Advent Daybook, 3: Arise, O Lord
An Advent daybook for these 24 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?
For an introduction read this post: Advent Daybook explained. You can see previous Advent daybook 2018 posts here.
Note: If you're reading this in email, the formatting usually looks much better at the website. Just click the post title to get there.
Look: Gigantic Picnic on the U.S.-Mexico Border, JR
![“On October 8th, for the last day of his huge scaffolding installation on the Mexican side of the border between the United States and Mexico, [anonymous French artist] JR organized a gigantic picnic on both sides of the fence. … hundreds of guests …](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5700118059827e84008212d2/1543266617530-33WUT9A3Q4FFD8S60FJD/3.giant+picnic.jpg)
“On October 8th, for the last day of his huge scaffolding installation on the Mexican side of the border between the United States and Mexico, [anonymous French artist] JR organized a gigantic picnic on both sides of the fence. … hundreds of guests came from the US and Mexico to share a meal together. People gathered around the eyes of a Dreamer, eating the same food, sharing the same water, enjoying the same music (half of the band on each side). The wall was forgotten for a few moments ... “ (source)
[H/T: Plough Weekly]
Listen: "Rise Up" from Lamentations, Bifrost Arts Music (lyrics)
Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Advent Carols & Hymns 2018. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Follow.’
“Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, ‘You will not call to account’? But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none.
The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.”
*
”Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:
’Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.’
Zion shall be redeemed by justice and those in her who repent, by righteousness. But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
*
”But he looked directly at them and said, ‘What then is this that is written:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
* Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year C). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 1).
Pray:
“Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.”
Do:
Caravan
If you own more than one nativity set, consider combining them all into a caravan. (Thanks to writer Sarah Quezada for sharing this idea from her friend.)
“The victim’s faint pulse picks up; the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood as you put your ear to their lips. Orphans get parents, the homeless get homes. The reign of terror is over, the rule of the gang lords is ended.” (Ps. 10:17-18 MSG)
Sarah Quezada is quickly becoming my go-to source for down-to-earth, factually-researched, biblically-informed, and graciously-shared information about immigration and refugee issues. I especially recommend her to you if you have children at home that you're trying to educate about the current crisis.
From Sarah’s newsletter:
“I shared this week a glimpse of my friend Katie's mantel, where she's combined her nativity sets to create a caravan, similar to the one Mary and Joseph would have likely traveled with to Bethlehem. If you're interested or intrigued, I'm starting an email series this Sunday called Advent Caravan: Walking with the Holy Family. You're invited to join!
If you're looking for some great immigration/refugee organizations to support, I'd love to recommend El Refugio, World Relief, Healthy Communities Guatemala (you'll need to select Healthy Communities in the gift designation), The Global Immersion Project, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, and Seek the Peace.
An on-the-ground organization in Tijuana-San Diego that I know and respect is The Global Immersion Project. If you're in the area (or able to go to the area), they are organizing A Day of Cross-Border Solidarity on December 15.”
You can subscribe here to receive Sarah’s weekly newsletter, The Road Map.
If you don’t receive blog posts via email already, Advent is a great time to start!
(See all Advent Daybook posts from 2017 here.)