The Advent prayer for Tuesday, December 20, 2002, comes to us from: Hark the Herald Angels Sing: Daily Prayers for Advent by Stephenie Hovland
19b choose life, so that you and your children may live 20a and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years.
Deuteronomy 30:19b-20aNIV
Friends,
You have choices. One of the greatest gifts, and biggest challenges, is the ability to choose. We can choose to exercise and eat healthy or not. Yet we must also take responsibility for the consequences and ramifications of our choices. When we do not make choices to live a healthy lifestyle, we frequently have to navigate illness and disease.
As people of faith, God has asked us to make choices that help us mature in our faith and in our service to others. God asks us to choose to be compassionate and gracious. God asks us to choose to welcome strangers and make others feel comfortable. Yet, when we choose to prioritize our personal preferences over God’s purposes we cannot be dismayed when God chooses to bless others over us. We are just three days away from our commemoration of the birth of Christ. Let us choose, each day, to grow in our faith and service to God.
-Pastor Anthony
Advent Prayer – Day 24
God of all grace, we thank you for saving us. You have given us the gift of life here on earth and eternal life with you in heaven. We want to live. Please God, let us live in grace and truth, love and hope. When we are desperate and despairing, show us your presence in our lives. Save us and help us choose to live. Amen.
-Stephenie Hovland