These devotions were written by: Rev. Kazimiera I.H. Fraley and Rev. Christy Gunter-Leppert after several days in B&N. :) And these are the devotions to be handed out Sunday, November 23 to prepare for the first Sunday in Advent, November 30.
This week we focus on the CALL FOR THE LORD TO COME. There are four devotions a week, pointing and preparing us towards Sunday.
The picture is from "Art in the Christian Tradition."
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Meditation One: Isaiah 64:1-9
The people’s hearts are breaking for God to come, “Tear open the heavens and come down,” they cry. But do they really want God to come? The words flow from their mouths but nothing else they do attest to this desire. They blame God for their sin and call for miraculous deeds while claiming God did the unexpected. They only wanted God to do what they expected him to do and they only wanted him to act in ways they wanted him to act. How often do we pray expecting God to do the things that we want him to do, and then get upset when his actions do not mirror our desires? Instead of calling for God to act in our expected ways, we need to pray we will do what God wants us to do; that we will allow God to work in us so that our actions mirror God’s desires for us.
Reflection for the Day:
In what ways are you expecting God to do what you want him to do? How can you allow God to show you what it means for you to be a godly person who is waiting for him to come?
Daily Prayer:
My Lord and my God, take from me everything I want that separates me from you.
My Lord and my God, show me everything you want that brings me closer to you.
My Lord and my God, separated me from myself and my wants so I might give my all to you.
Amen
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
The people’s hearts are breaking for God to come, “Tear open the heavens and come down,” they cry. But do they really want God to come? The words flow from their mouths but nothing else they do attest to this desire. They blame God for their sin and call for miraculous deeds while claiming God did the unexpected. They only wanted God to do what they expected him to do and they only wanted him to act in ways they wanted him to act. How often do we pray expecting God to do the things that we want him to do, and then get upset when his actions do not mirror our desires? Instead of calling for God to act in our expected ways, we need to pray we will do what God wants us to do; that we will allow God to work in us so that our actions mirror God’s desires for us.
Reflection for the Day:
In what ways are you expecting God to do what you want him to do? How can you allow God to show you what it means for you to be a godly person who is waiting for him to come?
Daily Prayer:
My Lord and my God, take from me everything I want that separates me from you.
My Lord and my God, show me everything you want that brings me closer to you.
My Lord and my God, separated me from myself and my wants so I might give my all to you.
Amen
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
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Meditation Two: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
This Psalm cries out for God to save and proclaims the ways God saved Israel in the past. As we wait for our Lord to come we may find ourselves crying out along with the Psalmist for God to come and save us, to restore us. We need to call for God to save us from our own destructiveness, the things we do everyday that we know are hurtful to ourselves and our relationships with God. Let us allow God’s face to shine upon us, so we might (like a mirror in the sun), reflect his saving grace to the people in our daily lives. For it is only by reflecting who God is that we are able to truly be saved.
Reflection for the Day:
What ways has God saved you from your destruction in the past? Make a list of them. Think about that list and what it means for God to restore you as you prepare yourself for Christ’s coming throughout this advent season
Daily Prayer:
Lord, as we call for you to come, we remember the ways you saved us in the past. You are the great, powerful, and kind God who fed us, fought for us, and took us back, even when we did not deserve this. We know, as we look to your face, that it is you who is reflected in us so we might shine your light to the world.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
This Psalm cries out for God to save and proclaims the ways God saved Israel in the past. As we wait for our Lord to come we may find ourselves crying out along with the Psalmist for God to come and save us, to restore us. We need to call for God to save us from our own destructiveness, the things we do everyday that we know are hurtful to ourselves and our relationships with God. Let us allow God’s face to shine upon us, so we might (like a mirror in the sun), reflect his saving grace to the people in our daily lives. For it is only by reflecting who God is that we are able to truly be saved.
Reflection for the Day:
What ways has God saved you from your destruction in the past? Make a list of them. Think about that list and what it means for God to restore you as you prepare yourself for Christ’s coming throughout this advent season
Daily Prayer:
Lord, as we call for you to come, we remember the ways you saved us in the past. You are the great, powerful, and kind God who fed us, fought for us, and took us back, even when we did not deserve this. We know, as we look to your face, that it is you who is reflected in us so we might shine your light to the world.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
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Meditation Three: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Advent is a season of waiting for our Lord to come. Paul tells us we are waiting for God’s revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in a new and powerful way. Each day we should be looking for God to reveal Jesus to us when it is huge (and we call it extraordinary) or when it is small (and we call it common). When we allow God to reveal Christ to us in these ways, we allow him to strengthen us to the end. In this way God is eternally faithful to us.
Reflection for the Day:
How can you look deep enough to see God working within the common ordinary moments of your life and in the lives of those around you? Take time today to purposefully see how God is working and how you may have missed it before.
Daily Prayer:
Lord, God we are getting more anxious and more excited as we call for you to come.
We believe you are working in every single moment and so we look for you to reveal yourself in both the extraordinary and the common things of life.
Please come. Please reveal yourself to us.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
Advent is a season of waiting for our Lord to come. Paul tells us we are waiting for God’s revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in a new and powerful way. Each day we should be looking for God to reveal Jesus to us when it is huge (and we call it extraordinary) or when it is small (and we call it common). When we allow God to reveal Christ to us in these ways, we allow him to strengthen us to the end. In this way God is eternally faithful to us.
Reflection for the Day:
How can you look deep enough to see God working within the common ordinary moments of your life and in the lives of those around you? Take time today to purposefully see how God is working and how you may have missed it before.
Daily Prayer:
Lord, God we are getting more anxious and more excited as we call for you to come.
We believe you are working in every single moment and so we look for you to reveal yourself in both the extraordinary and the common things of life.
Please come. Please reveal yourself to us.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
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Meditation Four: Mark 13:28-31
As we are preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of our Lord, let us learn a lesson from the culture and life around us. When the Holiday music can be heard in the stores and your neighborhood houses are lit up with a thousand twinkling lights, you know Christmas Day is near. These are the signs we see which allow us to anticipate the coming of the Christmas season. In the same way let us always be alert so that we may see the work of God around us that reveals to us Christ’s coming is near.
Reflection for the Day:
In what ways can you see the work of God in this world that prepares you for the coming of Christ? How do you allow your heart and life to be ready for Christ’s coming?
Daily Prayer:
Father God, make us alert so we may see your glorious light around us in our weak and feeble sight.
Prepare our hearts and draw near to our lives so we will be ready for the coming of your son divine.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
As we are preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of our Lord, let us learn a lesson from the culture and life around us. When the Holiday music can be heard in the stores and your neighborhood houses are lit up with a thousand twinkling lights, you know Christmas Day is near. These are the signs we see which allow us to anticipate the coming of the Christmas season. In the same way let us always be alert so that we may see the work of God around us that reveals to us Christ’s coming is near.
Reflection for the Day:
In what ways can you see the work of God in this world that prepares you for the coming of Christ? How do you allow your heart and life to be ready for Christ’s coming?
Daily Prayer:
Father God, make us alert so we may see your glorious light around us in our weak and feeble sight.
Prepare our hearts and draw near to our lives so we will be ready for the coming of your son divine.
Weekly Action:
Give up one beverage, or snack item this week and set the money that you would have spent on this item to your church’s Christmas Giving Emphasis.
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