Devotion for Thursday after Advent 1

Advent WreathRomans 13:11-14 (NASB)
11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

 

Darkness covers all kinds of evil deeds. Many people who behave properly in public act very differently behind closed doors. But as Jesus’s return is nearer than ever before, we must come out from behind closed doors, come out of the darkness, into the light. We must examine ourselves and ask God to point out hidden sins, to show where we are putting something ahead of Him in our lives. Our flesh lusts, tempting us to seek after earthly pleasures and values. During Advent, we ask God to shine His light on our hearts and minds, to show us whatever in our lives pulls us away from serving God as the Lord of our lives. Then we ask Him to cleanse us of this sins and purify us so we are ready at any moment for the Second Coming of Jesus.
Lord God, Holy Father, wake us from our sleep. Take us out of the darkness and into the light of Jesus Christ, whose Second Coming we prepare for. In His name. Amen.

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