Advent Devotions
All are invited as we Make Room this Advent season.
God’s Gracious Invitation
Today’s author is Prince of Peace member Carol Swanson.
Read Psalm 104: 1-13.
In the Epilogue of In God’s Presence, Marjorie Suchocki’s writes:
“God creates and works within an interdependent universe, both interdependent within itself and with God. The universe is not ‘finished’; God’s creativity cannot be so easily stilled! Stars are yet born and race toward unfathomable reaches of space. Suns yet burst in fireballs of energy, spawning yet new planets and who knows, what forms of new life. In our own small portion of this universe, generation yet follows generation, and we turn life into story, and yet again into history. In such a teeming universe, what is prayer but God’s gracious invitation to us to participate in the continuing work of creation? If prayer constitutes our openness to God’s own purposes of increasing communal well-being, then prayer is God’s creation with us of this very well-being! Prayer is central to the how of God’s continuing work in our world (p 126).”
Let us pray in adoration the words of Brian Wren, “Come And Meet Us” from Piece Together Praise: A Theological Journey, by Brian Wren, p 8:
God of many Names
gathered into One,
in your glory come and meet us,
Moving, endlessly Becoming;
God of Hovering Wings,
Womb and Birth of time,
joyfully we sing your praises,
Breath of life in every people––
Hush, hush, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Shout, shout, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, sing, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, God is love, God is love!
God of Jewish faith,
Exodus and Law,
in your glory come and meet us,
joy of Miriam and Moses;
God of Jesus Christ,
Rabbi of the poor,
joyfully we sing your praises,
crucified, alive for ever––
Hush, hush, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Shout, shout, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, sing, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, God is love, God is love!
God of Wounded Hands,
Web and Loom of love,
in your glory come and meet us,
Carpenter of new creation;
God of many Names
gathered into One,
joyfully we sing your praises,
Moving, endlessly Becoming––
Hush, hush, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Shout, shout, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, sing, hallelujah, hallelujah!
Sing, God is love, God is love!
(These books are in our Prince of Peace library.)
Previously…
Maybe None are Found until All are Found
Sanctified Art | Commentary by Dr. Mindy McGarrah Sharp Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash “I’ve found my voice!” The class beamed with excitement, sharing in palpable joy. This student had been quiet for years, almost never speaking. One day, they spoke, then again,...
Fig Leafing
Sanctified Art | Artist Statement by Hannah Garrity At our church retreat a few months ago, we offered a session on eco-spirituality. Our instructor led an exercise that focused our attention on a single, natural object. I selected a wilted flower. We were to draw it,...
Slow Growth
Sanctified Art | Everything in Between Lenten Devotion
Slow down. Do your part. Remember the Promise.
Sanctified Art | Everything [in] Between | by Rev. Jeff Chu Photo by Martin Herrera on Unsplash Two years ago, I planted asparagus crowns. The farmer who sold them to me said, “You know you’ll have to wait a couple of years to harvest, right?”Of course I did. I had...