WATCHWORD:
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13
Meditation:
At Jesus’ Feet
We believe that Jesus is Lord, and, therefore, we are gifted with the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit that equipped and prepared the disciples, to be the eyes, the voice and the hands of the Lord.
Our faith journeys are many and varied, but each one of us is led by that Holy Spirit. Let’s consider the journey followed by others that helped transform God’s Will into our own path to belief. Biblical facts mixed with just a pinch of fiction:
Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee. The four boys had lived in the area all their lives, and had grown up to become fisherman, in partnership with their fathers. It was a good life, they made an adequate living.
When they were not fishing, or repairing their nets, they had occasion to be out and around, pursuing other interests. For Andrew, his path crossed that of John the Baptist and he became a follower until John pointed him to Jesus, saying “He must become greater, and I lessor.” Andrew and his fellow fisherman, another John, came upon Jesus speaking on the street to anyone who would listen. Andrew convinced his brother, Simon, to come and see and know the carpenter-teacher, and John did the same, with his brother James. And so word spread.
The four friends liked what they were hearing, and would often seek out Jesus. Then, later, they, along with others, frequently found their way to where the man was actually building his own home, listening to him and engaging him in conversation. Those gatherings continued, month after month, often filling the house.
Perhaps a year or so later, the four friends were repairing their nets, near their boats, beached on the shore. They were not surprised to see Jesus coming toward them, as he often did. In a brief conversation, he tells them that he is leaving Capernaum, for a while, going to other towns to share his message with others, and invites them to go with him. “Come, follow me”, He said. And, so, begins the transformation of these fishermen, into fishers of men.
For the two pairs of brothers, Simon and Andrew, James and John, as well as Levi, the invitation to come follow was a life-changing invitation. Simon, we know him as Peter, would become the rock on which He would build his church. Levi, whom we know as Matthew, the youngest of all the apostles, would turn his back on being a tax collector and become a teacher of the Word. James would emerge as leader of the Christian church in Jerusalem, and Andrew, a teacher and spreader of the Word throughout the region.
That is their story, but you and I have similar stories. Oh sure, the times may be different, the names have changed, but the story is the same. We are transformed, we are changed because of this Man, this God-Man, because His love surrounds us at all times, eventually our eyes were opened, and we followed. Our hearts were stirred and we took seriously the charge to love, and to acknowledge that God’s love is an active Word, a life-changing Word, and we have been blessed to become a blessing.
Just a story? Here at the beginning of Advent? Just a story? No, much more than that! May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord cause His face to shine upon you, and give you His peace. Amen.
Advent — The Real Thing:
Here’s an Advent illustration for kids — and those of us who used to be kids and remember what it was like. Suppose you and your mom get separated in the grocery store, and you start to get scared and panic and don’t know which way to go, and you run to the end of an aisle, and just before you start to cry, you see a shadow on the floor at the end of the aisle that looks just like your mom. It makes you really happy and you feel hope. But which is better? The happiness of seeing the shadow, or having your mom step around the corner and it’s really her?
“That’s the way it is when Jesus comes to be our High Priest. That’s what Christmas is. Christmas is the replacement of shadows with the real thing.” ― John Piper
Prayer of Commitment:
Lord Jesus help me to grow in the awareness that you are really my sustenance and nobody else.
Help me to continuously increase in the recognition that only you can make me become somebody in life.
Help me to rest in your strength as I realize that I am weak in my flesh.
I pray that I may be solely and wholly committed to my walk with you all the days of my life.
I pray that I may be wholly contented with my life with you for the rest of my life.
I pray that I may not turn away from the path of righteousness for your namesake.
I pray that the devil will not have a chance to sift me from the kingdom of our heavenly father.
I pray that my reliance in you may grow deeper today and that my assurance in you may grow wider.
I pray that my faith in you may grow stronger and my zeal for you may grow bigger.
I pray that I may continue to rely on your wisdom and I will no longer lean on my own understanding.
I pray that I may yield to your instructions at all times and make you first in all that I do.
Grant me grace, power and the strength to do the Father’s will for the rest of my life
I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
