Prayer: As our great parent, teach us, God. Help lift us up when we fall down. Love us always and forevermore. Amen.
Reading: 1 Samuel 2: 18-20, 26 (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: The story we read today is designated for the first Sunday after Christmas. We read about Samuel when he was a little boy. And we are reminded that Samuel grew up, both in physical stature and in favor with God. Remember yesterday we heard those same words about Jesus. So today, let’s think about Jesus’ parents. They are characters in the Christmas story. Can you imagine what it would be like to be Mary or Joseph? To be blessed to be the earthly parents of our Lord. Can you image what it was like to get the news that Jesus would be born to you? Just thinking about it boggles my mind. In Sunday School the other week, the teacher asked us, as parents, what we said to our children when they were born. We were looking at a passage from Isaiah, but I remarked that I was not as elegant as he was when he spoke to a young child. I remember saying to my kids that “we’re going to have a lot of fun.” Being a parent is a big responsibility. I know I often think about what I’m teaching my children that will serve them well in their lives. God gave the gift of the Christ Child to Mary and Joseph. And God gave the gift to us, too. In this beautiful season, how will we teach others about Jesus, just like Mary and Joseph had to teach the newborn king? --Chad Hershberger
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