God makes us shine

21 December 

Scripture Reading

Read Psalm 37:3-8 and reflect on the passage.

Advent is a time of recalling and celebrating the single most extraordinary event of history, Jesus’ birth. Advent is indeed extraordinary for many of us, but as in “I am extraordinarily busy” or “I feel extraordinarily stressed.” This is not the extraordinary that God intends for us! In our own modern American efforts to make Christmas special, we fall short from the extraordinary that God intends.

Perhaps the way back to an extraordinary Advent season is to remember that God is with us in the ordinary. To deliberately walk with God, focusing on Him, in errands, in wrapping—or even in resting with God—will transform our Advent. Today’s Scripture in Psalm 37 includes exhortations to trust, dwell, delight, and to be still. Taking moments throughout our ordinary days to focus on God can give us the peace Jesus came to give us.

Be still? Only a few days before Christmas? Yes, what an extraordinary gift to ourselves—a moment to breathe and delight in God with us.

If we only look for God in the extraordinary of this season, we forget that God is with us in all of our ordinary moments too.

Questions

1.      How do you think these last few days of Advent will feel if you focus more on God’s presence with you?

2.      How can you say “no” to something unnecessary to carve out extra time with God?

  

Prayer

Lord, prompt us this day to be still and rest in You, so we may draw closer to God With Us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

—Jessica Efird