This Advent we will hear
stories that remind us what faith looks like when placed in our God. Daniel,
who is saved from the lion’s den by an angel of God, stays faithful through the
discipline of prayer and avoids the temptation of going along with the culture
around him. Joel reminds us that it is not too late to return to this disciplined
living, “even now, says
the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and
with mourning… (2:12).” Isaiah encourages us to remember that “[God] has sent [the savior] to bring good news to the
oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners to proclaim
the year of the LORD's favor… (61:1-2).”
This is a great time for you
to reflect on your life’s journey and to remember all the good ways that we
have at our disposal to retune our hearts to God: daily prayer and bible study,
weekly worship, and the sharing of our gifts. These acts help us to acknowledge
our need for God to be in our life. That we cannot continue to allow the
culture to dictate our journey. That we cannot ignore that a healthy spiritual
life is important. That we cannot live apart from our neighbor and not attend
to their needs. When we pray daily, dwell in God’s word, and sing in community
praise to our God we are participating in our good health.
The prophets teach us to attend to these things lest we give in to the evil
of our age. They call us to a better and healthier way of living. Let us choose
to live as God has called us to live: He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
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