Advent Preparations Week One 2011 Wednesday

When we wake up, each day this week, we can light the first candle and just take a few moments to focus.

Each morning this week, our prayer may become more meaningful, as it prepares us for the day we face ahead. As we head to work, walk to a meeting, rush through lunch, take care of errands, meet with people, pick up the phone to return some calls, answer e-mail, return home to prepare a meal, listen to the ups and downs of our loved ones' day, we can take brief moments to relate our desire for the coming of the Lord to our life. We may physically light a candle each morning before the sunrise, we can also mentally light that candle all day long to keep that focus as we travel through the many activities that make up a normal day.

In the evening as we retire our day we can be aware of how that one small candle brought light into this day and we can give thanks. Going to bed each night this week with some gratitude is part of the preparation for growing anticipation and desire.

Prayer of the Day
Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection waken us to the threantening dangers of our sins, and keep us blameless until the coming of your new day, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Romans 10: 9-18
Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.


Thank you to the following web sites for their contribution to our daily offerings.

http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Worship/Lectionary/Year-B/Advent.aspx

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112711.html