Advent Begins! December 3

Daily Lectionary Bible Reading

Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence! As fire causes wood to burn and water to boil, your coming would make the nations tremble. Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame! When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. And oh, how the mountains quaked! For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. Don't be so angry with us, LORD. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people. Isaiah 64:1-9

Other Lectionary readings for today:

Psalm 80:1-7; 16-18

Mark 13:24-27

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Advent begins! This is the beginning of the Christian Year.--and everyone is counting down the weeks and days until Christmas. The Eastern Christian Church actually has a 40 day fast--The Nativity Fast--so opposite that of the European-American custom of chocolate treats in an Advent Calendar.

We all are infected...infected by our sin. Infected--consider that word. Putrid, unclean, dirty...yucky. Yes that is how we look in God's eyes. He turns away from us ...until we repent. That is our choice--repent. Isaiah is asking God not to be angry with us...or to even remember our sins. In Isaiah 43 God tells Jacob's family--the Israelites--that even though they refuse to ask for God's help or offer sacrifices for their sins...God blots out...takes away their sins for His own sake. He wants to have a relationship with them--so He forgives them even though they don't deserve it. 

     -You have to fought me fragrant calamus or please me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have rudeness me with your sins and wearied me with your faults. I--yes, I alone--will blot out your sins for my own sake and will ne'er think of them again. Isaiah 43:24-25

He does the same for us. HE WON'T EVEN REMEMBER OUR SINS. Can you forgive others for the way they have offended or hurt you? God forgives us...the least we can do is forgive others. That brings so many scriptures to mind...especially...

     - Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9-15.

We don't always think of FORGIVENESS at this time of Advent..but I find that for me it is a daily excercise--whether it is to forgive that person who cut me off in traffic..or myself for looking back and once again wishing things were different in my life...the could have, should have been predicament. 

Where are you at with the Lord today? Forgiven as you forgive others?

Prayer ~ Lord God, please do forgive us...as we forgive others. We are your people...don't remember our sin anymore--especially as we celebrate the birth of Your Son, Jesus, and await His return!

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15-16

© 2017 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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