# Yes Day 5 > Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God. ### Opening Prayer: *"I belong to the Lord, body and soul," replied Mary, "let it happen as you say." (Luke 1:38 JBP)* #### Psalm for the Week: Psalm 77 #### In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord #### To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph. *77 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me. 2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.3 When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.5 I consider the days of old,the years long ago.6 I said,[a] “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.”Then my spirit made a diligent search:7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?* *8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?Are his promises at an end for all time?9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”[b]11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.12 I will ponder all your work,and meditate on your mighty deeds.13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?14 You are the God who works wonders;you have made known your might among the peoples.15 You with your arm redeemed your people,the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah* *16 When the waters saw you, O God,when the waters saw you, they were afraid;indeed, the deep trembled.17 The clouds poured out water;the skies gave forth thunder;your arrows flashed on every side.18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world;the earth trembled and shook.* *19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen.[c]20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.* #### Scripture for the Day: Matthew 1:18-24 #### The Birth of Jesus Christ *18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:* *23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,* #### Reading for Reflection: *The center of one stream of biblical literature can be characterized by God’s yes. That word expresses, perhaps better than any other, the gospel message. God says yes to humanity. Humanity returns the yes. Pastoral work consists in repeating the gospel yes in every conceivable life-situation and encouraging the yes answer of faith. St. Paul’s text is programmatic for the pastoral task: “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you…was not Yes and No; but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:19-20). Yes in Hebrew is Amen. It is rich and allusive in meaning. It indicates firmness, solidity. It describes what is nailed down. God is “Amen” (Isaiah 65:16)—sure, faithful, affirmative. Because God is “Amen,” people can live in “Amen,” that is, in faith. We are taught to say yes to the God who says yes to us in Christ and so be connected in an affirmative way with the God who redeemed us. (Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work by Eugene H. Peterson)* *Amen, the biblical yes, is used, always, in relation to God, the God who establishes and makes persons firm and secure in eternal purpose and redemptive love. In response to that affirmation we say, “Amen”—“Yes.” It is God’s most characteristic word; it is humankind’s most appropriate response. (Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work by Eugene H. Peterson)* #### Reflection and Listening: silent and written #### Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself #### Song for the Week: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus *Come, thou long expected Jesus* *Born to set thy people free* *From our fears and sins release us* *Let us find our rest in thee* *Israel’s strength and consolation* *Hope of all the earth thou art* *Dear desire of every nation* *Joy of every longing heart* *Joy to those who long to see thee* *Dayspring from on high appear* *Come thou promised rod of Jesse* *Of thy birth we long to hear* *O’er the hills the angels singing* *News, glad tidings of a birth* *Go to him your praises ringing* *Christ the Lord has come to earth* *Come to earth to taste our sadness* *He whose glories knew no end* *By his life he brings us gladness* *Our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend* *Leaving riches without number* *Born within a cattle stall* *This the everlasting wonder* *Christ was born the Lord of all* *Born thy people to deliver,* *Born a child and yet a King,* *Born to reign in us forever,* *Now thy gracious kingdom bring.* *By thine own eternal spirit* *Rule in all our hearts alone,* *By thine all sufficient merit,* *Raise us to thy glorious throne.* ### Closing Prayer *I have heard your call, my Lord, and respond with a yes that arises from the depth of my being. I know that if I follow close to you, nothing shall be able to separate me from your love. Amen. A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job)*