Advent Devotional - Dec. 3rd

Today starts my Advent Devotional   I will be posting a devotional everyday between now and Christmas.  I hope you find this encouraging, enlightening and spiritually fulfilling as we take the Journey towards Christmas.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 ;

9 How can we thank God enough for you, given all the joy we have because of you before our God? 10 Night and day, we pray more than ever to see all of you in person and to complete whatever you still need for your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself guide us on our way back to you. 12 May the Lord cause you to increase and enrich your love for each other and for everyone in the same way as we also love you. 13 May the love cause your hearts to be strengthened, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his people. Amen.

In my first five months of my new appointment here at Indian Trail UMC.  Already we have been through a lot as a congregation.  We have had four major deaths in these five months.  Two were lifelong members who battled tough illnesses.  The other two were people in the middle of their lives and suffered major heart attacks.  Their deaths were sudden and very tragic.  Something that we have done as a congregation a lot these five months is pray.

In this scripture Paul is offering up prayers for the churches in Thessalonica, and praying that they receive what they need to increase their faith.  He prays that they will see each other in person soon to “complete whatever you still need for your faith.”

Prayer is a gift.  Prayer is uplifting.  Prayer can save.  As we begin this journey towards Christmas we need to remember the power of prayer.  Prayer is the spiritual connection between us and God but also each other.  I heard it explained once that it is the invisible spider’s web that links all of us together.  When I went through Chrysalis as a youth, I learned about people in Alaska praying for us as we went through the weekend I was moved and felt connected like never before.  I was moved not because I knew them or they knew me, but because I heard that they were praying for me.

Who are the people in your life that you pray for and do they know that?  Try to be like Paul and send someone a note this week and let them know, “I just wanted to let you know that I prayed for you this week.”  This simple act can change a life and deepen someone’s faith.