Prayer: Your message of love is short and sweet. Simply love God; love others. May we hear and share that message only and always. Amen
Reading: Matthew 1: 18-25 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Though we didn't read them today, the first 17 verses of Matthew Chapter 1 detail the genealogy of Jesus. Verse after verse of name after name from Abraham to Jesus. Then, in just 7 verses, Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus. Short and sweet. No Mary visiting Elizabeth or words now known as the Magnificat. No census taking, donkey ride or stable. The shepherds don't show up and the Wise Men aren't mentioned until Matthew Chapter 2. Matthew kept the story of the birth of Jesus short and sweet and moved right along to his life and ministry. Yet the week's of preparation before Christmas and drawn out stories of the birth of Jesus go on and on and on. Which is great as long as in the midst of it all, we remember the short and sweet message of Love God; Love Others. That's what it's all about really. --Ruth Gates
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