Week 7 - Reflections and Prayers

Reflection

As we come towards the end of our Advent journey, we wait with anticipation for Christmas Eve with all the joy and excitement of small children everywhere.

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Waiting is not always a peaceful process, in many situations Waiting causes us to be impatient. When we are busy waiting a minute for something can seem like an hour, and we can sometimes lose sight to what is important in our lives.  We can miss the joy of a child as the lights on the tree are lit, or the smile on someone’s face  (or glint in their eyes over the face masks) when they meet up with someone they have not seen for a while or someone went out of their way to thank them. 

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As we are Waiting for that joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus and are running around completing those last tasks that need to be done try to find sometime to sit and wait quietly.  If you have been keeping that list of 6 things to be thankful for that Rev Curie challenged us to do at the beginning of Advent, take a look at the blessings you found on this Advent Journey.

Share stories of Waiting with your family and friends, maybe it is waiting for the birth of a child, or someone to come home from a trip, maybe it is as simple as waiting in line at the grocery store and seeing a random act of kindness that made the wait less tedious.

Share on the Trinity Facebook page how your Advent Season has been, what did you learn on your journey to Christmas this year.

Christmas Eve will look different this year, we will not be sharing worship with each other sitting in the sanctuary, we will be gathered around our PCs.  We may not have all our family and loved ones around us, but we will have the Love of God, and we may be experiencing more Discomfort this year than Comfort, this year has tested all of our patience.  As we wait for the birth of Jesus we also wait for a time when we can all be together again.

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some music to enjoy

Joy to the World

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Prayer for the seventh week of Advent

Lord God, we give thanks for your presence with us during these times.  Give us strength to wait with compassion and patience understanding that we are in your hands, and that your love will carry us through each day with gracious hearts.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

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Something TO DO

Sit quietly watching a clock as it ticks to the next minute.  How easy were you taking the time?  Did it seem short or long?

Consider taking a minute each day to sit quietly and listen to the world around you.

Have all members of your household  take a Christmas Card and cut out a circle and string it up like an ornament.

One the back of the card “I am waiting for a world where……………………………..” fill in the blank.

For each day this week list out the number of times that you have been waiting, maybe in line at the grocery, or for others to join a conference call.

For each of these times place a coin in the Advent Jar.

As our Advent Journey is coming to an end, it is time to consider the organization who will be the recipient of the Advent Jar monies.

Share on Facebook who you have chosen to share in your blessings.

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Scripture - Romans 8:18-25

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

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Take five minutes to wait to hear from God.  What things came to your mind as you were sitting waiting?  Were you able to free up your thoughts and openly listen to what God was saying to you?

How hard is it in these timings to wait to get back to “normal”?

How have you kept hopeful?

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