Today is Tuesday, Dec. 13, the seventeenth day in the Advent season.
Morning
Praise and Thanksgiving.
Let’s begin our prayers with Psalm 42. We are reminded that Christ experienced all that we experience, including that feeling of abandonment we sometimes have, even though we know intellectually that God remains with us.
Let’s also pray these words:
“Dear Lord, thanks to you for those moments when you reveal yourself so powerfully, increasing our faith so our daily walk with you improves. As we praise you, may our encounters with your glory lift us up, readying us for a full life with you. Amen.”
Confession. Let’s search our hearts, recognize our sins, confess them to the Lord, and accept forgiveness.
Petitions. Using our “outside in” pattern, let’s ask God to intervene in global matters, in national needs, in our communities, schools and workplaces, in our churches and homes, and in our personal lives. Who are the specific people needing prayer?
Scripture: Jude 17-25.
Silence.
Noon
Let’s continue to pray this prayer together daily:
“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
At a minimum, let’s spend some significant time in a quiet, reflective state before retiring for the night. Embrace the day’s spiritual victories and release the failures.
If you want to start a conversation about Christian meditation techniques, use the Comments section.
Sleep well. May a constant sense of God’s mercy give you peace and rest.
Methodist Life 