But just when he had resolved to do break up with Mary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

Recently, I heard this wisdom: “Easy decisions, hard life. Hard decisions, easy life.”

This angel of the Lord asked Joseph to make a hard decision. Breaking up with her would be easy in the short term, but harder long term. Sticking with her and her child which was not his? Hard decision, easy life.

Here’s another Advent wake up call. What easy decisions are you making? It could be one momentous decision, like Joseph was considering. Or it could be a pattern of smaller, day-to-day decisions.

Most of the time, when we take the “easy decisions, hard life” route we find a way to blame someone else for our hard life. Blame is another easy decision that just makes life harder.

God wants an easy life for you. So look out for angels of the Lord. They may appear to you in a dream, like Joseph’s did, or in some other unlikely fashion. They will ask you to do something hard. Prepare yourself now: you will want to fight the angel. Consider Joseph, and the life of grace and joy made possible by this hard decision.

Talk to Jesus now about the hard decisions you’re facing.
-PC

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?

Remember our drill sergeant from last week? He’s now a prisoner, tortured by doubt, soul-weary of waiting for release.

I can relate.
That visit last week with a friend seemed so full of warmth and grace. But can I really trust them today?
I’m still doing this work that once felt so necessary and important. But have I failed? Is it a waste?
I can’t take another heartache or disappointment. How do I go on? What’s the point of trying?
What are your doubts saying to you?

The wake up call this week is, the struggle is real, so don’t take it lightly and don’t try to go it alone.

Even John the Baptizer doubted. Even this bold and self-assured drill sergeant had needs, experienced weakness. When he reached out to his people, his unit, his friends, and ultimately to Jesus--he received the help he needed. 

What do you need? Don’t deny yourself the encouragement and strength of this community of believers; of the Lord in worship, devotion, and prayer; of a doctor or therapist; of friends and family; of your pastor. Even when John was trapped in prison, he could reach out. So can you. 

Don’t let doubt cut you off from the true sources of your strength. Reach out to Jesus now.
-PC

​Falling Upward by Richard Rohr, 2011; 240 pages. From the  publisher:

Richard Rohr helps us to understand the tasks of the two halves of life and teaches us that those who have failed, or gone down, are the only ones who can really understand "up." Those who have somehow fallen, and fallen well, are the only ones who can grow spiritually and not misuse "up." What looks like falling down can largely be experienced as "falling upward!"

This book held up a mirror for me. It showed me, I’m not as mature as I think I am. This was at times painful but always and   ultimately liberating. Reading it was like being given a map and a GPS: there is where I was, here is where I am now, and there is the territory I’ll journey through next. I recommend this book for people in every stage of life.
To buy, search for “Falling Upward” at store.cac.org
 
Thanks be to God,
Pastor Clark Olson-Smith

​“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance,” said John the Baptizer.

Advent is more a cold shower, than a warm bath. It’s a four-week wake up call. This week, John the Baptizer stars as our drill sergeant.

I bet there’s a real-life John the Baptizer in your own life, past or present. Who holds you to a higher standard and truly motivates you to strive for excellence? Who doesn’t let you off the hook? Who can you count on but who refuses to do any hand-holding? You might be tempted to say, they cause you problems, but in truth, they reveal the problems you’re ignoring and then stand back so you can have the soul-building experience of fixing them yourself.

You’ve probably heard Pastor Clark say, “Worship, like the life of faith, is about participation, not perfection.” John the Baptizer would say, “It’s not about spectating either.”

If you think St. Paul Lutheran Church is a venue for religious entertainment, John demands you think again. It’s a training ground. He accepts whatever enticement  brought you here, but he’s sending you home with a list of chores to clean up your act. One who is more powerful than him is coming, and he doesn’t want you to miss Jesus Christ in the flesh.

Ask Jesus, “What fruit of repentance would you have me bear this week?”

--PC