Delight: Advent Daybook, 10
Take a few deep breaths, settle your body, mind, and heart into a quiet space, and let’s begin with prayer.
Opening prayer: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus and more like the true self you’ve created as I savor your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions with your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: Christmas Dance, Henri Masson - Source
Listen: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Annie Lennox - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read: Psalm 25, 9, 15; Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28
Excerpts:
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”
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“People are bowed down, everyone is brought low, and the eyes of the haughty are humbled. But the Lord of hosts is exalted by justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness. Then the lambs shall graze as in their pasture; fatted calves and kids shall feed among the ruins."
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"Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
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"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man."
- Psalm 36:5-9; Isaiah 5:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:13b-18; Luke 21:34-36
Pray: 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Father in heaven, we thank you that we may feel your leading, your lordship, for you have blessed us with every spiritual and heavenly gift in Christ. We thank you that we may be among those who receive true life always anew, who praise and glorify you, exulting even in difficult days. For it is just in the difficult days that we need to belong to those who are thankful and joyful, who always find new certainty in their lives. With them may we experience the good you give on earth so that humankind may be blest and come at last into your hands. Amen.
— Taken from Evening Prayers For Every Day of the Year by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt
Do: Give thanks for the life of the real Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, by giving a secret gift to someone in need.
You might also enjoy the following:
The Homely Hours: For younger ones - Saint Nicholas Day: December 6 & Saint Nicholas coloring page
Read Victoria Emily Jones’ excellent background on the beautiful story of The Real Saint Nick
*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).