In our church worship services yesterday, we lit one candle of our Advent Wreath as part of the celebration of the first Sunday of Advent. Here is the devotion I wrote to accompany it. (We are using the New Living Translation for these devotions each week).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING
First Sunday of Advent
First Sunday of Advent
SCRIPTURE: Malachi 4:1-6
READING: In today’s prophecy about the coming of Christ, God promises His people that when Christ comes down in what we now call Christmas, He will deal with the wicked. Also, those who “fear His name” will personally encounter Christ and find that He will also bring healing to their lives… healing for physical ailments, healing for mental illnesses, healing for damaged emotions, and even healing for broken relationships.
Depending on which group of people we choose to associate ourselves with, either the wicked or those who fear His name, determines how we will encounter Christ when He comes.
Part of the promise of God found here in Malachi, is the promise that God will send warnings ahead of time and send a messenger to alert us that it’s almost time for Christ to come. When Christ first came, that messenger was John the Baptist. Today, the warnings are all around us… radio, TV, books, preachers, and the written words of God found in Scripture.
As we light this candle today on the first Sunday of Advent, we remember that He is coming again… and soon! And we will meet Him when he comes… as our conqueror, if we are wicked, or as our healer, if we fear His name and serve Him as His people.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus… You are the Sun of Righteousness and you come to offer us healing, even as you prepare to destroy evil. Help us to be like John the Baptist as we warn our friends and neighbors that You are on Your way… and they get to choose how they’ll meet you. AMEN.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Here are a couple of websites that I found helpful in explaining more about Advent Wreaths.
No comments:
Post a Comment