Sunday, November 27, 2016

Beginning again

Today is the first Sunday in the season of Advent - a time which is the preparation for our celebration of Christmas.  The birth of Jesus.

And that is a special time for me - days of preparation for the new birth.
I went to church today in Tuscon Arizona and it was a good worship service for the first Sunday.  There was a family that lit the candles, we sang Advent songs, and Audrey preached about Zechariah.

I keep thinking about this season of preparation and wondering what I want to do in terms of my preparation,.  I re read a little of the book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson this week.  It was a reissue of the book and in his epilogue he wrote that he had come to the conclusion that the most important part of pastoring was "scripture and prayer."  I have to say that as I look back I wonder if that is true for me as well.  There is something about coming to the Word of God and allowing it to speak to us again that brings life and new life.  And, of course, prayer is the best way for me to get out of being centered on ME.

Anyway, I begin this season and this blog with the plan to devote time this season - daily - to scripture and prayer,  That is my goal for these days of preparation.

The scripture today is from Isaiah 2:3

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

My prayer is that during this season I will spend time with God's word so that gradually I may continue to learn his ways and walk in his path.

More tomorrow


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