Advent Art Prayer 5
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.
Immanuel,
We often pray for signs to show us what choices we should make in life.
We can feel lost or abandoned when we perceive that you are silent, or when our choices don’t work out.
Signs can be read differently by different people. We project our own desires and world views into the journey. We often want or hope for something so badly we see it when it isn’t there.
God - your great signs of love are consistent and unending.
You came down - Immanuel - God with us.
You walked among your people.
You welcome us as your own in the waters of our baptism.
You nourish us at your table.
The difficulties of life are not signs that you have left us or that we are bad.
Instead of these feelings of abandonment or rejection Lord, may we feel your presence with us when life is difficult.
Instead of seeking signs, may we recognize that YOU, in your complete fullness of love, are already present with us.
May we hear you in the words of scripture and experience you in the warmness of community.
Thank you, Lord, for your ongoing presence and love in our lives.
Thank you for being Immanuel - God with us.
Amen
Practice Deeper Listening
Inhale:
The greatest sign
Exhale:
is that you claim me
Inhale:
May I always know
Exhale:
I belong to you
For Deeper Listening
Make a list of where you have seen God at work in the last couple of days. Where is God showing up in a profound way for you? What’s one thing you can add to life to increase your mindfulness of God’s presence in your life?
Establish your Advent Practice.
Step 1: Set up a space in your home for your Advent readings. Make it comfortable. Add a candle. Perhaps next to your tree or at a table with a little festive placemat.
Step 2: Determine two times of the day when you might practice them so that if you miss the first one, you can lean into the second and not feel guilty.
Step 3: Each time you sit down to practice your Advent devotion, make a warm cup of something and begin with a couple of moments of silence and deep breathing. Close your eyes and breath in deeply the love of God for you. Ask the Spirit to join you. Then begin your readings.
Step 4: Have a little prayer journal nearby where you can list the things that stick with you or stand out to you during your devotion.
Step 5: Close your time with a couple of moments of silent deep breathing, thanking God for the love and grace that are freely given to you that claims you as God’s own.