Scripture Reading
Philippians 4:4-5
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Reflection
Gaudete Sunday — the Sunday of joy — falls in the heart of Advent. Paul wrote these words from prison, which makes them all the more remarkable. Joy is not the absence of hardship; it is the presence of the Lord within hardship. "The Lord is near" is both the reason for joy and the ground of every Advent hope. He is near — and drawing nearer still.
Prayer for Today
God, I know You are not like a man who changes his mind like the wind changes direction. You are faithful to Your own word since there is no sin, no fault, and no error in You and in all Your ways. You cannot deny Yourself by the precious promises You have made. I have not been true to my word at times but You always are. Heaven and earth will pass away before Your promises ever will (Matt 25:34) and so help me to remember to see things in our home with the eyes of faith and not the eyes of flesh. Help me to focus on Your Son, Jesus Christ, when the storms of life hit our home. We have built our home on the Rock because all other ground is sinking. You are our foundation and upon You we rest in peace and even though my natural tendency is still to worry about things, I need to learn to trust You more and more every day and I know I can do that by looking back on my life to remember all the times you've been so very faithful so please God, bless our home and give us the peace that surpasses all of our human understanding (Phil 4:7) and in Jesus' strong name I pray, amen.
Amen.