Introduction
Hello church and welcome to our Advent journey!
Historically the Advent season was a time set aside for fasting, prayer, and giving. In a month that swells with extra tasks and activities, intentionally paring down where we can to make room for time with Jesus is always a good idea! This year we at Grace seek to infuse the time with a heart posture of joy as a truer focus and counterweight to all the things that pull us in so many directions, whether this is your favorite, most wonderful’ time of the year or a time where seasonal depression and extra fatigue threaten to overwhelm you.
The Hymn Joy to the World will be our companion through the season and we pray that these well known verses will be your daily anthem, whatever each day holds.
The format for the devotional will include our week’s scripture, a short summary, a stanza from Joy to the World, time for prayer, wrapping up with a few closing thoughts. There are 3 audio devotions each week intended for your use on Friday to help you prepare for Sunday’s service, and also Monday and Wednesday as touch points to take the passage deeper.
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and prepare our hearts so we can be refreshed with God’s word.
Historically the Advent season was a time set aside for fasting, prayer, and giving. In a month that swells with extra tasks and activities, intentionally paring down where we can to make room for time with Jesus is always a good idea! This year we at Grace seek to infuse the time with a heart posture of joy as a truer focus and counterweight to all the things that pull us in so many directions, whether this is your favorite, most wonderful’ time of the year or a time where seasonal depression and extra fatigue threaten to overwhelm you.
The Hymn Joy to the World will be our companion through the season and we pray that these well known verses will be your daily anthem, whatever each day holds.
The format for the devotional will include our week’s scripture, a short summary, a stanza from Joy to the World, time for prayer, wrapping up with a few closing thoughts. There are 3 audio devotions each week intended for your use on Friday to help you prepare for Sunday’s service, and also Monday and Wednesday as touch points to take the passage deeper.
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and prepare our hearts so we can be refreshed with God’s word.
Opening Prayer
Gracious and Merciful God, thank you for carving out this time to focus on You. May Your Spirit open our hearts to receive Your word and the Hope You have for us today. Refresh us with Your Presence oh Lord.
Today's Scripture - Isaiah 64:1-9
Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You!
As when the fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled before You.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, You were angry.
How can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
Yet O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all Your people.
As when the fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled before You.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, You were angry.
How can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
Yet O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all Your people.
God's word to us, a lamp for our feet, a light on our path. Thanks be to God.
Reflection
For what are you waiting?
For your marriage to get better or your health to improve? For a place to call your own or the fulfillment of a dream? For fruit from long and hard labor? Or an end to all the strife and for peace to reign on earth or at the very least peace in your heart and in your home?
Children often have the luxury of anticipation not yet tainted by reality. They wholeheartedly believe that the thing they are waiting for will satisfy and that the satisfaction will last.
For us who have lived long enough to have hopes crushed, dreams stalled, desires unmet, and hearts broken, it can be difficult to allow ourselves to anticipate the possibility of having our hearts rested, souls satisfied, and joy restored.
We’ve heard of the stories of God’s mighty acts and carry the ache of longing for them today. We long for big acts that put a stop to the division and war and horror all across the globe. And we long for personal acts overcoming on our behalf whatever it is we are needing from our Savior, our Advocate, our Lord.
Our hearts echo Isaiah’s plea; “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!”
The answer to this heart cry is found in our Advent carol:
For your marriage to get better or your health to improve? For a place to call your own or the fulfillment of a dream? For fruit from long and hard labor? Or an end to all the strife and for peace to reign on earth or at the very least peace in your heart and in your home?
Children often have the luxury of anticipation not yet tainted by reality. They wholeheartedly believe that the thing they are waiting for will satisfy and that the satisfaction will last.
For us who have lived long enough to have hopes crushed, dreams stalled, desires unmet, and hearts broken, it can be difficult to allow ourselves to anticipate the possibility of having our hearts rested, souls satisfied, and joy restored.
We’ve heard of the stories of God’s mighty acts and carry the ache of longing for them today. We long for big acts that put a stop to the division and war and horror all across the globe. And we long for personal acts overcoming on our behalf whatever it is we are needing from our Savior, our Advocate, our Lord.
Our hearts echo Isaiah’s plea; “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!”
The answer to this heart cry is found in our Advent carol:
Joy to the world
The Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and Nature Sing!
Closing Prayer
As you go about your day, carry this short prayer with you:
Lord Jesus, you came!
In my waiting, help my heart to remember that You are here.
In my waiting, help my heart to remember that You are here.
Take a few moments now to pray to God, who came to be your Savior!
Thank you for joining us for our Advent reading of Isaiah’s plea. For your further growth, and to prepare your heart for Sunday’s message, take time with the preparation questions found in this week’s Sermon Notes (These are updated each week on Friday at noon)
We will be back again on Monday pondering the unexpected ways God is at work. Until then, may the Lord keep you, shine His face upon you, and give you His peace.
We will be back again on Monday pondering the unexpected ways God is at work. Until then, may the Lord keep you, shine His face upon you, and give you His peace.
