Friday, December 09, 2016

Advent Devotion

Every year Hollywood United Methodist Church curates advent devotions on their website. Today was my day:

Philippians 4:4–9 

I have this scripture passage from Philippians all marked up in my bible. I have the word always circled in the beginning phrase rejoice in the Lord always. I have the sixth verse, which states do not be anxious about anything, underlined. And in the margin I’ve drawn arrows around the whole passage and written the words “some assembly is required”.

That’s definitely my approach to the holiday season: some assembly required. There are presents to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, plans to make, calendars to coordinate, planes to catch, and on and on. But it’s also my approach to my faith: some assembly required. In this passage, written by Paul, in what some call the most joyous book in the whole bible, we are reminded to rejoice! To let our gentleness be evident to all. To pray with thanksgiving. To think about what is lovely, what is right, what is pure, what is excellent. And that can be hard. That can be near impossible. Especially in today’s political climate. In a culture that feeds fear and demands perfection.

But it is in these fractured times, in this busy holiday season, that we must put together the pieces Paul reminds us are there, right in front of us. We have to seek out what is true, what is noble, what is admirable, what is praiseworthy. We have to seek out the good. We have to remember that a baby was born to save us all. And that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will protect us.  

Prayer for today: (lyrics from the Relient K song “I Celebrate the Day”)
“And the first time that you opened your eyes, did you realize that you would be my savior and the first breath that left your lips, did you know that it would change this world forever?”
Thank you for that, for the peace you bring to us all. 



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