Monday, December 1, 2008

Advent

Yesterday we began the season of Advent, the coming of the Christ child. It is the beginning of the new Christian year. We celebrated yesterday at our church in Greenville, SC, St. Giles Presbyterian church (PCUSA) with the hanging of the greens, a beautiful service that focuses our attention on the meaning behind the normal decorations often found in homes and places of worship.
During this service I thought of the birth of our Lord, and the huge significance it is to us as believers. So today and throughout the Advent season we will focus most of our prayers on this event and giving thanks to God for sending us his Son to us and for us. Let us Pray.

"Dear Lord, as we enter this season of Advent, and we focus our attention on the coming of the Christ child, remind us of the love you have for us, remind us of the sacrifice you gave. TO send your son into this world of sin. To love us enough that you would offer such a gift. Help us to remember and be humbled by it all. To focus our attention on you and not on the events of the season.

We can become depressed with the pressures of society, we can become overwhelmed with the stress of gifts, and decorations that we loose sight of you. Help us to focus our attention on the Christ child, on the birth of God. Help us to remember the servant king who "came unto his own..."(Jn. 1:11a) Let us embrace him in a special way this season. Remind us of his birth, of his life and of his message.

Thank you for loving us, help us to show that love to others. In your name I pray. Amen"

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