Advent Devotion - Dec. 9

Philippians 1:3-11;

3 I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. 4 I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. 5 I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. 6 I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. 7 I have good reason to think this way about all of you because I keep you in my heart. You are all my partners in God’s grace, both during my time in prison and in the defense and support of the gospel. 8 God is my witness that I feel affection for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.

9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Part of preparing for the arrival of Christ is to realize how active God already is in your life.  It is take a moment and be thankful for what God is already doing.  Most of the time when we pray we think of God as Santa Claus.  He is there to take our wish list and to make them a reality.  But that is not how God works no matter what we think or practice.  God is not an ATM or Holiday catalog.  

Instead we should take a look at how Paul is praying for the Philippians.  He holds these people deep in his heart and gives thanks to God for them.  But he also prays for them to grow, "your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight."  Our faith is ever evolving and growing.  If we stop learning, stretching our faith, and actively journeying towards a deeper relationship with God, our faith will soon die.

May you, on this Second Sunday of Advent, find time to grow closer to God.  My prayer for you is the prayer of Paul; "This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God."