Advent Devotional from our DS's wife Robbie Craker

Saturday, Second Week of Advent 2009

He is the image of theinvisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things werecreated: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thronesor powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. –Colossians 1:15-17

For the past few days we’ve been looking at how Jesus,firstborn over all creation, chose to move into our neighborhood. Whileliving in our neighborhood He has shown us who God is and made a way for us tobe in relationship with Him. And one of the things we’ve observed– like Father, like Son, is generosity, as The Message says,“Generous inside and out.”

The Message states John 1:14 –

The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

You, the readers, of these devotionals have been writingthem with the gift of your lives in your “neighborhoods.” Thank you! I have received so many examples of what and how people are living the Incarnation this year. It gives me hope! I have hope that through what is given us to do – right in front of us–lives are being changed. You are reflecting the image of theinvisible God. What a privilege!

Yesterday, I told you about my daughter and her birthday present to the Haiti Water Project. For several years in our previous pastorate our Mission President would put together a gift catalog for ourcongregation. She would gather needs from the missionaries around theworld where our church had gone on Work & Witness. You could give a gift of seeds or a goat or a chicken that would aid the subsistence farmer inMozambique. You could give a gift to provide winter boots for orphans inRussia. You could buy a sewing machine for someone in Romania so they could start a business. You could provide a well in Haiti orAfrica. You could give Bibles for a congregation in Venezuela. Randy and I were the recipients of these types of gifts from our children andcongregation. And did you know that our own Nazarene CompassionateMinistry has a way for you to do something similar? Just check out thewebsite at http://www.ncm.org/. One of thereasons I like to give through my own denomination is that I know 100% of whatI give to NCM goes directly to the project. By supporting these ministries through the World Evangelism Fund, none of my special giving needs to be used for infrastructure. This isn’t always true of other organizations. But just do something! And many of you are!

Today I want to let you hear the story of my friend,Rhonda. We’ve been friends for over 20 years. She and her husband, Dave, are great people with a heart for Christ and His Church. And if you’re ever in Seattle stop in to see them at Seattle First Church of theNazarene and the coffee house, Mosaic, in the basement of the church. Just read how they are doing what is put in front of them to do –even though it’s a little uncomfortable at times.

I just wanted to tell you how my life has changed this past year and how your devotion today was an affirmation to where God has called me. Dave and I are working at Mosaic Coffee House today. It is the community coffee house sponsored by the church - a donation based coffee house. This morning was a really busy morning. We had two mom's groups with kids, a college study group and then the various individuals who come and go. In the midst of all of these groups and neighborhood people three of our regulars came and got in line. They obviously (I say obviously because of the smell) had just come from a doorway or shelter. They politely asked for a hot drink and something to eat and we fixed them up. They went to tables, sat and ate and then left. Nobody moved away from them or said anything negative. It was a beautiful picture of grace.

I'm not in my comfort zone in this situation. I live in a nice house, in a quiet suburban community and my ministry has always been with those that have enough. As God has pulled me further and further into this ministry I see His hand and His love more and more. It isn't inour adequacy that we see the hand of God, it is in our inadequacy that we see it - or anyway, that is where I'm seeing Him these days - in my inadequacy. I would love to pat myself on the back and say that wha twe are doing is great but the real work is the Lord's and the men and women in whom He poured the vision for a place where the whole community could gather. I love that God's hand is seen and lives are touched here -the stories are legion! It is a growing experience for me. Thanks for your words today, they really made me look at what Seattle First is doing here and be thankful that God would want to use me here in this way.

“Father, please give us the courage through the presence of Your Holy Spirit to live recklessly for You! We know we are nothing without the enabling grace of Your Son. We know we have nothing but ourselves to bring to You – and it is only because of Your transforming work within us that we are able to do anything for You! MayYou be revealed in all Your glory, grace, mercy, and love through our livestoday. Amen”