Advent Day 1 – Why?
We ask “why” a lot, thats ok, we are curious beings. Let’s ask why we should engage a daily devotional about advent.
Advent is the 24 days leading up to Christmas.
Genesis 3:8 says “They (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden.”
This is the human response to shame. They hid among the trees, where do you hide?
Advent is traditionally a time of penitence. That’s a big word that means to act sorry and humble. The kid who gets caught by their parent doing something they know they shouldn’t do can either respond by arguing and defensiveness or by coming and saying “I’m so sorry, I know that was wrong.” Advent is a time of coming to our father and saying “I have been hiding, I’m so sorry.”
Many of us have spent this year hiding in certainties about covid19 or politics. Some of us have spent this year hiding in addictions or isolation.
We need to take a season to remember that above all, we are people who hide from our maker.
Prayer
Father God, I have hidden from you. I have run toward sources of comfort. In this past year of turmoil I have tried to find comfort in places apart from you. Use this season in the year you created to help me to come out of hiding letting myself be known.
Today’s ADVENTure says:
Slow Read* Matthew 28:18-20.