ADVENT DEVOTIONAL 12/6/18

Silence and Centering – 2 MINUTES

Prayer For Presence: “Lord manifest your presence to us, that we would experience your nearness and power.”

Scripture: Luke 3:1–6

Devotional:

This Advent, God calls us to be voices crying in the
wilderness. God calls us to prepare the way of the
Lord. God calls us to announce the Messiah’s coming.
When the Messiah comes, valleys are filled.

Mountains and hills are made low. These reversals
echo Mary’s song (Luke 1:46–55), in which the
powerful are brought down, and the lowly are
lifted up. They anticipate the Sermon on the Plain
(Luke 6:20–26), according to which those who are
hungry now will be filled, and those who weep
now will laugh.

Most importantly, when the Messiah comes,
“All flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6).
The Messiah will open our eyes so that we will
see God in our midst. We will see the invisible in
the visible. Through Jesus, we will see the image
of God in one another’s faces. And when that
happens, the crooked are made straight and
rough ways made smooth.

Space For Reflection:  (Which word or phrase stands out to you. What might God be saying to you?)

Prayer:

Dear God, our lives and our world need the advent of your
Messiah. Give us eyes to see and voices to proclaim the
salvation you promise amid everything going on in our
lives. Amen

The Our Father (slowly pray this)
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever, Amen.

2 Minutes – Conclude With Silence