Christian Reflection and Prayer

(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)

(Day 8 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 3:1-19. TEXT: He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heal (see Genesis 3:15).

Adam and Eve adored God, loved each other, and
enjoyed perfect harmony with all God's creatures. God
set only one limit on them: He commanded them not to
eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil. Created in God's image they already knew all there
was to know about "good." Their loving Father wanted to
spare them from learning about evil.

Sadly, evil had already reared its ugly head in heaven.
One of God's holy angels turned against Him and led
many fellow angels to rise up in rebellion. Unable to
defeat God, Satan turned to destroy the humans God
loved. He took the form of a serpent and in great cunning
and deceit convinced Eve she would become like God if
she ate the forbidden fruit. Adam was there and saw
through the deceit. Unfortunately, instead of protecting
his beloved wife, he watched her eat; then he took the
fruit from her hand and ate it himself.

This simple act of disobedience shattered the perfect
peace of creation, filling it with famine and plague,
suffering, disease and death. At the same time it
plunged Adam and Eve and all of their descendants into
sin and death. Every day we see the fruits of their
disobedience: crime, violence and war.

God had every right and reason to condemn lost
mankind, wipe us off the face of His earth, and start
again. Instead, He came up with a rescue plan centered
on His Son becoming one of Adam and Eve's offspring: a
Man who would destroy Satan's work and remove the
curse on mankind.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, each of us deserves nothing but Your wrath
and punishment for our sinfulness. Yet in mercy You
planned to send Your own Son to save us. For His sake
forgive our sins, and fill us with Your perfect peace. In
Jesus' Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)