Walking in Truth During Advent
Devotional Thoughts (Taking a break from Martin Luther)
Excerpt from A Slice of Infinity, RZIM * devotional by Jill Carattini, 12/7/15:"Like a Thief . . . Whether you have experienced the shock of burglary & its lasting effects or the violating despair of personal loss, the Bible's portrayal of Christ as one who come like a thief in the night [1 Thessalonians 5:2] is a startling image. The description is one that seems uncouth amongst the many, far less taxing images that are now sentimentally upon us--a peaceful mother & father beside a quiet baby in a manger, a bright star that guides wise men in the obscurity of night. It seems odd that the gospel would juxtapose these images of one who comes as a child of hope & yet returns like a looming, unwanted figure. But this is the counsel from Jesus Himself: 'Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch & would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.' [Matthew 24:42-44]
"The cry of the Christmas season of Advent, the sounds of which are just starting to stir, is the cry not of sentiment but of disrupted vigilance. One of the key figures in celebrating the season, John the Baptist, brings the probing message that continues to cry in urgency: 'Are you ready?' Are you ready to discover this infant who came to dwell in the midst of night & suffering? Are you ready to hear His invasive message? Are you ready to discover God among you, the hunter, the thief, the King, the human? During the season of Advent, the church calls the world to look again at the stories that have somehow become comfortably innocuous, to rediscover the many disruptive signs that someone has been here moving about these places we call home, to stay awake to the startling possibility of His nearness in this place even now. 'I say to all,' says Christ. 'Stay awake . . . ' [SEE Revelation 16:15 . . . but be prepared--not necessarily an easy verse to tackle . . . at least for me.]
The child who was born in bethlehem came quietly in the night, unbeknownst to many who dwelled near Him. Like a thief, He shattered myths that proposed we were autonomous; He disrupted systems & powers & lives, we thought were shielded. Yet Jesus came not to steal & destroy, but to dwell in all that overwhelms us, to live in a world groaning in death, fear, injustice & suffering. His humanity shows us what it means to be truly human, overturning the categories we make for ourselves. Like a whimper in the night, His presence in the ordinary may go unnoticed. But He is near & knocking. Fear not & keep watch." [SEE 1 John 4:18 & Mark 13:35]
Prayer Thoughts
Ask the Lord to keep guiding you on your path through the only Source of Truth you can absolutely trust . . . the Truth of His Word!Notes about the Source
Ravi Zacharias is an internationally known speaker & writer--a Christian apologist. He is frequently heard on Christian radio. Most of the devotions on RZIM are written by others on his staff--excellent writers, deep thinkers, much more qualified than I am.
As a reminder, "Walking in the Truth" was our chapel & devotional theme at Lutheran High Northeast in 2014-2015. I wrote devotionals for our Daily Bulletin each morning, which were published on our web page & read to & by students during morning homeroom announcements. However, I went on an extended medical leave in early November, 2014, so I didn't write devotionals during the Advent & Christmas season.
I've been excerpting devotional thoughts from Dr. Martin Luther, not necessarily easy to ponder because of his style. [1] He may have sounded more archaic to 21st century ears; & [2] Luther didn't mince words. He was always pretty blunt but, in my opinion, always dead-on in his interpretation of God's Truth in Holy Scripture.
The writers for RZIM write from a different perspective, more in keeping with 21st century culture yet not necessarily any easier to ponder. I hope you find these excerpts meaningful. I encourage you to check out the link below. I think you'll be glad you did. WARNING! These people are NOT necessarily Lutherans!*
* If I can cope, you can cope.
As a reminder, "Walking in the Truth" was our chapel & devotional theme at Lutheran High Northeast in 2014-2015. I wrote devotionals for our Daily Bulletin each morning, which were published on our web page & read to & by students during morning homeroom announcements. However, I went on an extended medical leave in early November, 2014, so I didn't write devotionals during the Advent & Christmas season.
I've been excerpting devotional thoughts from Dr. Martin Luther, not necessarily easy to ponder because of his style. [1] He may have sounded more archaic to 21st century ears; & [2] Luther didn't mince words. He was always pretty blunt but, in my opinion, always dead-on in his interpretation of God's Truth in Holy Scripture.
The writers for RZIM write from a different perspective, more in keeping with 21st century culture yet not necessarily any easier to ponder. I hope you find these excerpts meaningful. I encourage you to check out the link below. I think you'll be glad you did. WARNING! These people are NOT necessarily Lutherans!*
* If I can cope, you can cope.
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