Read your Bible during ADVENT. Advent begins on December 3 and takes us on a journey to prepare for the coming of our Lord. Each week, 5 days of readings will be posted. Read and be blessed.

1ST WEEK of ADVENT: Begins December 3, 2017
Lighting a candle at the beginning of your prayer time is a helpful ritual to consciously acknowledge God’s presence as you prepare to listen to God’s Word.  The lit candle is a symbol of Jesus who is the light of the world.  You may choose to set up an Advent wreath or use a single candle.  This first week of Advent, it is traditional to light the first purple candle.  Purple is used to signify prayer and repentance.
Note:  There are 5 readings for each week, beginning with Sunday.  Please keep scrolling down each day for the next day’s devotions.  I’ve only included 5 days of readings to give you space in case you miss a day.
 
WEEK 1, DAY 1
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
READ Psalm 80:1-7
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!  You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.  Stir up your might, and come to save us!  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.  O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?  You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.  You make us the scorn of our neighbours; our enemies laugh among themselves.  Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh are all directly related to Joseph, Jacob’s son through Rachel (mentioned in v1).  Benjamin was his younger brother, Ephraim and Manasseh were his sons and became tribes in Israel.
Cherubim are angelic beings that surround God’s throne.
‘Let your face shine’, a common phrase referring to God’s favorable presence with them.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  Shine forth and restore
Perhaps we can do no better than begin Advent with the prayer: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.  If, as some suggest, ‘restore’ literally means, ‘make us turn around,’ it commits us to being people who desire to change so that we’re more faithful followers of our God, a God who looks upon us with favor and love.  Advent also begins with an acknowledgement that life isn’t without hard times.  Like the psalmist, we too may feel that God has distanced himself from us.  The psalmist describes the difficult situation without stating what caused it.  God, he complained, was angry with the people’s prayers; fed them with ‘the bread of tears;’ made them the ‘scorn of neighbors.’  We may identify or have our own complaints and earnestly need to pray with the psalmist that God, our Shepherd, ‘shine forth’ today and restore us, that is, show us his favor.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
The psalmist complains to God about the situation of his day.  What makes you complain today?  What name would you choose for God as you bring your complaint to him?  (Notice the different names and titles the psalmist used.)
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Shepherd of your people, shine forth on us that we may experience your favor today.  Give me hope and patience as I continue to wait for your coming to restore your world.  For the sake of your glory and great name, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of the Lord God, our Shepherd and King.

WEEK 1, DAY 2
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
READ: Isaiah 64:1-9
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence--
as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!  When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.  From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.  You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways.  But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed.  We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.  We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.  There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.  Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord, and do not remember iniquity for ever.  Now consider, we are all your people.
MEDITATIVE WORDS. The work of your hand
The prophet-poet’s message begins with a demand (not request) that God tear open the heavens and come down in great power.  Then the poet gets doxological as he describes the LORD’s incomparability: “From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you.”  This is a God way beyond human comprehension or invention.  Then the poet seems to blame God for Israel’s sinfulness—“you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed.”  There is an admission of guilt but a seeming reluctance to accept full responsibility, yet the prophet is fully aware the people are in fact responsible.  The poet knows that Israel deserves the punishment of exile in Babylon, and willingly confesses that.  And then comes a decisive, “Yet, O Lord.”  The ‘yet’ gives the assurance that hope is possible.  Despite Israel’s sin, God is both their Father and their Potter; and they are the work of God’s hand.  Thus, the prayer ends with, “Now consider, we are all your people.”  The ‘all’ includes you and me today.  We are his people; we too can demand that the LORD come down with great power and reveal himself to us and the world.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
What event/s in your life and the world make you want to cry out to God to tear down the heavens and come down?  Remind yourself that despite this mess, God is still our Father and our Potter, making and remaking us.
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Lord you are the Potter shaping me into the person I should be.  As I walk through Advent may I become more and more pliable to your molding fingers on my life.  Help me live in such a way that others become aware that I am the work of your hand and may know your name.  For the sake of your glory, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of the Lord, your Potter.

