Message of 12-1-2020

Published: Tue, 12/01/20

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Tuesday: December 1, 2020

Message of the Day

If I were but sure that I should live to see the coming of the Lord, it would be the joyfulest tidings in the world. O that I might see His kingdom come! It is the characteristic of His saints to love His appearing, and to look for that blessed hope. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

- Richard Baxter

(" . . . to look for that blessed hope." What are your finding lately? How are you looking?)

Daily Readings

IS 11:1-10; PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17

LK 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

USCCB readings

Shalom Place Covid-19 resource page
- Practical, inspirational and spiritually formative writings and podcasts
see http://shalomplace.com/covid-19.html and check back often as we're frequently adding more.

Reflection on the Scriptures

For me, at least, it seems that Advent is here just in time. It reminds me of a fresh beginning – an opportunity to welcome the new and out with the old. All the feelings of being worn out from this horrendous year and wondering when isolation will come to an end fade when I realize that the very symbol of hope and everything good is coming. The beginning of the church year gives me a chance to begin anew and not only leave 2020 behind but also all the stress and uncertainty. It reminds me that this earth and all of its challenges are just transitory – this is not my forever. The journey here is not the final goal. Sometimes, I let this fragile life direct my thoughts and attitude and drag me into unimportant details. I forget (so many times) to look at the bigger picture and the eternal life that should be my priority.

- by Nancy Shirley

Creighton Online Ministries

Spiritual Reading

How to Pray

- by Reuben Archer Torrey

https://www.ccel.org/ccel/torrey/pray.html

Chapter 1: The Importance of Prayer

In the 6th chapter of Ephesians in the 18th verse we read words which put the tremendous importance of prayer with startling and overwhelming force:

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, then note the connection in which they are found, the intelligent child of God is driven to say,
"I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray."

The Revised Version is, if possible, stronger than the Authorized:
"With all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

Note the ALLS: "with ALL prayer," "at ALL seasons," "in ALL perseverance," "for ALL the saints." Note the piling up of strong words, "prayer," "supplication," "perseverance." Note once more the strong expression, "watching thereunto," more literally, "being sleepless thereunto." Paul realized the natural slothfulness of man, and especially his natural slothfulness in prayer. How seldom we pray things through! How often the church and the individual get right up to the verge of a great blessing in prayer and just then let go, get drowsy, quit. I wish that these words "being sleepless unto prayer" might burn into our hearts. I wish the whole verse might burn into our hearts.

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