In week 4 of our Advent series Get Ready, Maureen Bennie Boakye leads us through the birth of Jesus as set out in Matthew 1, and asks us to remember that in all things Jesus is our Immanuel.
ADVENT ACTIVITY:
From our Week 4 Advent Reading:
"Circle us, Lord
Circle this nation with Advent love and hope
Create a desire to listen to the Advent message
Create a willingness to understand and respond
Create a need to reach out to the Christ Child
Lord of creation, Lord of Salvation
Circle our nation with the light of your presence
Circle us, Lord
Circle this world with the joy of your Salvation
Where there is sickness and disease bring healing
Where there is hunger and despair bring hope
Where there is torture and oppression bring release
Lord of creation, Lord of Salvation
Circle this world with the light of your presence
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come again and with us ever dwell"
As you read through the excerpt from our advent reading, ask God to bring to mind specific examples from your own sphere that needs His presence. Spend a few minutes in quiet, and pay attention to what comes to mind. Then, take some time to pray a prayer of intercession into those places; or for those people -that Emmmanuel would bring His presence.
Advent Art Week 4
Birth and Rebirth, Isaiah 11:1 - Carolee Duttchen
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
When I thought about Birth and Rebirth I remembered the first time I walked among the big trees in the North Shore forests. I was amazed to see new trees growing out of old fallen logs. It reminded me that God does not waste anything in our lives but can use it to bring new growth in us or others we share with.
I remembered the times Redemption Church had picnicked under Jericho’s big willows. We lost huge parts of them during last year’s storms. But as I have been walking by them recently I noticed sprouting and hope was born they would regrow on a strong root system already in place.
This is what God the Father intends for us and our church. We just have to make sure we are on a firm foundation in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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