Expect Christ: Day 3

Today is Tuesday, November 29, the third day in the Advent season. Welcome to the daily prayer guide for Advent!

Morning

Praise and Thanksgiving. We continue to pray through psalms that are associated with the coming of the Messiah. Today, we look to Psalm 69 for guidance. Let’s also clearly declare to whom we lift our prayers:

“Lord God Almighty, we have no right to come before you, sinful beings that we are. And yet, in your infinite love, you have granted us this right, and in gratitude we praise your name, returning to our original purpose as we do so. Grow us in our ability to do what we were made to do; may worship be a part of our everyday lives. Amen.”

Confession. Where have we acted in our own interests, rather than according to God’s will? Lord, as we see our sins and repent, forgive us. And remind us of the Good News: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

Petitions. Let’s begin with global concerns, then move to praying for our nations, and then from there for our communities (including work or school), our churches, our families and ourselves. As much as possible, let’s keep our prayers focused on people.

Scripture. Genesis 9:1-17. Do we arise every morning and consider the serious nature of what it means to live in a covenant with God? What immediate benefits do we lose if we fail to live in a covenant offered to us by our creator—in particular, the covenant now offered through the cross?

Silence.

Noon

The following is offered as our repeated noontime prayer throughout Advent. You also may want to use the Lord’s Prayer during this time, either the common memorized version used so often in worship, or the CEB translation of Matthew 6:9-13.

“Lord, we have entered a season of expectation. We remember the Israelites’ past desire for a savior to arrive, and we mirror what they felt as we long now for the return of Jesus Christ. Come Lord Jesus, come! We pray this with some trepidation, knowing we never feel completely ready for such a day, and that loved ones around us may not be ready. And yet we continue to pray, Come Lord Jesus, come! We trust that your grace at your return will so overwhelm sin and death that all will be set right. As we pray for your full arrival, teach us how to make ourselves ready, living as watchful people. Amen.”

Night

During our September series on prayer, I emphasized evening meditation in some form. I again offer you links to two articles designed to help you get started, “Life and Breath” and “Under Water.”

At a minimum, I hope you will spend some significant time in a quiet, reflective state before retiring for the night. Embrace the day’s spiritual victories and release the failures.

And as you sleep, may visions of the rainbow of divine light surrounding God’s throne illuminate your dreams.