Tag Archives: Anticipation

Advent, Devotional

All Aboard the Faith Express

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Read Isaiah 11:1-10

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“And in another place Isaiah said, ‘The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him'” (Romans 15:12 NLT).

Image created by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of AI developed by Microsoft.

The concept of “Christmasland” can evoke different images. In Joe Hill’s novel NOS4A2, it’s portrayed as a sinister place where a supernatural villain takes kidnapped children, promising eternal happiness but delivering a twisted, soulless existence. This dark portrayal serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking fulfillment in false promises or superficial joy.

However, in the beloved children’s story and film The Polar Express, we encounter a different kind of journey to a Christmas wonderland – one that leads to growth, belief, and the true spirit of the season. This stark contrast invites us to reflect on the nature of our own spiritual journeys and the authenticity of our faith.

As we embark on our Advent journey, Isaiah’s prophecy paints a picture of hope and renewal. A shoot springing from a seemingly dead stump, bringing new life and possibility. This promised ruler will usher in an era of justice, righteousness, and peace – a vision that may seem too good to be true in our often chaotic world. Yet, it’s this very promise that we’re called to anticipate and believe in during the Advent season.

The Polar Express invites us to take a leap of faith, much like the child in the story who boards a magical train to the North Pole. This journey isn’t about escaping reality or finding a superficial “Christmasland,” but about rediscovering wonder and belief. As the train winds its way through the night, the passengers face doubts and challenges, mirroring our own spiritual journeys. The conductor, much like our spiritual leaders, guides them with wisdom and care, echoing the righteous leader described in Isaiah 11:3-5.

The film’s depiction of the North Pole isn’t a deceptive paradise, but represents the destination of a transformative journey. It’s a place where the true spirit of Christmas – generosity, kindness, and faith – comes alive. This echoes the promise in Romans 15:12, where the hope brought by the Messiah extends to all nations. The diverse group of children on the train symbolizes this inclusive nature of God’s call, reminding us that the journey of faith is open to all who choose to believe.

As we anticipate Christ’s coming, we’re called to embrace a childlike faith – not naive or escapist, but open to wonder and transformation. The journey in The Polar Express reminds us that belief often requires taking steps into the unknown, trusting even when we can’t see the full picture. This mirrors our own faith journey, where we’re asked to trust in God’s promises even when our circumstances seem bleak or uncertain.

The magical bell from Santa’s sleigh in the film serves as a powerful metaphor for faith. Only those who truly believe can hear its sweet sound. Similarly, recognizing God’s work in our lives often requires a heart attuned to His presence. As we journey through Advent, we’re invited to “listen” for God’s presence in our lives, to be attentive to the ways God’s working, even when it’s not immediately apparent.

In this Advent season, let’s approach our faith journey with the wide-eyed wonder of a child on the Polar Express. May we be open to moments of transformation, ready to have our perspectives shifted and our hearts renewed. Though the world around us may be chaotic, we can find peace and stability in the promise of Christ’s reign. Let us anticipate not a superficial “Christmasland,” but the true joy and peace that come from a genuine encounter with the Christ child.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Faith, like the magic of Christmas, requires us to believe in what we cannot always see. As we journey through Advent, may we cultivate a spirit of anticipation and wonder, trusting in God’s promises even when they seem impossible.

PRAYER
God of hope, renew our childlike faith and help us to see Your work in the world around us. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.

Devotional, Previous Post

REVISITED: Jesus Christ Superstar

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Read Philippians 2:1-11

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. ” (John 6:67-69 NLT)

I have always been a fan of plays and movies about the life and teachings of Christ. One of favorites, which started as a play and has been made into a movie, is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. The story starts off toward the end of Jesus’ ministry, and it opens with Judas Iscariot questioning what the Jesus movement has become. They had followed him for three years, hoping that he would be their Messiah, and hoping that he would overthrow the Romans and establish his kingdom and reestablish Jewish sovereignty.

Yet things had seriously changed since that day that Judas first joined the band of disciples. Back then, everyone thought of Jesus as another human being, albeit a holy, prophetic, and kingly human being. Since those first days, weeks, months as Jesus’ disciples first joined him on his mission. He started performing miracles, he started developing a following and, according to Judas, he had started developing a God-complex. In the song, “Heaven on Their Minds”, Judas belts out in his high Tenor voice, “I remember when this whole thing began, no talk of God then, we called you a man. And believe me, my admiration for you hasn’t died. But every word you say today gets twisted ’round some other way, and they’ll hurt you if they think you’ve lied.”

While no one knows the real reason behind Judas’ decision to betray Jesus; however, it is clear that all of the disciples followed Jesus with their own hopes and expectation of who Jesus was and who he was going to be. They were hoping he would be a superstar, to use today’s terminology, and they wanted to ride that wave into the Jewish history books. Of course, Jesus certainly did become a superstar and he certainly etched his way into all of the world’s history books; however, Jesus was not the kind of superstar they were all hoping he would be.

