I was asked to write a meditation for the Episcopal Church’s Advent Daily Devotional. Turns out, I had the first Sunday. If you want the full devotional, the link is here:
http://episcopalchurch.org/documents/2010_advent_meditation_guide.pdf
“Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day
your Lord is coming”. —Matthew 24:42
When I hear this passage, I always think to myself, “Jesus wants me to stay awake until Christmas when we can celebrate his coming. If I put forth the spiritual effort, this Advent will be a period of great expectation and Christmas will be better than ever.” But Jesus didn’t have a church calendar when he said this to his disciples. “Keep awake” is not simply a method of spiritual preparation for Christmas. “Keep awake” is an exhortation that transcends liturgical seasons. “Keep awake” is a way of living a holy life. When we take Jesus’ words to heart, we are rewarded with spiritual riches. We begin to notice the unexpected miracles and the breathtaking flashes of grace that season our daily lives. When we keep awake on this journey called life, spiritual moments become disciplines that lead to a fuller, more intimate relationship with God.
Almighty God, your grace breaks into the world at unexpected moments: Give us the courage and the will to steadfastly persevere until our journeys are over; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is worshiped with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
the rev. jimmy abbott 