An Advent Devotion for November 27

Scripture Luke 4:16-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.“ Luke 4:16

Christmas Eve was a day for visiting my grandparents when I grew up. Arriving back home, my dad would pull into the driveway and then disappear for a few minutes. By the time the rest of us got inside the house, he would announce that Santa had come  while we were away. Santa’s gifts for the family, usually came in a large cardboard barrel.

Advent – Waiting – Preparing – Nostalgia – Anticipation – Longing   A mingling of past and present with memories of long ago Christmas’s.   Each year, there is a persistent hope, that all the pieces will fit together for Christmas.

We journey this Advent with generations who have come before us. People who lived in times of plenty and scarcity – in times of war, famine, plagues and  in times of peace.

Advent waiting resonates throughout the generations and centuries, holding hope for a better time . . . Hope for the day when God’s Kingdom will come on earth and reign on earth as it does in heaven.

Our waiting time is not meant to idle us, but to prepare us.  Advent is the searching time to look inward,  into our very souls.  It is a time to ask the question of “What do I need to do to make the world kinder, gentler, more peace-loving, generous and just?”

For Jesus came, he said, “To bring good news to the poor.” Our justice loving Jesus urges us to look around and ask, “Who is it that needs to experience gifts of God’s love, through our hands this Advent Season?”

Prayer   Sometimes God, there is so much need around us.  We know it’s impossible for us to make a dent in that need. There are days we feel overwhelmed with our own life, and our own needs    We feel the stressors pulling at us and we wonder how you can possibly be asking us to look outside ourselves to care about anyone else.  Lead us to that one person who needs us to be the bearer of good news.  Then grant us the grace we need to give as you ask us to.  Amen.

Daily Devotions and other Christmas resources can be found at this Link – Devotions for Advent to Epiphany