Devotion Week 3
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This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:10–14 NIV
Advent is a season of giving. We give gifts to others and everyone is always much nicer around this time of year. The holiday spirit, they call it. There certainly is a sense of generosity in the air, more than usual. While it is important and wonderful to be generous to others, we can be quick to lose sight of the generosity of God in sending Jesus to meet us on earth. In the most generous act of love and kindness, Jesus came to earth, took on human form, that we might experience hope. Hope from generous love seems counter-cultural because it is. Hope comes from being rescued and restored from exile; not through force, might, or possessions, but through the generous love of a kind and compassionate Messiah.
Reflection
1. What promise has God made to you in Scriptures that would increase your hope of being rescued and restored?
2. Reflect on how God has been generous throughout your life. Write some of the highlights down to remember and relive.
3. Ask God how you can reflect His generosity to others in your life; either family, friends, co-workers, strangers, etc.
Practices
Silence and Solitude
Richard Foster once wrote about our society that the enemy majors in three things: “noise, hurry, and crowds.” Foster goes on, “if we hope to move beyond the superficialities of our culture, including our religious culture, we must be willing to go down in the recreating silences, into the inner world of contemplation.” To practice Advent is to intentionally step away from noise, hurry, and crowds. (Page 95-96, Advent: Season of Hope). Silence and solitude involve intentionally withdrawing (solitude) from external distractions and noise (silence) to cultivate a quiet, contemplative space for communion with God. The goal is just to be with Him. If this is new for you, consider starting with 5 - 10 minutes.
Feasting
The Advent Christian practice of feasting involves celebrating the joy and anticipation of the Advent season through communal meals and gatherings. It emphasizes a spirit of gratitude and festivity as believers come together to share food, fellowship, and reflect on the significance of the impending Christmas celebration. Feasting during Advent serves as a joyful expression of the anticipation and hope associated with the arrival of Christ. What would it look to gather with a group of people (with no pressure to give gifts) and make a toast together to the hope and joy that you have together in Christ.
Scripture Reading
On your own or with your family, read the Christmas account found in Luke 2:1-40.
Share Your Faith/Invite Someone to Christmas Eve Service
In 1 Peter 3:15, there is an instruction to be ready at any time to share the reason for the hope that is in you. As you go throughout the week and you encounter folks who need hope, consider sharing with them the reason you have hope because of your relationship with Jesus. If you feel inclined, invite them to attend the Christmas Eve service with you.