With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
If you have an advent wreath, light all four candles and pray:
Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. The light no darkness can overcome.
O Love Incarnate, draw near to me this hour and throughout the day. Teach me to love as you love – fully, sacrificially, and with great joy. Amen.
Word: Luke 1:31-32
“Behold! You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Meditation
Behold! Look! Pay attention! Whenever you see the word “behold” in Scripture, pay attention because something important is about to happen. And this is one of the biggest ones in the entire Bible: The Incarnation. The angel tells Mary that her Son will be the Son of the Most High. And that her Son will be the Son of David. But how can Jesus be both? It doesn’t make any sense.
Jesus himself is a miracle and mystery. As God, Jesus has the power to heal, restore, and do miracles. He has the authority to forgive, save, and raise the dead. As a human being, Jesus fully knows your life, identifies with you, feels what you feel.
At the end of the day, the Incarnation is a mystery. An article of faith to be believed, even if we can’t understand. Behold, Jesus of Nazareth. 100% God and 100% man for you.
Prayer for Daily Callings
– For my occupation, workplace, coworkers.
– For my work to be good for others, an extension of God’s love and care.
– For the unemployed.
– For growth in my career; not to work for a paycheck but for you and others.
– For discernment, if I should pursue another job or direction in life.
– For my callings at home as spouse, son/daughter, brother/sister.
– For schools, teachers, classmates.
– For eyes to see God’s work around me this day. For the courage to participate in it.
– Not to be comfortable in my callings, but to be useful.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, you laid aside the glory and comfort of heaven to take on our flesh and to bear our sin. Grant me the courage not to seek my own comfort, but to willingly go where you will send me for the sake of others. Amen