Sunday, December 2, 2012

Advent: Day 1

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. A good reading for this morning (which we will be reading at my church today) is Isaiah 9:6-7 followed by Luke 1:68:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, 
for he has visited and redeemed his people...

That is what we celebrate at Christmas time. Christmas is not about greater kindness, bringing happiness to others, learning to walk in others shoes, empathy, spreading joy, or giving. It is about the good news that the second person of the Godhead became man, so He could redeem His people. It was the zeal of the LORD of hosts that did that.

Meditate on those Scriptures for a little while. Thank God for being your Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Ask Jesus to give you the power you to follow Him--to reform you into His likeness--so that you might be able to be salt and light this Christmas season. Ask Him to prepare your heart for celebrating His incarnation and build the anticipation so high that no part of culture's consumerism can occlude it. Ask Him to make you hopefully and eager for His second coming. And, ask Him to speed that day. Perhaps it could be today. 

By His Grace,
Taylor

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