orange advent
advent is the time leading up to Christmas. it is a time the church has traditionally used to prepare for Jesus' coming. we remember when he first came and what the wait for his coming must have been like. and then we reflect on what it means to wait for his second coming and what that will be like.
midtown friends invites you to join us in a journey, this year, to envision the world and the church and ourselves as pregnant with hope, with peace, with joy, and with love. as we celebrate an orange christmas, through God's power, we are birthing love and justice into the world.
join us here for daily readings, prayers and challenges. visit our advent blog and share your thoughts as you journey with us.
our journey begins the day after thanksgiving and carries us through to Christmas morning. we will post the readings week by week.
thank you for journeying with us!
also, visit our children's advent page for activities and thoughts for kids and families...
midtown friends invites you to join us in a journey, this year, to envision the world and the church and ourselves as pregnant with hope, with peace, with joy, and with love. as we celebrate an orange christmas, through God's power, we are birthing love and justice into the world.
join us here for daily readings, prayers and challenges. visit our advent blog and share your thoughts as you journey with us.
our journey begins the day after thanksgiving and carries us through to Christmas morning. we will post the readings week by week.
thank you for journeying with us!
also, visit our children's advent page for activities and thoughts for kids and families...
monday. november 28
text: romans 8.20-21
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
fact: some 600,000 - 800,000 people are trafficked every day. 80% of them are women and children.
prayer:
Lord, we know that you care for orphans and widows and that you call us to do the same. Yet women and children are abused all over the world. You tell us that creation is frustrated, but that, through you, creation will be liberated and that we will be brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Bring this freedom in every possible way to the hundreds of thousands of women and children sold into slavery this year. Amen.
challenge:
share today's fact with someone and tell them why it matters to you.
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
fact: some 600,000 - 800,000 people are trafficked every day. 80% of them are women and children.
prayer:
Lord, we know that you care for orphans and widows and that you call us to do the same. Yet women and children are abused all over the world. You tell us that creation is frustrated, but that, through you, creation will be liberated and that we will be brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. Bring this freedom in every possible way to the hundreds of thousands of women and children sold into slavery this year. Amen.
challenge:
share today's fact with someone and tell them why it matters to you.
tuesday nov. 29
text: psalm 10.14-18
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
fact: slavery was officially abolished worldwide at the 1927 slavery convention, yet it continues to thrive thanks to the complicity of some governments and the ignorance of most of the world.
prayer:
Lord, we thought we had done it. We thought slavery had been made a thing of the past. But wickedness has grown as it has hid in darkness. Forgive and heal our ignorance. And, as the One who see the afflicted and helps the fatherless, enable us to see a true end to slavery. Amen.
challenge:
with someone close to you, have a conversation about how slavery thrives in ignorance and discuss what an end to that slavery might look like.
But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out.
The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.
You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.
fact: slavery was officially abolished worldwide at the 1927 slavery convention, yet it continues to thrive thanks to the complicity of some governments and the ignorance of most of the world.
prayer:
Lord, we thought we had done it. We thought slavery had been made a thing of the past. But wickedness has grown as it has hid in darkness. Forgive and heal our ignorance. And, as the One who see the afflicted and helps the fatherless, enable us to see a true end to slavery. Amen.
challenge:
with someone close to you, have a conversation about how slavery thrives in ignorance and discuss what an end to that slavery might look like.
wednesday nov. 30
text: psalm 82.1-4
God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”:
“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
fact: Slavery is an extremely profitable, international industry. Experts estimate trafficking in the US yields $9 billion every year. Around the world, trafficking in women for commercial sex purposes nets $6 billion per year.
prayer:
Caring and just Father, in a world of economic brokeness and uncertainty, it is scary to envision as huge an economic revolution as an end to slavery - when $9 billion are at stake. But you and not money are our hope. Help us to put our hope in you and to risk loss in the West for the hope of your children around the world. Amen.
challenge:
Our economy is complicated. Slavery has been a key player in American economics from the very beginning. Have a conversation with someone about the complications and the hope of a slavery-free economy.
God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”:
“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
fact: Slavery is an extremely profitable, international industry. Experts estimate trafficking in the US yields $9 billion every year. Around the world, trafficking in women for commercial sex purposes nets $6 billion per year.
prayer:
Caring and just Father, in a world of economic brokeness and uncertainty, it is scary to envision as huge an economic revolution as an end to slavery - when $9 billion are at stake. But you and not money are our hope. Help us to put our hope in you and to risk loss in the West for the hope of your children around the world. Amen.
challenge:
Our economy is complicated. Slavery has been a key player in American economics from the very beginning. Have a conversation with someone about the complications and the hope of a slavery-free economy.
thursday dec. 1 - world AIDS day
text: isaiah 61.1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD, for the display of his splendor.
fact:
today is a collection of facts related to the sex trade, as this is intimately related to the AIDS pandemic. please consider fighting AIDS by fighting sex slavery this Christmas. visit world vision for more info on how to fight global sex slavery.
also, please keep your eyes open for suspicious conditions in your neighborhood and be a loving enough neighbor to nosey when necessary!
