From the UCC Network: Devotional for 12/31 "Sanctuaries Found"

Sanctuaries Found 

Excerpt from Psalm 20 

“May God send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.”

Reflection by Maren Tirabassi

Where are you on New Year’s Eve? I’m in an AA meeting, one of God’s strong sanctuaries, even though they are often located in church basements. Some of you will be there, too, later today – it’s the kind of holiday that is hard to take “one day at a time.” Others of you will be in Watch Night services, Weight Watcher meetings, airplanes headed back to college, Alzheimer’s Care units, dialysis chairs, homeless shelters, online with others leaving situations of domestic violence. Some of you will go to a party and others will watch the ball drop in Times Square with a single good friend.

Psalm 20 is a prayer that asks, “God grant your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans, that we may shout in joy over your victories.” Most personal victories come less from tomorrow’s resolutions than today’s good sanctuaries of physical, emotional, financial and spiritual support. Sanctuaries are found where one or more are gathered to care, to help, and then to just shout in joy for another’s success. Sanctuaries are found where God is present in community.

Recognize the sanctuaries in all their diversity. Plan to be in one when you need help; plan to be in one when someone needs you.

Prayer

God, grant us the humility to seek sanctuary, the compassion to offer it to others – no matter how different they may be from us, and the faith to know that you are always the source of serenity, courage and wisdom. Amen.

About the Author Maren C. Tirabassi is the Pastor of Union Congregational Church of Madbury, UCC, in Madbury, New Hampshire. Her most recent book is All Whom God Has Joined: Resources for Clergy and Same-Gender Loving Couples, co authored with Leanne McCall Tigert.

Daily Prayer - New Years Eve

The Light of the World ...

... Our Light in a New Year

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.”14 Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me.15 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.16 And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me.17 Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”19 “Where is your father?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

John 8:12-19 (NLT)

O Precious Christ – the Light of the World – as this year rapidly draws to a close, I pause to reflect upon the journey I have taken. There were days filled with joyous blessings, as well as those that brought heart-breaking disappointment. There were victories won, and causes that were lost. With past days of certainty, and their clear visions of direction and purpose, there were also those days of uncertainty, and a wondering of where life was leading. And during the bleakest of those hours there was the struggle to hold firm to faith and trust.

Now as I approach this New Year of 2011, I lift up my earnest hope for a clearer foresight of your yearnings for my life, O God. So when the sun sets upon this day – this year – my heart will turn to you. And as the sun arises in the morn upon a new day – upon a new chapter in my continuing years – I will turn my face towards your brightness, the faithful Light of the World, in the anticipation of being blinded by your reality, your truth, your very presence in my soul.

I will never be disappointed in you. Draw close in this time of newness, and make me whole, I pray, that I may serve you well throughout all the days you have given me. May your Light of lights lead me faithfully throughout all the years before me.

Amen.

Rev. Michael Kirchhoff