Advent Project Devotional: Day 1

Day One

Pastor Joelle Colville-Hanson

Director for Evangelical Mission

Northeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA

Psalm 122

Daniel 9.15-19

James 4.1-10

The turkey is barely put away and we are ready to barrel our way into Christmas. Tis the season to be jolly. Haul out the holly, yes we are rushing things but deck the halls again now anyway!

Advent says “Not so fast!” James says “Not so fast!”

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. 

(James 4:2b-3)

Woah! We want to start singing about Peace on Earth and James is talking about wars and conflicts and even murder. But is he so off about where we are headed if we start running into Christmas without taking a breath to reflect on just where exactly we are headed? Do we not all have memories of stressful Christmases, family fights, disappointing get togethers, and celebrations that actually weren’t celebrations at all?

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.’ (James 4:8)

You do not have because you do not ask. You do not receive because you ask wrongly. Advent is a gift to us. It is the gift of time to ask and to ask for what we need. “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you”.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. But I love it more when I haven’t skipped Advent. I love it more when I use the time of Advent to draw near to God to discover God has been near to me all along. I love Christmas more when I have taken the time to pause and pray and ask for what I really need to be ready to see Christ in the flesh, in the world, in my neighbors, in the needy, in the pictures of people recovering from Typhoon Hayian, as well as the little baby in the crèche scene. Christmas will wait. We can wait awhile here in Advent and draw near to God as God nears to us. 

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Gracious and Loving God, send your Spirit that I may rest in Advent and receive the gifts you want to give me that I might draw near to you and prepare to celebrate your coming into our world with real joy and pleasure. Amen.