WEEK 1, DAY 3
PREPARE TO LISTEN. Light a candle and pray: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
READ: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  God is faithful
The church in Corinth wasn’t a model church by any means.  It gave Paul grey hair and sleepless nights.  And yet Paul can still say, “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.”  No matter how bad things may get, what never changes is this: God’s grace freely and lavishly bestowed on Christ’s Church.  Not only that, Paul assures this problem church that “God is faithful,” not because they’d gotten it right and were being rewarded with his faithfulness.  No!  God’s faithfulness is rooted in the very character of God; he can’t help but be faithful.  We can do nothing to change that or even deserve it.  In God’s faithfulness, we’ve been “called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Advent is a time to remember that our calling isn’t about doing great things or getting things right.  Our calling is about fellowship, deep and intimate participation, with Jesus Christ; a calling we can live because God is faithful.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
You have been called into fellowship with Jesus.  Fellowship means participation in and with Jesus, with all that Jesus is and does.  What do you need to do today to ensure that you do your part in maintaining this call?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
I give you thanks, O Lord my God, for your unwavering faithfulness towards me, for calling me into fellowship with your Son, Jesus Christ.  I confess my weakness in disciplining myself to maintain my side of that fellowship and fall again onto your grace to strengthen me to keep living out my call.  In the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of God, who is always faithful to you.

WEEK 1, DAY 4
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
READ: Mark 13:24-31
But be alert; I have already told you everything.  ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory.  Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.  ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.  So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates.  Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mark 13 is a lengthy and complex sermon on the coming of the kingdom of God.  The few verses designated for Advent remind us to be alert, stay awake and not be fooled by false messiahs with their false promises.
“The ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (v27) is the assurance that Jesus taught renewal of everything in the universe, not merely one nation or the Church.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  The Christmas mood
“But be alert; I have already told you everything.”  The posture of the follower of Jesus is that of alertness, aware of what’s happening and what is and isn’t of Christ.  It takes practice and discernment.  Don’t be fooled into thinking every catastrophic event is a sign of the end.  These will come and we’re called to be prepared, not surprised by them.  This isn’t exactly the kind of mood (spirit) we want for Christmas, but perhaps it’s the mood we should have during Advent as we wait, reading the signs of such ordinary things as fig trees blooming in season.  Disasters will come, but we’re to keep hope alive.  The Christmas mood isn’t that exuberant feeling of Christmas day with its gifts and glitter.  It’s a spirit of waiting with anticipation of seeing “the Son of Man [Jesus] coming in clouds with great power and glory.”  Since Jesus’ greatest moment of glory was the victory of the cross, our lesson today encourages us to keep the cross in view at all times, even at Christmas.
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
What’s your anticipation this Advent season?  What do you hope for?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Lord Jesus, you came and demonstrated your power and glory and now expect your followers to spread the good news of your Kingdom.  Help me stay alert today, and avoid falling for the lies of the many false ‘messiahs’.  Keep me true to you as I watch and wait through Advent and in all my life.  For the sake of your Kingdom, I pray, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, alert and hopeful.

WEEK 1, DAY 5
PREPARE TO LISTEN.  Light a candle and pray: Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.
READ: Mark 13:32-37
But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.  It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.  Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.  And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.
MEDITATIVE WORDS.  Keep awake
The need to ‘be alert’, ‘to keep awake’ continues as an important theme for Advent waiting.  It’s used three times in these few verses.  It’s critical because we don’t know when the time will come, when Jesus will appear.  Again, Jesus resorts to a brief parable to emphasize this point—it’s like a man going on a journey.  We’re the slaves, put in charge of Christ’s work.  We keep waiting and watching, always prepared for our Master, Jesus, to suddenly return.  In the meantime, be careful not to be drawn into the many false teachings that bombard us on social media or the anti-Christ ways dressed up as the right way.  False teachings lull us to sleep, the very thing Jesus warns against, concluding with his repeated refrain, not just for disciples then, but for all disciples: Keep awake!
REFLECTIVE WONDERING
Are you awake or asleep?  How do you know?
RESPOND TO JESUS IN PRAYER 
Jesus, you keep reminding us to keep awake and I keep dozing off.  Forgive me.  Help me use these few weeks of Advent to practice staying awake and alert to your presence and promptings to act or simply to wait.  May your face shine on me today that I may be saved, Amen.
BE SILENT AND STILL: For a few moments, simply be in the presence of Jesus, who desires you stay awake with him.