Advent Greetings!
In these days of Advent we invite you to pause in reflection and prayer with the Open Table Community. Each Sunday of Advent we will send a meditative reflection to your inbox. (You can sign up here.) Use them for your own Advent study, use them in your community of faith or share them around your dinner table. Though we are spread across the country, and around the world, may these weekly reflections connect us to each other and to God.
Blessings,
The Open Table Cooperative Board
Reflection:
Waiting and Preparation; the time of Advent is both. But in this time of darkness, when it gets dark at 5pm and all we want to do is stay in bed, it can be hard to wait and even harder to prepare for the light that is coming. During Christmas time it can be so tempting to fill your schedule with cookie baking and Holiday parties so you don’t have to wait for Christmas alone, but what do we miss out on when we jump to make waiting for Christmas fun, and put aside preparing our hearts and minds for what is coming?
The birth of Jesus is often framed as the bringing of light to a dark world, but what we may miss is what the world must do to be ready for what the gift of Christ is truly meant to be. Taking time during Advent to prepare ourselves to commit to the message and meaning of Jesus’ life is necessary if we plan to follow in his footsteps. This is the time for foundation building and making sure we are prepared for what comes after the Christmas lights are turned off and the trees come down.
Questions for deeper reflection:
-
How do you need to prepare your own heart and mind, and build a foundation for a new year of walking with Christ?
-
In what ways is Christ calling you to walk with Him NOW, even during this busy season?
Written by Sarandon Smith
Leave a Reply