Advent Themes in Today's Service & a Blogging Semi-Break

From the Old Testament: O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! (Isaiah 2:1-5)

From the New Testament: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:11-14)

From the Gospels: Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:42-44)

From the liturgy: When the Lord comes, he will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.

O Lord our God, make us watchful and keep us faithful as we await the coming of your Son our Lord; that when He shall appear, he may not find us sleeping in sin but active in His service and joyful in His praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal...

In the tender mercy of our God, the dayspring on high shall break upon us, to give light to those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1: 78-79)

Lord, grant us your light, that being rid of the darkness of our hearts, we may come to the true light which is Christ.

***

In that spirit, I am going to take a blogging break during Advent. In the busyness of life, I fall asleep to patterns of sin that are difficult to resist. Advent is a season to wake from sleep, to rid ourselves of the darkness of our hearts and put on the armor of light, Jesus Christ himself. I need extra time in the Scriptures and in prayer to be renewed in that way.

It won't be a total break though. I may write a few posts about what God is speaking to me, and I won't let too much news pile up. (Auditions for the next musical--Godspell--are this weekend, and you know I won't be able to help posting about the outcome!) And...my husband already gave me my anniversary/Christmas/birthday gift, a great camera which if I have time to learn how to use, may produce photos I just have to share...so you never know.

Have a blessed Advent, everyone!

Peace be within your walls
And quietness within your towers.
~from today's Psalm (122)