Category: Advent 2022 – Love Story

Advent 2022 -Day 4

Emily Chase December 4, 2022November 30, 2023 0

Does it seem that Christmas is a long way off? Here’s another thought from our “Love Story” to help you during this period of anticipation.

February 2, 1941…continued. My father had met this new girl, and he immediately wrote home to his parents, “Her name is Joan Lee-Cole, and her father is a minister in Dublin, Ireland. She’s over here on a fellowship from the English Speaking Union, and it seems she has been here in NY for two months, and Friday was her last day here before going up to the Harvard Graduate School to study biology until June.”

Can you imagine the consternation that my father must have experienced, meeting a wonderful woman only to learn that she was leaving New York the next day to head to Massachusetts?

Before Jesus’ cousin ever began baptizing, God had revealed that John would one day meet the Messiah. In the gospel of John, the Baptizer reported, “I didn’t know [Jesus] was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone, you will know this is the one you are looking for.’” I wonder how many months went by as John eagerly anticipated meeting the Christ. Would this person be the one? Or perhaps that man standing over there?

At last, John baptized his cousin. There were no doubts. “I saw it myself and I have born witness. This is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:34) Then Jesus immediately disappeared into the wilderness for over a month. Picture how John must have felt: He finally realized that his own cousin was to be the Messiah, only to see Jesus leave town that same day! John went from elation to confusion in less than 24 hours!

Have you ever thought everything was moving smoothly in one direction, only to be jolted as you suddenly faced obstacles and delays? Never fear, God’s timing is perfect…to the day and hour! So stay tuned!

Advent 2022 – Day 3

Emily Chase December 2, 2022 0

Thanks for returning for another thought involving our Advent theme, “God’s Love Story.”

Yesterday, we saw that my father had a clear idea about what he was looking for in the woman he would marry. He soon got a little help from his Uncle Jim and Aunt Vera. They often invited young people to their home. They had a reputation for match-making, so it seems appropriate that they were the ones to introduce my parents to each other. (FYI, Aunt Vera’s full name was Vera Scott Cushman, and she was one of the founders of the YWCA.)

February 2, 1941…continued. In the same letter from which I quoted yesterday, on the very next page, my dad describes his first encounter with the girl who later became his wife: “As a matter of fact, on Friday morning up at Uncle Jim and Aunt Vera’s, I met another girl whom I think I really would like to marry if I ever get the chance, but I’m afraid it’s unlikely.”

How interesting that family members often play a key role in introducing us to people that will change the course of our lives. The same was true for the apostle Andrew. In John 1:40-42, right after Andrew met Jesus, the first thing he did was seek out his brother Peter. “We have found the Messiah!” Andrew wanted to share good news with his brother, just as my father wrote to share his good news with his family.

Who introduced you to Jesus? Take some time today to thank God for those members of God’s family who shared their good news with you! How might you, in turn, impact the lives of your friends and family?

Advent 2022 – Day 2

Emily Chase December 1, 2022 0

Welcome back to the second installment of our Advent season. “God’s Love Story” unfolded over thousands of years, but ours will take only 24 days.

February 2, 1941…Dad’s letters since the previous November were full of descriptions of girls he met in college and seminary. They went skating, watched movies, went on picnics, and danced until 1:00 am. In this February letter he had a date with another girl. Describing their time together, my father told his parents, “Much as I like Virginia, she isn’t quite the girl I would consider marrying.”

Dad knew what kind of girl he wanted to marry and he had high standards. This girl did not fill the bill. How many of us are glad we did not marry the first person we dated? Waiting can be hard, but I am so thankful that I waited for the right man to come into my own life!

In a similar way, many people explore or “date” other faiths that appear interesting. The Hindu pantheon might seem intriguing. Buddhism might attract some. Islam can feel intimidating. However, none of these faiths offer complete assurance of acceptance and eternal peace with God. Only Christ can fill that longing. He promised that all who have faith in him would become forever children of God.

Peter understood this. When Jesus asked if the disciples wanted to leave him, Peter replied, “Lord, to whom else can we turn? Your words are the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

My father wanted the very best as a wife. In Christ, we have the gold standard. Take a moment today to think of all the blessings He has brought into your path.

Advent 2022 – God’s Love Story

Emily Chase November 30, 2022 0

Advent is a time of preparation as we await the appearance of our Savior. This year, I’ve prepared another series of 24 devotionals but, of course, the theme is new: “God’s Love Story.”

This December, we will take a journey through the early 1940’s when my father was attending seminary in New York City. He wrote home to his parents every week, and they saved all his letters. Thus, I have a collection of Dad’s personal “advent,” from the times of anticipation to meeting his future wife, from falling in love to celebrating his wedding. Along the way we’ll see parallels with our eager anticipation of Christ’s arrival at the end of Advent.

Nov. 19, 1940…on this date, my dad was pondering his future. He wondered on paper if any of the girls he had recently met might one day become his wife. “The girl that caught my eye most of all was [RM] whom I hope I may see again – too bad she lives so far away in Washington [DC].” My father had no idea that exactly seven years later to the day, he would have not only married a different young woman but have four children. That included his daughter who would be born on…Nov. 19! (And as for a girl living far away? The woman Dad eventually married would be from even farther away, from Dublin, Ireland!)

Like Dad, when I was young, I had no idea if I would ever marry. I didn’t know what that person might be like, nor when/where our paths might cross. And some of us never marry. But each Christmas, we all have the opportunity to greet Someone who is already madly in love with us. Galatians 4:4,5 tells us, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.” God is full of surprises. After a thousand years of anticipation, in the fullness of time, our Savior was born in a humble stable in a small town called Bethlehem. Join us here tomorrow for more of the unfolding love story.