First Monday of Advent

*A note before you read this. After doing an audit of my blog in 2022, I have decided to leave content that speaks to the Christian I was at the time this was written. I no longer identify as Christian (and haven’t for a very long time.) I chose to leave these posts because it is who I was then and it is important to me to be honest and true with every iteration and evolution of self that I experience. I may decide to add comments to the end of posts like this as well

***I’m fasting from social media throughout Advent.

These posts are being automatically fed to Facebook.

If you’d like me to see your comment,

please do so in the comment section of the blog. Blessings!***

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It’s been a quiet day.

Weird, too. Nearly 70 degrees in northern Indiana in December? Windows open, music blaring, putting away summer clothes is nothing short of worrisome. But I went through our clothes and switched out seasons, because it’s sure to get cold soon.

I also started watching Lost (how did I not know about this show??)

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Today’s devotion from my dear friend, Mair:

Monday, the first week of Advent

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you. But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will call him Jesus.” Luke 1:26-21, NRSV

Many Evangelical Christians are fond of saying they’ve accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. The words are often said fearlessly, and sometimes even proudly. How disconnected we can be from Mary’s awe. We can take a few clues from Jesus’ first disciple. She pondered Gabriel’s strange greeting perplexed, before she sat in amazement at his message. It was only then that she believed, even before she became Jesus’ mother. Without her exquisitely reverent hearing, believing, and then acting on God’s directive, Mary would have never conceived Him.

Gather whatever art supplies that call out to you. Again practice the art of sacred reading, meditating, praying, and then contemplating the today’s verse. Try to do as Mary did, and experience the message with awe, and reverent respect. What do you “conceive” of as you ponder this verse. Spend a few moments freely and intuitively creating. Abandon criticism. You cannot do this wrong.

God of amazing grace, Am I really listening to you? And more than listening, am I pondering deeply what You’ve said? I don’t want to lose my reverence and devotion. Help me to know, always, that your indwelling presence is a gift. I did not, and could not earn it. Without enabling grace I could never have accepted Christ. Therefore, I want to obey you. What good is a gift of such magnitude if I refuse to submit to your will? I pray that you’ll give me both the willingness, and the obedience of Mary, so that I may bear Christ faithfully, rather than abort his inner workings through my doubt and willful disobedience.

“Come, Lord Jesus.”

And my art for today

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2 thoughts on “First Monday of Advent”

  1. I admire you for doing this. I think about doing the no Facebook thing sometimes. Not sure I’ve got the balls to do it. I hope it’s a rich time for you.

    And LOST . . . I could watch it a million times and not get tired of it. I got totally and completely sucked into each character’s life. I feel like I learned a lot about “story” too – as far as what it is that draws me into a character’s life.

    The characters are what kept me going. But behind that there’s a lot of “stuff” to dissect and unpack in various literary, religious, etc. references.

    Reply
    • I don’t know why God is having me do no social media (I guess blogs are social media? Doesn’t feel like it. No Twitter, Facebook) Anyway, He’s got something in store for me for sure.

      LOST–I’m still on season one. Totally hooked. Can already tell the storytelling and character development is amazing!!

      Reply

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