It's amazing how we turned a celebration of Jesus into a commercial season. Let's let Advent be about expecting Jesus!
PRAY for God to give you a heart that delights in celebrating Jesus as you read His Word.
READ Matthew 18.
REFLECT
"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" the disciples asked Jesus. On one hand, the answer should be pretty obvious. But if we are going to indulge their hubris and curiosity and consider from among human citizens of God's kingdom, we will love Jesus' answer: the humbled one. Indeed, only a humbled person can take sin seriously and pray for self- and Spirit-discipline to follow Christ to sanctification. Only a humbled one would be able to address someone else's sin while having a heart of forgiveness, that the intention and result of dealing with sin in our relationships and in our world would always be grace leading us to holiness. A humbled heart is great because it is filled with great thoughts of God, who is the only one independently great. A humbled heart is great simply because it reflects God's greatness.
RESPOND
We are in a crisis in our world today. Christian leaders have fallen into sinful habits, usually hidden but eventually uncovered. Political leaders have skewed or missing moral compasses. Social justice advocates want justice according to our fleshly satisfaction. God does want justice, and He promises to establish a kingdom that is just. Meanwhile God provides justice not by ignoring sins but by forgiving them, as Jesus Himself paid the price. So why do we still struggle with sin? Pride was the first sin, bringing many more behind it. We need to recognize how much like children we are: playing and getting dirty and not realizing it. Ask God to help us to grow. And God goes after the lost sheep, after us. Praise God and pray for holy humility.
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