Opening Prayer: O God and Father, I repent of my sinful
preoccupation with visible things. The
world has been too much with me. You
have been here and I knew it not. I have
been blind to Your presence. Open my
eyes that I may behold You in and around me.
For Christ’s sake, Amen. (The
Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer)
Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22
Journal: How will you try to pay attention to God during
this season, even in places you might not usually notice him?
Reflection:
At the beginning of her course the Church looks out
towards Eternity, and realizes her own poverty and imperfection and her utter
dependence on this perpetual coming of God.
Advent is, of course, first of all a
preparation for Christmas; which commemorates God’s saving entrance into
history in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Whilst all things were in quiet
silence and night
was in the midst of her swift course:
thine Almighty
Word leapt down from heaven out of thy
royal throne.
Alleluia.
A tremendous spiritual event then took
place; something which disclosed the very nature of God and his relation to His
universe. But there was little to show
for it on the surface of life. All men
saw was a poor girl unconditionally submitted to God’s Will, and a baby born in
difficult circumstances. And this
contrast between the outward appearance and the inner reality is true of all
the comings of God to us. We must be
very loving and very alert if we want to recognize them in their earthly
disguise. Again and again He comes and
the revelation is not a bit what we expect. (The Fruits of the Spirit
by Evelyn Underhill)
Prayer
Closing Prayer: Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as we
await the advent of Christ your Son, so that when he comes and knocks he may
find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen. (A Collect for Advent on Creighton University Online
Ministries)
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