Victims of sex trafficking can be women or men, girls or boys, but the majority are women and girls. There are a number of common patterns for luring victims into situations of sex trafficking, including:
• A promise of a good job in another country
• A false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation
• Being sold into the sex trade by parents, husbands, boyfriends
• Being kidnapped by traffickers
• Sex traffickers frequently subject their victims to debt-bondage, an illegal practice in which the traffickers tell their victims that they owe money (often relating to the victims’ living expenses and transport into the country) and that they must pledge their personal services to repay the debt.
prayer:
Loving God, you are the great Comforter and Healer.. We lift up all those sufering from HIV/AIDS. God, where there is pain, despair, and shame, remove them and seed hope. Be with and set free those abused in the sex trade. And Lord, open our eyes and use our voices, our hands, and our feet to bring an end to this injustice, to your joy and glory. Amen.
challenge:
have a conversation with someone today about what our Christian responsibility is in the face of sex-slavery and the global AIDS pandemic.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD, for the display of his splendor.
fact:
today is a collection of facts related to the sex trade, as this is intimately related to the AIDS pandemic. please consider fighting AIDS by fighting sex slavery this Christmas. visit world vision for more info on how to fight global sex slavery.
also, please keep your eyes open for suspicious conditions in your neighborhood and be a loving enough neighbor to nosey when necessary!
Victims of sex trafficking can be women or men, girls or boys, but the majority are women and girls. There are a number of common patterns for luring victims into situations of sex trafficking, including:
• A promise of a good job in another country
• A false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation
• Being sold into the sex trade by parents, husbands, boyfriends
• Being kidnapped by traffickers
• Sex traffickers frequently subject their victims to debt-bondage, an illegal practice in which the traffickers tell their victims that they owe money (often relating to the victims’ living expenses and transport into the country) and that they must pledge their personal services to repay the debt.
prayer:
Loving God, you are the great Comforter and Healer.. We lift up all those sufering from HIV/AIDS. God, where there is pain, despair, and shame, remove them and seed hope. Be with and set free those abused in the sex trade. And Lord, open our eyes and use our voices, our hands, and our feet to bring an end to this injustice, to your joy and glory. Amen.
challenge:
have a conversation with someone today about what our Christian responsibility is in the face of sex-slavery and the global AIDS pandemic.
friday dec. 2
text: psalm 821-4
This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
fact: Slavery is a thriving institution in the world, ensnaring 27 million people worldwide in forced labor, prostitution, debt bondage, and chattel slavery. More people are enslaved today than at any other time in human history.
prayer:
Lord, your name is Yahweh. It is "I am," but it also means "I am with." You are with the slaves. Comfort them. Empower them. Give us your heart of love for them, and let that heart of love lead us into a life that comforts and empowers slaves in our neighborhoods and around the world. Amen.
challenge:
given all the scriptures and facts we've read this week, journal, blog, or converse about what "hope" looks like in relation to Christmas and global slavery.
This is what God the LORD says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”
fact: Slavery is a thriving institution in the world, ensnaring 27 million people worldwide in forced labor, prostitution, debt bondage, and chattel slavery. More people are enslaved today than at any other time in human history.
prayer:
Lord, your name is Yahweh. It is "I am," but it also means "I am with." You are with the slaves. Comfort them. Empower them. Give us your heart of love for them, and let that heart of love lead us into a life that comforts and empowers slaves in our neighborhoods and around the world. Amen.
challenge:
given all the scriptures and facts we've read this week, journal, blog, or converse about what "hope" looks like in relation to Christmas and global slavery.
saturday dec. 3
text: luke 4.16-20
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
fact:
There are 8.4 million children in the world today who have been enslaved for purposes of forced labor, as child soldiers, for prostitution, pornography, and illicit activities such as drug smuggling.
prayer:
Saving Jesus, in a world where 8.4 million children are slaves, it is hard to hope. But it was hard for the Hebrews to hope when you came 2000 years ago. Your hope comes in the midst of hopelessness - your light in the midst of darkness. Give us the kind of hope that sets prisoners free and the kind of action that, springing from that hope, can free innocent children from bondage of all sorts. Amen.
challenge:
take some time to write your story as an abolitionist - even if it just began today!
