A beloved son is given: Advent Daybook, 17
Take a few deep breaths, settle your body, mind, and heart into a quiet space, and let’s begin with prayer.
Pray: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus as I sit in your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions with your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: Esmaeel and his son Juan. Lincoln, Nebraska 2017. - Source
Text and Photos by Asher Imtiaz for the exhibit "From Captivity to Freedom"
Published in The Living Church in November 2017 issue
Artist's statement from 2017: "One of the first photographs I've taken of a Yazidi living in the US. Yazidis are an ethno-religious minority with total population around 900,000 in the world. Most of them are based in Northern Iraq. Around 3000 Yazidis live in the United States."
Listen: Baby Son, John Mark McMillan - Spotify | YouTube w/ lyrics
Read: Psalm 45, 47, 48; Isaiah 9:1-7; 2 Peter 1:12-21; Luke 22:54-69
Excerpts:
"Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;"
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"Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
Selah.”
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"We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad; let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
Walk about Zion; go all around it; count its towers; consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever."
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"But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined. You have multiplied exultation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
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"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."
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"Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it who struck you?” They kept heaping many other insults on him.
When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question you, you will not answer. "
- Psalm 45:6-7a * Psalm 47:1-4 * Psalm 48:9-14 * Isaiah 9:1-7 * 2 Peter 1:16-21 * Luke 22:63-68
Pray: adapted from 2 Peter 1:17-18, NIV
"He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain."
Lord Jesus Christ, to you we may lift our eyes, for you have broken free from our world of death and live in the glory of life, and you offer your life to us on earth. Let the power of your life be revealed today in us and in many others who want to celebrate Christmas. Send your Spirit to move our hearts so that we hear, see, experience, and understand what you and your gift of eternal life truly mean for us. So watch over us in these days and strengthen us in faith. Shed the light of your grace over us and within us. Protect us as your disciples. Lead us into communion with our Father in heaven and into community with you, O Jesus Christ, for all eternity. Amen.
Do: Welcome stories from friends and strangers.
Call an elderly friend, stop in the driveway to talk to a neighbor, or schedule a Zoom call with far-away family. Ask good questions, listen with gentle attention, and refrain from jumping in with your own story.
Here are 5 great questions to invite a simple story:
1. What's something you enjoyed as a child that you still do as an adult?
2. What are you known for?
3. What was a time when you came close to throwing in the towel, but now you're glad you didn't?
4. What's one of your happiest memories?
5. What's one of your family's classic stories?
*Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 1).