Listen

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Think

The Apostle Paul wrote these encouraging words to the saints in Philippi, his siblings in the risen Christ whom he loved very much. These words of assurance and encouragement came during a difficult time for them. Being a Jesus follower can be difficult. It is not always easy to live the way of love after the manner of Jesus, the savior.

There are many saints in my life who have helped to form me as a Jesus follower by their words of assurance and encouragement along with their prayerful support. I hope you have people in your life who offer assurance, affirmation, and encouragement to you. I also hope you offer those things to others. We all need encouragement as we seek to follow Jesus! Let’s focus, during this season of waiting, on what really matters: striving to live in the way of love as we wait for the day of Christ.

Douglas Sparks

Question to Ponder:

Who are the saints who assure and encourage you?

Pray

O God of light and darkness, God of day and night, be with me during these days of Advent. Thank you for the saints you send my way to assure and encourage me as we remember and await the day of Christ.

Amen.

Go

May Christ, as he comes, deliver you from shame and fear, from all resentment and anxiety…

from A New Zealand Prayer Book (The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia)