Welcome to the Blue Ocean Advent devotional podcast. This is day six. I’m Emily, and I’ll be your guide.
Let’s start with a moment of gratitude. I’ll give you 15 seconds of silence to think about something you’re thankful for, and to thank God for it. Let’s begin now.
[15seconds 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 our country.” And then remember various people and institutions before God as they come to mind. Let’s take 30 seconds of silence to pray.
[30 seconds of silence]
Our Scripture reading today comes from 2 Samuel 22:7–16. It says:
In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears. The earth trembled and quaked, the foundations of the heavens shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
We’ll close today by meditating on the phrase:
He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
Take a few moments now to meditate on how God will show up with blazing fierceness through dark clouds for those in distress. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
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