2nd WEEK of ADVENT: Begins December 10, 2017 If you’re lighting an Advent wreath, it’s tradition to light the two purpose candles in the second week of Advent. Keep scrolling done for the next day. There are five days of readings for the 2nd week.

​WEEK 2, DAY 1
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people. (Ps 85)
READ: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
LORD, you were favourable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.  You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin….  Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.  Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.  Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.  The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.  Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  The kiss
‘Righteousness and peace will kiss each other.’  The imagery in these words is wonderful.  Use your imagination and see righteousness and peace giving the kiss.  Righteousness means conforming to what is right.  In a relationship with God it means conforming to the requirements of the relationship, in other words living in accordance with God’s will.  Peace, shalom, is a rich Hebrew word that means full restoration of God’s kingdom where all will live in safety, wholeness and fruitfulness.  These two need to be on kissing terms.  Our world today is sorely lacking in righteousness and peace that operate (kiss) together.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
Where do you see an urgent need for righteousness and peace to meet with ‘a kiss’?  How could you live differently today, in a way that brings righteousness and peace together?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
God of peace and righteousness, I want to live today in such a way that righteousness and peace kiss each other in me today.  For the sake of your steadfast love, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, in whom righteousness and peace kiss.
 
WEEK 2, DAY 2
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.
READ: Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.  A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’  A voice says, ‘Cry out!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’  All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass.  The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever.  Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’  See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.  He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  Herald of Good Tidings
The first time the word gospel (translated here as ‘herald of good tidings’) is used in the Bible is here in Isaiah 40, and it’s used twice.  Mark, as you’ll read tomorrow, quotes from Isaiah, using the Greek word for gospel, that is, ‘good news’.  Mark also learned from Isaiah what the good news is about.  Too often we Christians think the good news is simply what Jesus did—died for our sins.  And yes, that’s good news, but not all of it.  Isaiah teaches us that the glad tidings is simply this: ‘Here is your God!’  The good news is that God is here among us.  This becomes a reality in the advent of Jesus.  Therefore, Mark begins his Gospel with ‘the good news of Jesus Christ.’  From Isaiah, we learn that the God who comes in Jesus comes to do two things.  First, he will bring judgment.  We’ve been reading about that this in the Advent passages, thus far.  Judgment isn’t a negative punishment.  It means that God is going to set this crazy, sinful world back to goodness, righteousness.  Second, he comes to take care of his flock, you and me, therefore he speaks tenderly to his people.  The word tenderly isn’t merely expressing words of comfort but implies persuasion to respond to God’s love.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
Read the last sentence of the passage again and notice the 4 ways that God cares for his sheep.  What does this suggest to you about God’s relationship with yourself?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Tender Loving God, you speak tenderly to your people today, inviting and even persuading us to respond to your love.  I respond to you today and desire to show your love to those I meet today with your help.  In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, who loves you and tenderly persuades you to receive his love.
 
WEEK 2, DAY 3
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.
READ: Mark 1:1-8
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ’, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mark attributes the Old Testament quote to Isaiah.  However, Mark begins with a line from Malachi 3 and then goes to Isaiah 40.  The Greek for ‘good news’ (sometimes translated ‘gospel’ in our Bible) was a common word used to refer to the ‘glad tidings’ of victory in battle.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  Thirsty for a Word
“We are parched for a word from God.”  So writes Todd Billings in, The Word of God for the People of God.  And he’s correct.  In our thirst we search for a word in all sorts of places and preferably in a brief slogan we can pin on our refrigerators, hang on our walls, easily remember and not be too challenged by it.  As Billings claims, “We are thirsty and hungry, hoping for more.  We long for a word from God.”  It’s rather strange that we keep longing and looking because we live in a time when the Word has come.  We just have to read it.  But, if we lived in the 1st century we’d truly long for a word because God had been silent, sending no prophets with words from God.  Imagine living then and then imagine hearing the good news: God has broken his silence and spoken.  God has sent a prophet, the unknown John, with words about the longed-for Messiah.  John, however didn’t Facebook or tweet his message.  Neither did he preach on TV shows or in popular places of worship.  Those who were thirsty for a word from God had to make the treacherous journey into the remote and frightening wilderness across the Jordan River.  Only the brave and hopeful venture there.  They will hear good news, not in soundbite slogans to recite and feel good about themselves.  They’ll hear good news that requires repentance, transformation and baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Good news that means life will never be the same again because God reigns over all.  Those who parch for a word from God will only hear it when they step out of their comfort zones and enter the desert places.  Will you go?
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
How badly do you want to hear God speak and what will you change in your life so you do hear him?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Lord, I am thirsty for your transcendent word.  Sometimes you intend for us to go into desert places to hear your word.  Guard me from rejecting those dry and boring places today.  Help me willingly go out to you, wherever it may be, so that your word gets implanted in my soul.  For the sake of your glory, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, who gives his word to the thirsty.
 
WEEK 2, DAY 4
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.
READ: 2 Peter 3:8-15a
But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.  The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.  Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire?  But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.  Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  At home in righteousness
Advent is not just about reliving and remembering Jesus’ birth, the day God became man and lived among us.  It’s also looking forward to the 2nd Advent, when Jesus returns to put all things right.  This is what Peter wants us to focus on today.  He urges Christians not to be ignorant about Christ’s return, not to slump into doubt as we wait and wait because, “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”  He then emphasizes that what matters is how we live now because ‘the day of God’ will be sudden, no prior warning.  We live in expectation of Christ’s sudden return and this hope must inspire holy (righteous) living.  This is important because righteousness is ‘at home’ in the new heaven and earth because only righteousness will survive there.  Therefore, it’s imperative that Christians live righteously now, that is, become ‘at home’ with it.  Righteousness is more than moral living; it’s total obedience to God, an obedience that mirrors back to God his love, compassion, justice, mercy and all that is God.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
What changes do you need to make so that you live a life that mirrors God back to God and then to the world?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Lord of Righteousness, help keep my hope alive in your sure return to restore heaven and earth.  May I live today in a righteousness that will be at home in the new heaven and new earth.  Help me strive to be at peace, without spot or blemish as I await full salvation in you, who patiently works with me.  Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, who showed us the way of righteous obedience.
 
WEEK 2, DAY 5
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people.
READ: John 1:6-9
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
If you have time, read the first five verses of this chapter.  John’s Gospel begins with a profound theological reflection on the Word.  The Word was with God, the Word was God.  Through him creation came into being.  These verses stand in stark contrast to our reading today—from the Word (who is Jesus) to a man named John.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  God sends the ordinary
A man is sent on an extraordinary mission from God and is simply introduced to us as John.  He’s just an ordinary guy with no credentials.  However, we know his role and mission: a witness to testify to the light.  We know his awesome responsibility: that all might believe through him.  And we know who he is not: the light that was coming into the world, who is described in lofty language in the first 5 verses of this chapter.  This Divine Light of the World was introduced to the world by an ordinary and obscure person named John.  God, it seems, delights in the ordinary and uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary.  During Advent, as we read about the coming of Jesus, it’s easy for us to think we are too ordinary to do anything much for God.  This simple man named John reminds us that God uses ordinary folk to accomplish his will.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
An ordinary man was sent to testify to the light, that is Jesus.  All it takes is obedience.  What extraordinary thing is God sending you to do today?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER  
Lord, you chose an ordinary man, John, to be your messenger, to prepare the way for your coming.  You still choose ordinary women and men, and I’m one of them, willing to testify to you, ‘the true light, which enlightens everyone’.  Help me to live today as your messenger, preparing the way for your coming.  In your name I pray, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, who delights in the ordinary.