Advent Daybook 3: This is my son
Look: Hemelse Groei ("Heavenly Expanse"), Gyula Somos - source
Listen: What Child Is This?, Jeff Johnson, Brian Dunning, and John Fitzpatrick - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read: Psalm 5, 6; Amos 3:1-11; 2 Peter 1:12-21; Matthew 21:12-22
Excerpts:
"But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you."
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"Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love."
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"Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:
'You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. ...
For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?' "
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"And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
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"And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, 'It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.'
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”
- Psalm 5:7 * Psalm 6:4 * Amos 3:1-2 * 2 Peter 1:19-21 * Matthew 21:12-16 (ESV)
Pray: From 2 Peter 1:17–18 (NIV)
"He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. "
Lord Jesus Christ, to you we may lift our eyes, for you have broken free from our world of death and live in the glory of life, and you offer your life to us on earth. Let the power of your life be revealed today in us and in many others who want to celebrate Christmas. Send your Spirit to move our hearts so that we hear, see, experience, and understand what you and your gift of eternal life truly mean for us. So watch over us in these days and strengthen us in faith. Shed the light of your grace over us and within us. Protect us as your disciples. Lead us into communion with our Father in heaven and into community with you, O Jesus Christ, for all eternity. Amen.
- by Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt - source
Do: Choose a Psalm from one of the daily readings, or another that is meaningful to memorize during Advent.
Spend a few moments each day memorizing and reciting the Psalm. Notice how the verses begin to embed themselves as you go about your day. Thank God for the comfort of His word.
Savor psalms
You might also enjoy: A few simple ways to decorate for Advent
For an introduction read this post: Advent Daybook Explained. You can see previous Advent daybook 2018 posts here.
* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Advent 2019. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Follow.’
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 2).