He amassed tons of followers, tons of notoriety, and gained a ton of attention; however, Jesus’ message was not one of violent revolt against the Romans, but a peaceful revolution of his own people. While he was no “friend of Caesar”, he also became no “friend” of the political and religious leaders of his own people. He felt that, as the Messiah, his revolution was one of the heart. It was one that would reestablish the greatness of GOD through love, compassion, sacrifice, discipline, justice, mercy, and humility. This kind of revolution made enemies with the Romans and the elites among his own people. Consequently, this Jesus Christ Superstar made enemies among his own friends and followers. Jesus was a superstar for sure, but that superstardom would not result in people crowning him…but crucifying him.

As we are in Lent, let us challenge ourselves to reflect on who we see Jesus to be. What are your hopes and expectations of Jesus? Are they realistic? Are they self-serving? Are they based on what others have told you about him or are they Biblically based? Do you see Jesus as being in your image? Or are seeking the kind of transformation that will lead you to look more and more like Jesus? What’s more, will your hopes and expectations of Jesus lead you to continue growing in your love, admiration and service of him, or will it lead you to grow more and more frustrated and disconnected from him? Remember that Jesus is the King of kings because he cannot be corrupted, manipulated, or bent to our ways. Jesus is Lord because he is unrelenting in his mission of hope, healing and wholeness, and he is uncompromising in his revolution to transform the heart. I pray that, in your Lenten journey, you come to be transformed by this divinely radical revolution.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Neither you, Simon, nor the fifty thousand, nor the Romans, nor the Jews, nor Judas, nor the twelve, nor the priests, nor the scribes, nor doomed Jerusalem itself understand what power is, understand what glory is, understand at all.” – Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar

PRAYER
Lord, become a revolution in my heart and transform me with the power of your world rocking love. Amen.

Devotional

Jesus Christ Superstar

Leave a comment

Read Philippians 2:1-11

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God. ” (John 6:67-69 NLT)

I have always been a fan of plays and movies about the life and teachings of Christ. One of favorites, which started as a play and has been made into a movie, is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. The story starts off toward the end of Jesus’ ministry, and it opens with Judas Iscariot questioning what the Jesus movement has become. They had followed him for three years, hoping that he would be their Messiah, and hoping that he would overthrow the Romans and establish his kingdom and reestablish Jewish sovereignty.

Yet things had seriously changed since that day that Judas first joined the band of disciples. Back then, everyone thought of Jesus as another human being, albeit a holy, prophetic, and kingly human being. Since those first days, weeks, months as Jesus’ disciples first joined him on his mission. He started performing miracles, he started developing a following and, according to Judas, he had started developing a God-complex. In the song, “Heaven on Their Minds”, Judas belts out in his high Tenor voice, “I remember when this whole thing began, no talk of God then, we called you a man. And believe me, my admiration for you hasn’t died. But every word you say today gets twisted ’round some other way, and they’ll hurt you if they think you’ve lied.”

While no one knows the real reason behind Judas’ decision to betray Jesus; however, it is clear that all of the disciples followed Jesus with their own hopes and expectation of who Jesus was and who he was going to be. They were hoping he would be a superstar, to use today’s terminology, and they wanted to ride that wave into the Jewish history books. Of course, Jesus certainly did become a superstar and he certainly etched his way into all of the world’s history books; however, Jesus was not the kind of superstar they were all hoping he would be.

He amassed tons of followers, tons of notoriety, and gained a ton of attention; however, Jesus’ message was not one of violent revolt against the Romans, but a peaceful revolution of his own people. While he was no “friend of Caesar”, he also became no “friend” of the political and religious leaders of his own people. He felt that, as the Messiah, his revolution was one of the heart. It was one that would reestablish the greatness of GOD through love, compassion, sacrifice, discipline, justice, mercy, and humility. This kind of revolution made enemies with the Romans and the elites among his own people. Consequently, this Jesus Christ Superstar made enemies among his own friends and followers. Jesus was a superstar for sure, but that superstardom would not result in people crowning him…but crucifying him.

As we are in Lent, let us challenge ourselves to reflect on who we see Jesus to be. What are your hopes and expectations of Jesus? Are they realistic? Are they self-serving? Are they based on what others have told you about him or are they Biblically based? Do you see Jesus as being in your image? Or are seeking the kind of transformation that will lead you to look more and more like Jesus? What’s more, will your hopes and expectations of Jesus lead you to continue growing in your love, admiration and service of him, or will it lead you to grow more and more frustrated and disconnected from him? Remember that Jesus is the King of kings because he cannot be corrupted, manipulated, or bent to our ways. Jesus is Lord because he is unrelenting in his mission of hope, healing and wholeness, and he is uncompromising in his revolution to transform the heart. I pray that, in your Lenten journey, you come to be transformed by this divinely radical revolution.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Neither you, Simon, nor the fifty thousand, nor the Romans, nor the Jews, nor Judas, nor the twelve, nor the priests, nor the scribes, nor doomed Jerusalem itself understand what power is, understand what glory is, understand at all.” – Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar

PRAYER
Lord, become a revolution in my heart and transform me with the power of your world rocking love. Amen.