Advent Day 2 Joshua 1:6-9

11/29- Joshua 1:6-9 Be careful to obey…Meditate on this Book of the Law Day and Night… Then you will have success- then you will prosper.

Moses was a great leader.  He led them away from slavery.  When he died, the temptation was to believe that they would have to figure this all out again.  But the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses were not written in clay or mud but on stone.  The great leaders know how to listen.  But the best one to listen to is the One who made us and gives us direction, truth, love, and purpose.  Joshua was told that if he listened and meditated he would succeed. 

Prayer: Lord, give me a heart to hear.  Make me a stronger person as I listen to you.  Keep me from failure and evil as I seek to please and honor you. 

Advent day 1- My Sheep Hear My Voice

Advent means coming, and the theme of advent is waiting.  While it is a bit artificial to wait again on the Christ who has come, it is also true that we should remember, re-live, and re-open our hearts to the coming Christ.  There is a sense in which waiting and listening are similar.  When we wait in the doctor’s office for our name to be called we are listening while we wait.  The story of the Ten bridesmaids waiting is also a story of their listening for the groom to show up.  Listening for relatives’ car doors to slam, or a phone call to say they are almost there is similar.

There are several words translated as “Hear” of “Listen”.  In Hebrew “Anah” means to respond or be aware of;  “Shamah” means to listen with intelligence or consider.  There are 7 Greek verbs for “Hear” or “listen.” The most common is “akouo” (perceiving a sound)- from which we get our word “acoustic” but other words are “eisakouo” (heed); “epakouo” (listen with favor). 

The theme this year is “Listening to the Coming or Do You Hear What I Hear?”  I remember the movie, “The Polar Express” where the boy who believes can hear the bells but adults and others who didn’t believe could not hear them.  There is something to this idea.  There are those who have ears but they cannot hear the frequency of faith.  In many ways Advent is about being able to see God’s hand at work and having eyes of wonder and gratitude looking at His Word and the world He made.

THEME: LISTENING TO THE COMING

11/27- John 10:27- “My sheep hear my voice.”  Jesus is the great shepherd.  He leads us beside the still waters and onto green pastures. He restores our soul.  But He also calls to us.  He calls to us to gather with the fold of other sheep.  He calls to us to follow Him and not go astray.  He calls to us to listen to His voice above the voices of the other sheep or the howls of the wolves.  Are you able to not only hear His voice, but focus on it and heed the voice?   He comes to us so that we are not like sheep without a shepherd.  He comes to give us purpose, direction in life.  He comes to call us beyond focusing on the stuff (the grass for the sheep).  

Prayer: Lord, Give me ears to hear your voice.  Let me trust in you, the Great Shepherd this advent.  

Pray with Thanksgiving

Be anxious for nothing.  But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  Then the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Philippians 4:6-7)

Thoughts:  Thanksgiving and gratitude is important in everything we do- even asking God for help.  We ask with grateful hearts because no matter what happens God is on the throne.  If we have little or if we have much God still loves us- and we can be grateful.  If we do not get our way- we can still know that God will get His and we desire His will above all things (and want our will to conform to His will).  When we ask selfishly and demanding our will instead of His- God probably should not morally answer it our way.  Otherwise we may pray for a pink cadillac and demand that God give it to us.  God has a right to say no to our selfishness.  He may still, out of His grace and weighing all for His glory and our good.  But if we ask saying, "Not my will but yours be done" then we are asking gratefully.  Gratitude helps us appreciate God and honestly trust in God.

Prayer: Lord, let me pray with gratitude and have your peace in my heart.

Give thanks for the Help

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.^a

4Some wandered in desert wastelands,

finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5They were hungry and thirsty,

and their lives ebbed away.

6Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

7He led them by a straight way

to a city where they could settle.

8Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love

and his wonderful deeds for mankind,

9for he satisfies the thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things. (Psalm 107)

Thoughts: The redeemed are to tell their story for which they give thanks.  They are to tell others how God helped them out of their bad situation.  Some were lost wandering in the desert with no way to get out until they called to the Lord who made a way for them when there was no way.  The people of Israel were that way- God provided manna- daily bread for them.
So how has God helped you this year?  Write down at least one thing for which you are thankful.  Recognize God does not ignore you but answers your prayer and helps you.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to see your hand and tell my story.  

Say So

1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.  (Psalm 107). 

Thoughts: I like the King James Version of verse 2- "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so."  In other words- tell your story.  Do not hide that God has been at work in your life.  What are you thankful for?  Tell it out to others that they may join you in praise to God. 

Prayer: Lord, let me see your hand at work- and then let me tell others of that hand at work.  

Give Thanks For He is Good

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good- His mercy endures forever."  So begins four separate Psalms: 106, 107, 118, 136

Thoughts: This is an important phrase in that it is repeated four different times. Let's break it down.
We do not ignore God's blessings- but when we are aware of them we should give thanks.
We give thanks for two reasons: 1) His goodness; 2) His enduring mercies.
To believe that God is good is important.  God is not just there- He is active in doing good.
It is not that we feel He is good all the time, or that He cannot punish.  This does not mean that God is always nice to us.  God should rightly discipline us and mold us into being better people.  But God is good in that he defines what goodness is.  The One who made us knows what is best for His creation.  But even when we do not do good- God is merciful to us.  Mercy is when we deserve punishment but God does not treat us as we deserve.  His mercy is not fleeting.

Prayer: Lord Help me to give thanks to you- for your goodness and lasting mercy.

Give to the Needy

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."22When the young man heard this, he went away in sorrow, because he had great wealth.… (Matthew 19:21,22)

Thoughts: There was a young man- some describe him as a young ruler or politician who tried to keep the Law.  He was pretty good at it- trying to do what was right.  But his possessions had possessed him and had become a demi-god to him.  He loved his comfort as much as he loved God.  Jesus knew this and challenged him.  The ironic thing is that the more you have, the more things you must take care of, and the easier it is for your comforts to own you.  God gives us gifts to hold onto gingerly.  This passage also encourages us to give to the poor.  For it is when we care for the poor that we are actually investing in a heavenly savings account.  

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to let go of things and hold onto you.