Advent: Thursday, December 17, 2009

Old Testament Lesson

Zechariah 4:1-14

We see the Lord remind us today - not by might, not by power, but by my spirit. The Lord doesn't always choose the strong or the powerful, He chooses the willing. And then, through His spirit, He makes all things possible. So, His concern for you today is not if you are perfect or if you are strong or fast or any of these things. Are you willing. Are you willing to be used by God? And if so, then by His Spirit all things are possible.

New Testament Lesson

Revelation 4:9-5:5

Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Lions are not safe. They are kings of the jungle. There is a great line in CS Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when they are talking about Aslan, the Christ figure, who is a Lion.

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Jesus is good. To say He is safe is to imply that He will ask us to remain the same. He will not do that. He will ask us to change, to do. To go. He will ask us to do more than we think possible. He is not safe. But He is good.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus reminds us again, be ready. Be ready for what is to come. Live your life aware. Live you life with an awareness of who you are, what you are doing, what's going on. Don't just float through. Don't just sleep through. Be aware. Live fully. Seize the day. This is a moment to start living!