Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Genesis 6: 1-8. TEXT: The Lord was sorry that
He had made man on the earth ... but Noah found favor
in the eyes of the Lord (see Genesis 6:6, 8).

Adam and Eve passed their sinful nature on to their
children. It wasn't long before this nature bore its
poisonous fruit. When God rejected the sacrifice offered
by their firstborn son Cain and accepted his brother's,
Cain murdered Abel. Though God protected him from
retaliation, Cain turned his back on God
(see Genesis 4:16) and taught his descendants, the
Cainites, to do the same.

Eve gave birth to another son named Seth through
whose descendants God promised to send His Son.
Sadly, most of Seth's descendants turned away from
God too, choosing to marry the ungodly Cainite women,
who led them away from God. By chapter six we read,
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great
in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was
sorry that He had made man on the earth, and it
grieved Him to His heart" (Genesis 6:5-6).

God decided to blot out man from the face of the land,
along with all the birds and land animals. But God
remembered His promise to Adam and Eve, and
looked in mercy on one of Seth's descendants. By the
power of the Holy Spirit, Noah still trusted God's
promise. Noah found favor with God because of this
Spirit-given faith, and was instructed to build an ark to
save his household and enough animals to repopulate
the world after the flood.

God would keep His promise to save mankind through
a distant descendant of Noah-the Child of Christmas.

THE PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, our sinful nature is evil beyond our
recognition. Forgive us our sin and restore us through
Your Son Jesus. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

(Day 9 of Advent)

Scripture:


Read John 3:16-21.
TEXT: The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

When God created light on the first day He didn't
banish the darkness entirely. He established the
regular cycle of night and day, darkness and light.
This framework gave us time to work and play and
time to rest and sleep. But even in that time of
darkness God provided night lights by creating the
moon and stars on the fourth day.

When our first parents Adam and Eve disobeyed
God's command, a new kind of darkness came into
our world. It swept over God's creation like a raging
flood, swallowing up everything in its path. It
distorted our hearts and minds, corrupted our
desire and will, and made us God's enemies-
captives of death and hell.

But just as God did not leave the earth wrapped in
darkness, He did not abandon His creatures to sin's
darkness either. He sent His Son into the world to
overpower it. The spiritual darkness was not about
to go quietly. It stirred King Herod to try to slaughter
the young child among the young boys in Bethlehem.
Throughout the days of His public ministry, it tried to
silence Jesus through threats and persecution.
Finally, on the cross and in the sealed grave it
looked as though darkness had snuffed out the Light.
But on the third day Christ arose, shining His light
of victory over sin, Satan, death and hell forever.

This world still tries to snuff out the Light-to take
the Christ out of our Christmas. But Jesus remains
our Light, our Lord, our Savior, and the Mighty One
who will come to judge all.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for shining out through the
darkness of our world, even when it cost Your life.
Continue to shine in my heart, and vanquish the
darkness that still lingers there. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Scripture:
 
Isaiah 2:1-5
 
2 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
    will be the highest of all—
    the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
    and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
3 People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
    and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
    his word will go out from Jerusalem.
4 The Lord will mediate between nations
    and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
    nor train for war anymore.
5 Come, descendants of Jacob,
    let us walk in the light of the Lord!
 
 
Where's Gran?" I asked. "She went to church," Dad replied.
Church? On Christmas? We didn't attend church when I was
a child. I knew friends who did, and I'd even go on vacation
Bible school with one of them. But I didn't know people went
to church on Christmas day. I mean it was Christmas after all-
presence, food, and PJs all day.
 
Later the front door opened and Gran walked in. When I caught
her eye, she smiled at me, joy radiating from her face.
 
Isaiah is seeing the Lords Temple established as the highest
of mountains, exalted above the hills and all the nations
streaming to it (v.2). God intended Jerusalem to be a glorious
beacon calling all nations to him.
 
God calls us to live in such a way that others are drawn to him too.
The image of Gran walking in the door from church with that
glowing smile is still with me. She gave me a glimpse of Christ
that Christmas morning.
 
Prayer:
Father; let others see you in me. Amen
 
(The Covenant Home Alter, author Belinda Thee)