You'll Knew He's at the Door: Advent Daybook 17
Opening prayer: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus and more like the true self you’ve created as I savor your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: The Day Before Christmas, Carl Larsson - Source
Listen: Every Valley (It’s Hard to Wait), Rain for Roots [feat. Flo Oakes] - Bandcamp w/ lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read: Psalm 45 - 48; Zechariah 2:1-13; Revelation 3:14-22; Matthew 24:32-44
Excerpts:
“‘Shout and celebrate, Daughter of Zion! I’m on my way. I’m moving into your neighborhood!’ God’s Decree.
Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something’s afoot in his holy house. He’s on the move!”
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“Now listen, daughter, don’t miss a word: forget your country, put your home behind you. Be here—the king is wild for you. Since he’s your lord, adore him.”
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“‘Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!’
Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.”
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”Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer’s just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you’ll know he’s at the door. Don’t take this lightly. I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.
But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.”
— Zechariah 2:10,14, Psalm 45:10-11, Revelation 3:20-22, Matthew 24:32-36 (MSG)
Pray: From Revelation 3:20 (RSV)
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Lord our God, we are your children, who come before you and stand in your presence. Be with us and be our light in all situations of life, in all hardships and grief. Be our light, as you have always been. Reveal your power so that the world may know you as we have come to know you. Give us joyful readiness to persevere until your day comes, for the brightness of your day will shine through all darkness and will end all evil, to the glory of your name. Amen.
by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt
Do: Fill a grocery bag with good food or beverages and leave it at a neighbor’s door today.
You might also enjoy: Advent Windows - in the UK | in Austin, TX
These daily devotional posts are available to those who subscribe at the Daybook ($5 a month) level. You can also purchase a one-time .pdf download of all 40 meditations for Advent & Christmastide in my Shop. You can see the entire Advent archive here.
* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Make A Way: Advent 2021 .
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary. Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 2).