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
fact:
There are 8.4 million children in the world today who have been enslaved for purposes of forced labor, as child soldiers, for prostitution, pornography, and illicit activities such as drug smuggling.
prayer:
Saving Jesus, in a world where 8.4 million children are slaves, it is hard to hope. But it was hard for the Hebrews to hope when you came 2000 years ago. Your hope comes in the midst of hopelessness - your light in the midst of darkness. Give us the kind of hope that sets prisoners free and the kind of action that, springing from that hope, can free innocent children from bondage of all sorts. Amen.
challenge:
take some time to write your story as an abolitionist - even if it just began today!
week 2: theme: peace
sunday dec. 3
this week we'll be learning about conflict slavery, or aprticularly about children who are forced to be soldiers. as we do, we will pray for and participate in peace in a new way.
text: isaiah 2.1-5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.
story: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/about/slavery/real-stories-from-africa/
prayer:
Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace. You speak peace to the waves and they are still. Wars all over our world are forcing people - especially children - to fight as slaves. Send your peace and your freedom throughout the world and enable us to see and know how we can be agents of peace and freedom in this vulnerable lives this Christmas. Amen.
challenge:
share today's story with someone else.
text: isaiah 2.1-5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.
story: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/about/slavery/real-stories-from-africa/
prayer:
Jesus, you are the Prince of Peace. You speak peace to the waves and they are still. Wars all over our world are forcing people - especially children - to fight as slaves. Send your peace and your freedom throughout the world and enable us to see and know how we can be agents of peace and freedom in this vulnerable lives this Christmas. Amen.
challenge:
share today's story with someone else.
friday. nov. 25
text: john 1.1-23
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
fact: it is believed that in 2004, more slaves were taken from africa alone than during the four centuries of the trans-atlantic slave trade.
prayer:
Jesus, You are a light in the darkness. You are God making is dwelling among us - in our mess and our brokenness. As we prepare to celebrate your birth this year, we are shining a light into the darkness of slavery. We are becoming aware of our own mess and brokenness. But we do this with hope. You are our hope and our light and our life. Lord, raise us up as a generation of prophets who see that you are coming, once again, to bring light to darkness and beauty to brokenness. Call and enable us as prophets preparing your way of love and justice. Amen.
challenge:
take a moment to ponder our journal on the journey we are beginning. are you ready for light to shine in darkness? are you ready to enter into brokenness? what will it look like for you hope along this journey? what are your hopes for the journey?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
fact: it is believed that in 2004, more slaves were taken from africa alone than during the four centuries of the trans-atlantic slave trade.
prayer:
Jesus, You are a light in the darkness. You are God making is dwelling among us - in our mess and our brokenness. As we prepare to celebrate your birth this year, we are shining a light into the darkness of slavery. We are becoming aware of our own mess and brokenness. But we do this with hope. You are our hope and our light and our life. Lord, raise us up as a generation of prophets who see that you are coming, once again, to bring light to darkness and beauty to brokenness. Call and enable us as prophets preparing your way of love and justice. Amen.
challenge:
take a moment to ponder our journal on the journey we are beginning. are you ready for light to shine in darkness? are you ready to enter into brokenness? what will it look like for you hope along this journey? what are your hopes for the journey?
saturday. nov. 26
text: isaiah 26.5-7
He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust.
Feet trample it down—the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor.
The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.
fact: it is estimated that there are 10,000 forced laborers working in the US at any given time.
prayer:
Righteous Lord, we are the lofty city. We abuse the poor. We are oppressors. We confess. We repent. Give us tender hearts that are bruised but do not break. Lord, give us eyes to see the slavery in our own neighborhoods, the courage to respond, and the hope that our response, in your hands and power, can change the world. Amen.
challenge:
have you ever wondered what slavery looks like in America? take a few minutes to research it. watch the film "Dreams Die Hard" (free online) and take some time to begin imagining how you can fight slavery in your own neighborhood.
He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust.
Feet trample it down—the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor.
The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth.
fact: it is estimated that there are 10,000 forced laborers working in the US at any given time.
prayer:
Righteous Lord, we are the lofty city. We abuse the poor. We are oppressors. We confess. We repent. Give us tender hearts that are bruised but do not break. Lord, give us eyes to see the slavery in our own neighborhoods, the courage to respond, and the hope that our response, in your hands and power, can change the world. Amen.
challenge:
have you ever wondered what slavery looks like in America? take a few minutes to research it. watch the film "Dreams Die Hard" (free online) and take some time to begin imagining how you can fight slavery in your own neighborhood.
sunday. nov. 27
text: isaiah 1.1-10
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
fact: visit the not for sale campaign website and read Srey Neang’s story of slavery and freedom.
prayer:
Lord, slavery is a huge problem. We feel incapacitated as we learn about it. But you can make mountains flat and valleys rise. Our hope is in you. As we begin this journey toward a just Christmas, give us the persistence that born from sure hope in you - our God of justice and love. Amen.
challenge:
share this story with someone you meet today. share it as hope and as a way to honor this survivor of slavery.
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
fact: visit the not for sale campaign website and read Srey Neang’s story of slavery and freedom.
prayer:
Lord, slavery is a huge problem. We feel incapacitated as we learn about it. But you can make mountains flat and valleys rise. Our hope is in you. As we begin this journey toward a just Christmas, give us the persistence that born from sure hope in you - our God of justice and love. Amen.
challenge:
share this story with someone you meet today. share it as hope and as a way to honor this survivor of slavery.
here is a bulletin insert or something you can just keep in your wallet with the readings. if you print it out back to front and fold it 4 ways, it will work as a little booklet for the first week of advent. enjoy!