Worship Fully
At some point in our journey we learn to say “thank you” when a gift is given. Depending on the expectations of family or the circles we run in, a thank you card may be expected. However, there is even a formula for writing a thank you card, allowing us to maintain propriety without necessarily offering a heartfelt expression of sincere gratitude. In the same sense, we give thanks to God, but it’s often a drive-by prayer or brief acknowledgment. During this Advent Conspiracy one hope is to slow down and put our lives into proper perspective. We want to acknowledge reality: God has given us all things through his Son Jesus, and we are blessed beyond what we could ask or imagine. Today’s exercise is more than a list of things we’re grateful for; it’s sitting down with our Lord and communing with him.
From Advent Conspiracy: Making Christmas Meaningful Again by Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, and Greg Holder
The time of year when focusing on Christ should be the easiest is often the hardest. The invitation to join the Advent Conspiracy is a call to remain at the side of the baby Jesus and worship him–no matter how strongly the cultural demands of Christmas pull at us. The transformation initiated by Jesus is no different today than it was the day he was born–the source of joy, peace, and hope hasn’t changed.
Today’s Scripture Passage
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
-Luke 1:68-79