Reflections for

First Sunday after Christmas, Dec 27, 2015

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Living by the Word

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Matthew 2:13–23

Dec 14, 2010 by Fred Craddock

Today is December 26. It is still Christmas and it will be until January 6. My mother did not think so. On the evening of December 25 she tossed the tree, put away the decorations, fed the family the leftovers and announced it was 365 days until Christmas. For her the Depression stole Christmas, widening the gulf between those who have and those who do not.

Blogging Toward Sunday

Gathering and scattering

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Dec 23, 2009 by G. Kevin Baker

Samuel and Jesus have a lot in common.

Living by the Word

The freedom of the debtors

Colossians 3:12-17

Dec 15, 2009 by John Ortberg

A study done a few years ago showed that a sign of a person’s incompetence is his or her inability to perceive incompetence. Nowhere does this inability to have an objective, accurate, reality-based view of our performance show itself more than in the spiritual realm. When it comes to moral character, purity of heart or duplicity in actions, how many of us have given serious thought to how our lives would be graded in the eyes of a holy, just, righteous, truth-telling God?

Living by the Word

Dressing up

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Colossians 3:12-17

Dec 26, 2006 by Lawrence Wood

Once a year, having waited to the very end of December, my wife and I dress up. Some people wait a lifetime to start living, but fortunately for us, New Year’s Eve intervenes every year. With mortality staring us right in the face, we get around to that date we should have had months ago. Rexene looks absolutely stunning in a cocktail dress. (How many times does a pastor’s wife get to wear a cocktail dress?)

Living by the Word

Growing pains

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Psalm 148; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Dec 13, 2003 by Herbert O’Driscoll

In the pattern of Jesus’ growing is the pattern to which each of us is called. Even the irony that he first became lost before he experienced this first growing—even this has meaning for every Christian. We live at a time when it is easy to feel lost. Our time and world are daunting and even defeating. But that very lostness can be the prelude to our personal growing.

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Revised Common Lectionary © 1992 the Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.