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life{in}grace

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Advent Begins

by 155 Comments

Our most gracious God, we pray for your blessings as we begin our Advent journey. Turn our hearts toward You. Forgive us our selfish preoccupations. Quiet us with Your words of comfort and peace and hope. And as we anticipate Your coming in glory, remind us of Your humble ‘comings’—as a baby in a manger, on a donkey into Jerusalem, as our Savior on a cross, in ordinary bread and wine at Your table, in the waters of baptism, and in Your most Holy Word.

Why do you come to us in such lowly means? Because You come in mercy. To restore us and reconcile us to Yourself. To show Your boundless love and compassion for wretched and miserable sinners like us. You come to bring us life and peace and forgiveness.

In our sin, we often take Your ‘coming’ for granted. We fail to receive the instruction of Your Word. We doubt You at the supper. Our hearts are hardened toward You and closed to our neighbor. We beg You to come—to find us, to rescue us from sin and death, to pursue us in our depravity and wandering. O come O come Emmanuel.

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Comments

  1. Julie says

    I was just looking back at one of your older posts, when you came to the Barter Theatre. I live in Abingdon and work in Bristol! What a small world 🙂 Hope your family had a great Thanksgiving! xoxo

    Reply

  4. Lana K. W. Austin says

    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Love in Christ,
    L

    Reply

  6. Laura aka Lolo says

    That was so beautiful! I celebrated the beginning of Advent today by being baptized. Your prayer summed up a beautiful day. Thank you for sharing

    Reply

  7. Jennifer Rutherford says

    We just started our Advent reading and Jesse/Advent Tree today. Thanks for always posting wonderful prayers!

    Jenn
    johnandjennrutherford.blogpsot.com

    Reply

    • Chris says

      / the only way I would want to use ads on my phone would be if it makes the phone free as in free cell service not the phone, but it's apple were talking about so were probly have to buy the phone and still pay a service agnermeet. If they do that I see this hurting Apple not helping.

      Reply

    • http://www.shopmiscere.com/ says

      Marijuana may not be too terribly bad for folks, not always perhaps, but Ziojuana — fumes from a death star. Two things must be done with your eyes shut, making war and making love? Well, I guess you can shut your eyes when you’re high on Ziojuana. (That’s the threshold drug for Ziocaine.)

      Reply

  8. CJ'SMOMMY*KIMBERLY says

    Beautifuly said,made me cry.God can reach out to us in mysterious ways…..even through a blog prayer.
    Check out my last blog post and realize how bad I needed to "FEEL"
    GOD'S LOVE.Bless you.

    Reply

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