Welcome to the Blue Ocean Advent devotional podcast. This is day one. I’m Emily, and I’ll be your guide.
Each day, we’ll start with a moment of gratitude. I’ll give you 20 seconds of silence to think about something you’re thankful for, why you appreciate it, and to thank God for whatever it is. Let’s start that practice now.
[20 seconds of silence]
Now we’ll move on to a petitionary prayer, where we ask God for something based on the Advent theme for the week. The theme of the first week of Advent is hope, and today we’ll ask God to give us hope for something specific in our daily work. Let’s start by thinking about what we hope for in our work lives—and work life of course includes you moms or dads who stay at home with kids, and those of you who might be retired or on disability … who define your vocations differently at this stage in life. Ask for hope for something in your daily tasks or outlook.
You can start by praying, “God, give me hope for _________ in the work that I do.”
[20 seconds of silence]
Our Scripture readings today comes from Genesis 1:1–2 and John 1:1–14.
Genesis 1:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters …
The Gospel of John starts with:
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. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 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 the phrase:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Spend just a few moments letting your imagination expand on these words. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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