Advent-Week Four

I must begin this post with an apology to my faithful readers. Like most of us do, I got caught up in the Christmas hubbub and missed two posting days. Please forgive me. This is a perfect example to show why Advent traditions are so important to keeping us centered during the busyness of the season. Thanks much for joining me as we finish out the Advent series.

So far, we have spent time focusing on HOPE, PEACE and JOY. During Week Four our thoughts were of LOVE. The candle we light on the Advent wreath is the Angel’s Candle. The four scriptures used for Week IV are printed below.

Our Youth Christmas play at church this year included a song asking the question, “What’s a Savior like You doin’ in a place like this?” I’m a visual person, so in my mind’s eye, I saw this scene play out in Heaven:

Jesus: “Father, look out through time with me. Do you see her? Do you see my Cathy? (You can insert your name here, because He did the same for you.) She needs a Savior. Please, Father, let me go to earth so I can help her. It’s time for us to put our plan of salvation into action.”

God: “I can’t send you into the world, Son. I love you so much and I know how they will treat you down there.”



Angels Attending the
Birth of Jesus

Jesus: “Please, Dad. Let me go. Cathy is precious to me. She needs my help to get through the trials of life.”

God: “Son, you know they will mock you, spit on you, ridicule you, beat you, shame you, reject you. You know the devil will do everything he can to keep your message from getting to Cathy. You know in the end, you will suffer an unspeakably cruel death on the cross.”

Jesus: “I know, Father, but she’s worth it.”

“And she brought forth her first-born son and she wrapped him in strips of cloth (the same kind used for burial) and laid him in a manger.” His end was forecast at His birth, but because of His great LOVE for me, and for you, He came.

Joyful, joyful, I adore you, my Father, my Savior, my King, my Friend-

Cathy

 A Collect/Prayer for Advent-Week Four

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Micah 5:2-5a

But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD,

in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth;

and he shall be the one of peace.

Psalm 80:1-7

Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,
stir up your strength and come to help us.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

O LORD God of hosts,
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

You have made us the derision of our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.  

Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Hebrews 10:5-10

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body you have prepared for me;

in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'

(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."

When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Luke 1:39-45(46-55)

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever."