not counter Your message. So we pray for those musicians who are penning the words that will move our children. We pray that your inspiration is among their words. Let their lyrics and sound bring back some peace, healing and hope to this world. We remember our songs. We pray for theirs. Amen.

Reflection on Today’s Reading
Zephaniah 3:4-20

Those who have ever known that sense of repose too deep for words—the thought which feels that, by any expression of itself it would only mar its own intensity—would understand the beauty of the fact, that the sentence which we have translated, “He will rest in His love,” is more literally still, “He will be silent in His love.” For there is rest beyond language, whose very eloquence it is that it cannot choose but to be silent.

Notice, on what the love of God really lies. It lies, first, on that eternity, in which you may go back for ever, and never find the moment when it began. It lies, secondly, on the vast sacrifice of Christ, and the immensity of the value of the comprehensiveness of the atoning work It lies, thirdly, on the breadth of the atonement. And it lies, fourthly, on all those attributes which go to make its own great name; and which have been gathered by the grace which is in Christ Jesus into the one prerogative of love.

Today’s Reading

Zephaniah 3:14-20 (NIV)
14 Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.
16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.
17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you.
19 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you; I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the LORD.

Family Devotions for Luke 3:1-6

hild-development experts have found that children cannot interpret symbolic imagery until late childhood or even early adolescence. This means that calls to fill in the valleys, bring the hills low, and make crooked paths straight can sound like calls to massive construction projects. Even children who sense that these calls are not to be taken literally need help to convert them into sensible calls to repentance. One way to help is to provide parallel examples from everyday life (e.g., straighten out your life, live by God’s rules, treat others more kindly).

CHILD: What do you do when you bend or break a toy? What can you do so that doesn’t happen again?

YOUTH: Which do you prefer to do: fix something or buy a new one? Why do we find it so difficult to fix things first? Think about the mistakes you make.

ADULT: John the Baptizer ties our reception of the Lord to our personal preparation of getting things straight in our life. How can daily repentance help me grow closer to Him?