Take heart: Advent Daybook, 6

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 by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Look: Listening for Hope, Robert Macmillan - Source

Listen: Take Heart, Resound Worship - Spotify | YouTube w/lyrics

Read*: Psalm 16-17, 22; Isaiah 3:8-15; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12; Luke 20:41-21:4

Excerpts:

"I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

*

"I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me."

*

"All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

*

"Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty. The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low, and the pride of everyone shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day.

For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high; against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the high mountains and against all the lofty hills; against every high tower and against every fortified wall;"

*

"In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and who love respectful greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

- Psalm 16:8-11 * Psalm 17:6-9 * Psalm 22:27-31 * Isaiah 2:10-11, 13-15 * Luke 20:45-21:4 (NRSVUE)

Pray: Psalm 22:22 (NIV) I will declare your name… in the congregation, I will praise you.

Lord our God, Almighty Father in heaven, we stand before you as your children, whom you want to protect through the need of our time, through all sin and death. We praise you for giving us so much peace in an age full of trouble, and for granting us the assurance of your help. Even when we suffer, we do not want to remain in the darkness of suffering but want to rise up to praise and glorify you. For your kingdom is coming; it is already at hand. Your kingdom comforts and helps us and points the way for the whole world, that your will may be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.

— Taken from Evening Prayers For Every Day of the Year by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt

Do: Is there someone you want to bless this weekend? Bake something, pick up a few extra groceries, a bouquet, a loved possession you choose to give away to someone else (e.g., favorite books), or make something.

*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).

Playlists for Advent

  • Because there are so many gorgeous songs about the Annunciation, I've created a special playlist for that theme: ANNUNCIATION.

  • Of the hundreds of playlists I've created on Spotify, this one has the most likes (over 1,600!): ADVENT INSTRUMENTAL.

Listen to Advent Daybook 2022 Playlist here
See All Previous Advent Daybook 2022 Meditations Here
AdventTamara Hill MurphyAdvent Daybook 2022