Did You Not Hear?

Read Together
Romans 10:9-17

Light one candle and say together
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and Redeemer.
(from Psalm 19:14) 

Reflection

This season is full of distractions that can be very overwhelming. If you're an adult, your to-do list is likely growing as you add things to spend money on, presents to wrap, food to cook, parties to attend (and maybe even babysitting to arrange). If you're a kid, simply thinking of those presents under the tree can be really distracting when you're trying to focus on finishing school and thinking of others and maybe even trying to think about the reason for the season.  

So, what is that reason for the season? And does it really matter to you right now? Or are you just adding prayer to the large list of everything else you’re supposed to be doing? 

Advent isn't just a time to prepare our homes for Christmas, it is a time to prepare our hearts for Jesus. But, what does that mean? And how do we do it? 

In today's passage, we are reading from the book of Romans, a book in the New Testament that was written after Jesus's earthly ministry. So, it applies to us today as we think about preparing to celebrate His birth and what it means for us and our world. 

You may be used to hearing about Jesus, or maybe this is all brand new to you. But this Bible passage from Romans shows us that it isn't just hearing the Scripture that matters. What matters is how it changes us. And Jesus's birth has all the ingredients to change us for the better! 

The Bible starts with a description of how God envisioned life for His creation. It was perfect: a garden full of every good thing where people never worried about what they looked like or if they were working hard enough to get that promotion or if they were cool. They simply enjoyed the beautiful gifts God gave them. They had a relationship with God where they could walk with Him and talk with Him. But love requires freedom. And so in this garden was one way to choose to leave the garden and stop trusting God. It was a choice set up as a tree. 

When you love someone, you make that choice to be with them. If you try another option, that really isn't choosing to love the first person. And the people in that garden chose to see what else was out there. What they discovered were things that God didn’t want them to ever feel in the world that He had created for them: shame and pain and distance from God and His good gifts.  

God will never force you to love Him (even if He won't ever stop loving you) but He’s always wanted to give you the choice to come back. 

The Old Testament of the Bible is full of God's plan to defeat the sin and pain that we now live with while continually inviting His people to come back to Him. And still, we can read of all the times when God’s people rejected God and chose their own priorities. Yet, time and time again, God didn't force them back, He simply made a way for them to enter into a loving relationship with Him once again. And then, God went one step further. He entered into our mess. 

That's Jesus. Jesus is God the Son. And God came to our Earth as Jesus: as a fully human baby, helpless, and experiencing everything we experience. That's what love looks like! It looks like entering into someone else's world, even when (especially when) it isn't easy. He went through it all, even death. But Jesus, fully human, was also fully God and is stronger than even the worst of it. We know this, because He defeated death, he came back to life and was seen by many witnesses. He entered into our world and our stories and experienced it so that we could also experience His power that is strong enough to conquer the worst that our world has to offer.  

Jesus is our invitation. We still have a choice. God loves you. And He invites you to a life that is spent with Him, even now. We still don't fully get that beautiful garden experience from the opening chapters of the Bible. Not yet. But we do get to walk with Him and talk with Him and trust the promises that are made to you for your life now and your life to come. 

This Advent, don't just listen to the story. Live it.

Talk About

  • How can you choose Jesus this season? How can you make Him a priority and not just an afterthought? 
  • When is a good time in your day to talk with Jesus and/or read the Bible? It doesn't have to be formal. Just talk to Him like you would a friend if you were going on a walk with them. Try to schedule a time to do this each day.

Pray Together
Lord, we are surrounded by creation that points to you. The heavens declare your glory, the sky proclaims the work of your hands. Don't let us miss you in the busyness of this season. Help us find you, and know you more. Remind us that you love us, and help us turn to you and call on your name. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Amen. 

Put it in Action
Try talking to Jesus like He is your best friend. Tell Him what you're thinking and feeling. And then, talk to Him like that every day this month! Ask your family or friends to help you remember to do it! 

To Go Deeper, Read
Psalm 19

More information about our Advent Prayer Challenge can be found here.