Day 6 of our 2018 Advent Contemplations.
Welcome to the Blue Ocean Advent devotional podcast. This is Day six: Friday, Dec. 7. I’m Emily, and I’ll be your guide today.
Let’s start with a moment of gratitude. I’ll give you 20 seconds of silence to think about something you’re thankful for, and to thank God for it. Let’s begin now.
[20 seconds of silence]
Now we’ll move on to our petitionary prayer. Today we’ll pray for our nation. You can start by praying something like, “God, give me hope for _________ in my country.” And then remember various people and institutions before God as they come to mind. Let’s take 30 seconds of silence to pray.
[20 seconds of silence]
Our Scripture reading today comes from John 1:1-5; 14 . During the first week of Advent we focus on cultivating hope—practicing being wide-eyed, and looking for signs of God in everything. Let’s listen for this in the gospel.
It begins:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
____________
We’ll close today by meditating on Psalm 9:18, which says:
“For those in need shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor will never die.”
Take a few moments now to meditate on how God will not forget the poor and those in need, and how we are to share God’s heart in this matter.
Our Concluding Prayer:
Creator, almighty and everlasting, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus my Lord. Amen