The Psalmist gives us a model of prayer that can help us celebrate Thanksgiving and make Advent a fruitful time of preparation and conversion. The method is simple...look back, see how God has worked through events and people to show his steadfast love, then give God praise and thanks. How could we not give praise and thanks when the blessings we have received are such clear evidence of his steadfast love? I recommend Psalms 65, 68, 104, 107, 118, 132, and 136 for your prayerful reflection before Thanksgiving Day. See how God worked in Israel's history, then substitute your own story and see a similar pattern, though the particular circumstances are uniquely yours. Bless, give thanks and praise God for the marvelous deeds God has wrought in your life.
Since I will not be able to post Daily Bread until next Monday, I thought I'd offer a brief introduction to the season of Advent which begins on Sunday. Advent is a time of preparation for the Coming (Advent) of Jesus. We remember his birth, we look to the Second Coming at the end of time, and we attempt to prepare our hearts for his personal and ever expanding presence. Advent is a time of reflection and prayer, but also a time for purification, though not as deeply penitential as Lent. What can I do to invite and allow Jesus to be the center of my life? What can I do to love him more completely? Sunday is a time to start looking for the answers to these questions using the method and style so evident in the Psalms.
Happy Thanksgiving, and a blessed Advent.
Bro. Rene
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment