Prepare the Royal Highway
The Lord is Coming! He’s nearer now than ever and he’s closer to you than yesterday. Prepare the Royal Highway, Christmas is drawing near! God loves you and is giving you the Gift of Jesus Christ. His birth is just around the corner.
You can prepare children for Advent by actively teaching them about the importance of Jesus and how he forgives them, even when they think no one else will.
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Jesus is God’s love for all reasons.
He loves you despite what you do, despite what sins you commit. We don’t have to earn God’s love. It is a love that transcends humankind. Isn’t this great?
Man tends to put conditions on love. If you do this, then I will love you. God and Jesus love unconditionally. Even when you can’t love people around you God loves them for you. What gets in the way of God’s love? Sin.
Sin creeps into our daily life, it makes us proud, stubborn and we hurt ourselves. We sometimes feel as though we can’t go to God for forgiveness. That is why he gave us Jesus Christ to forgive our sins.
The baby Jesus is true man, and true God. He is approachable, kind, and leads by example. We can do as he has taught us, we can believe in him, ask for forgiveness and be forgiven. This is called repenting of sins. When you recognize your sins, put them out there before our Lord and Savior and be forgiven the weight of guilt is lifted. It can no longer hurt us.
So let’s prepare the royal highway for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
During this first week of Advent clean up your life. Put away your secret sins. Stop talking about others. Don’t wish bad on those you dislike. Recognize there are sins you can’t control. Ask for forgiveness for them, ask for guidance in resolution and put a plan into place on controlling your sins.
Prayer for Advent: “Stir up Your powers, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.” (Collect for Advent 1)
Reflections the First Tuesday of Advent
Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 23: 5-8
Daily Lectionary
Links to follow the First Week of Advent
- Higher Things: Dare to Be Lutheran – The First Tuesday of Advent
- Trinity Lutheran Church: First Sunday of Advent Sermon (listen to audio here)
