Living the Lectionary is a weekly devotional tool intended to give you ideas for living out the Word of God that we encounter on Sundays in worship.
About this Season and Series: Advent – “The WAIT” – Advent is a time of considering the wisdom of “delayed gratification”. We recognize that there is wisdom and health that comes from waiting to be contented. Advent shows us a picture of that wisdom as we wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come.
About the week starting December 6th: Second Sunday in Advent – The JOURNEY – Human life is a journey between birth to death and beyond. Law: We often don’t want the right things, or we want too much of them. Our wants are inherently broken as a part of our sinful nature. Gospel: God assures us that we will have no more wants and finally be contented in the Resurrection.
Reflecting on the Readings (readings are linked to text on ESVbible.com)
Malachi 3:1-7– The Journey of Return – The prophet Malachi speaks of God’s refining and cleansing of mankind, which causes the question to come up, “how shall we return?” What have you left in the past that perhaps you want to return back to?
Psalm 66:1-12– The Refining Journey – As in Malachi, the Psalmist speaks of God as someone who is a refiner – in this instance of silver. The refining process is a process. What is currently “in process” in your life that you can recognize God doing?
Philippians 1:2-11 – A Good Work Begun – Paul thanks God for the way in which He has begun a good work in the Philippian church, making them “partners in the Gospel” with Him. What good works has God begun in the relationships that you hold? Who do you give thanks for as a “partner in the Gospel”? Who thanks God for your partnership?
Luke 3:1-20– The Prequel – John the Baptist is called by God to be the prophet just before the ministry of Jesus. As such, he figures as a part of Jesus’ story, the beginning of the story. When did the beginnings of some of your Christian stories begin? What use is there in looking at these beginnings in our lives?
Living the Lectionary Ideas
Knowledge: Paul’s letter to the Philippians is one of the most engaging epistles in the New Testament. What might you learn about this letter of the New Testament and its background?
Skill: Paul writes the first chapter of Philippians as a prayer of thanksgiving. When you pray, are you praying with thanks as well as requests? How might you become more thankful in your prayers?
Character: All through Advent, we are encouraged to engage with the character of patience. Where do you find that you are lacking in patience? How might God’s Word help you with that?