Not Overtaken

Scripture Reading: John 12:35-36

Every summer we spend time at the family cottage on a small, quiet lake. On clear nights we walk out onto the dock, lie on our back and stare at the stars. When we first lie down we often can’t see very very much. We’ve walked out from the lights inside the cottage using a flashlight to find our way. Our eyes are used to the light, so it takes a few minutes before our eyes adjust to the darkness. But once we do adjust, we see an amazing sky full of stars!

Jesus came to the world to be a light. When our focus is on him, the darkness is pushed back and we see things differently. Our eyes and hearts are opened to a deeper meaning in our relationships and our circumstances. We may not still fully understand, but we can see more.

Lord God, may Your light shine on me so I may see more clearly
and so the darkness may not overcome me. Amen.

Less Than Perfect

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:105-106

One of the worst feelings I have ever had is knowing I let someone down. And even worse is knowing I’ve done it more than once and that I will more than likely do it again.

I don’t want to do it. But I’m a human being, which means I am going to make mistakes. I will make promises I will not be able to keep no matter how good my intentions are when I make them.

When I make these mistakes I will just have to be honest and accept what the person I have harmed will do in response to my failure.

Even when we seek to follow God every second of our lives, we will fail. We will still make mistakes. We will still even sin on occasion. We are not, and we cannot be, perfect.

But God still loves us. God still forgives us because He knows our struggles. He sent His Son to experience the world and to show us we are all loved and forgiven in Jesus Christ and our relationship with him.

Lord God, I’m sorry for the mistakes I make. I’m sorry for the mistakes I will make.
Help me to see the path You have laid out for me and may Your light guide me all my life. Amen.

Home

Scripture Reading: Psalm 27:1-4

After a long day there is no better place to be than sitting down and relaxing in your own home. Sure it’s nice to get away once in a while to somewhere special, but in the end it’s always nice to return home to your own place.

It’s like the old saying, “Home is where the heart is.” And our homes hold many heart-filled and filling memories which can even comfort us after the hardest of days. It’s a natural place for us.

Each of us have a longing for something greater. We have a deep desire to be connected to something greater than we can seem to reach no matter our efforts. We can’t seem to buy it. We can’t seem to eat it. We can’t seem to find it at the bottom of a bottle.

We long for a deep relationship with our creator. And God also longs to be in a deep relationship with us. God longs to welcome us into His family. He even came looking for us when He sent His Son Jesus to the world.

He’s got a home for us. A perfect home. We just need to let Jesus show us the way.

Lord God, You know my deepest desires and longings. You know my search has not been fully complete. Help me to find and feel Your Love through Your Son, Jesus Christ, this Christmas. Amen.

Source of Hope

Scripture Reading: Psalm 43:3-5

From following the stars, reading rudimentary maps, advances in mapping information, and now using global positioning systems and satellites, navigation has come a long way in a relatively short period of history. Yet even with the technological advances we enjoy, there are still stories of people getting lost or misreading the information they are given. Often taking paths that they normally would not take, but since the technology says turn right, they turn right!

We’ve sometimes put our trust in things that could lead us astray. Hoping for direction and leadership from humans and human made devices.

Our true source of Hope is in our God and the Saviour He sent to walk among us. Let’s let God guide us as we walk with our Saviour throughout not only Advent, but each and every day of our lives.

Lord God, may You guide my life. May your light lead my way.
May my heart be close to Your’s. Amen.

We Are Not Alone
The Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute Singers

God is with us.