Second Sunday of Advent: Prepare the Way!
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5
(to read online http://scottandclareloughrige.org)
Friends, that is Good News!
In the last 7 days we hosted 3 family holiday parties at our house. There was cooking and cleaning, setting up and putting away. Hours of prep time that require Christmas music in the background to keep us in Spirit of why we do what we do! Cleaning up dog remains, re-hanging pictures on the walls where the toddlers played, eating the leftovers, sharing the leftovers, it’s all a part of keeping the hospitality flowing. We still have 4 more gatherings in our home this month and we prepare both our hearts and our house to celebrate our Savior!
(Loughrige Family Thanksgiving Prayer)
This week’s Advent readings (found in the bluebook below) are around the theme “Prepare the Way”. The calling to prepare the way to Christmas (ie, the celebration of Christ) is our privilege as followers of Christ! We can prepare our hearts through Advent readings, silence and listening for invitations from God. If you choose this intentional way of preparing for Christmas, it will include the gifts of confessing our sins of commission and omission. The things we have done and the the things that we have failed to do. One of the great sins of omission is that many of us have forgotten why we have been left on this planet and not yet in Heaven. It is to prepare the way! It is to offer hospitality for those who do not celebrate Christ, yet. We think its possible to have this be the best celebration of Christ we’ve ever experienced if we would prepare the way and offer hospitality to someone who is outside of a relationship with God.
The message at Crossroads for the first Sunday in Advent was, “Christmas is for Everyone.” We were challenged to look for the people we see as “those people” and bring Christmas to them. Not just the people who think like you, vote like you, have the same family structure as you do or sin like you. Yes, as scandalous as it is, Christmas is for EVERYONE! We want to emulate the first Christmas and look for shepherds, astrologers, and teenage pregnant mother types…and whoever you do not usually make room to host. We need to seek out those who have a rugged place or are stuck in the wilderness of Christmas without Christ. Prepare the way friends! Let’s invite someone to dinner, host someone at church. Lets make someone’s crooked ways straight. Invite those family and friends that don’t know Jesus, have forgotten Jesus… have been unaware of God’s deep love for them. And maybe, just by giving an invitation, you will prepare room for someone’s eternity to celebrate Christ.
“Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend
instead of an enemy.Hospitality is not to change people,
but to offer them space where change can take place.
It is not to bring men and women over to our side,
but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” Henri Nouwen
God bless you as you prepare the way…
scott and clare
Advent Resources:
Breath Prayer-
Prepare the way, for _______________ (insert name)
Attach this prayer to your breathing to keep the people you’re inviting in your heart. Start in the morning and pray all throughout the day.
Awesome blogs and Seasonal Resources-
http://www.transformingcenter.org
“Bluebook” readings:
Purchase The “Bluebook”
A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants