Advent Art Prayer 9
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…
Romans 15: 13
God of Joy,
During the commercialism of this season, so many are trying to grab our attention to remind us why our lives are lacking and how their product can make us happy.
But our lives are not lacking - because you are here.
We make our lists of people to buy for and we worry that we aren’t purchasing the best present.
We trade gift cards and show up to gatherings we don’t want to attend with anything in our hands that will suffice.
But God - this doesn’t buy happiness.
This doesn’t buy relationship.
True joy comes from you - from knowing that we are beloved regardless of what the world tells us.
True joy isn’t fleeting or instant - it builds over time as we live more deeply into our relationship with the One who claims us and names us “Child of God.”
Thank you for this season of giving, but Lord, may we recognize that you are the first giver - the true giver - the giver of light, and life, and hope, and joy.
For this we give thanks. May the joy we have from you shine brightly in each of us during this season.
Amen
Practice Deeper Listening
Inhale:
I am enough
Exhale:
You make me enough
Inhale:
Help me show up
Exhale:
and shine with your joy
For Deeper Listening
From what parts of this season do you truly find joy and peace? Make a list and choose two of them to lean into more deeply.
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.