Advent 3 God is Amazing & Worthy of Trust

Psalm 33

Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord;
it is fitting for the pure to praise him.
Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre;
make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
Sing a new song of praise to him;
play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
He loves whatever is just and good;
the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.

The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.

The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations
and thwarts all their schemes.
But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
his intentions can never be shaken.

What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord,
whose people he has chosen as his inheritance.

The Lord looks down from heaven
and sees the whole human race.
From his throne he observes
all who live on the earth.
He made their hearts,
so he understands everything they do.
The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the Lord watches over those who fear him,
those who rely on his unfailing love.
He rescues them from death
and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone.

Advent 2 -The Root of Patience

Matthew 6:31-33 (The Message)
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

"The French author Simone Weil writes in her notebook: "Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life." Without patience our expectation degenerates into wishful thinking. Patience comes from the word "patior" which means "to suffer."...What seems a hindrance becomes a way; what seems an obstacle becomes a door; what seems a misfit becomes a cornerstone." Henri JM Nouwen, Out of Solitude

It's always kind of freaky when God speaks right into my world. As little as 12 hours ago, I was writing in my journal about what I 'wished.' My wishes primarily run along the lines of comfort, happiness, laughter. With today's light of day, I see the wisdom in being patient. Maybe those things I wish for will be replaced by deeper realities - contentment, joy, hope.

I want to be an active person of patience. Advent Action: Prepare the way of Christmas by making an Advent calendar of proposed contributions of service to others or positive changes in your own spiritual life. Remember to leave room for God's input.