Welcome to our 2021 Advent Journey! This year we are making our way toward Christmas by exploring the four Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, but with a twist. This second week is not just about Peace but Peace(ful) Preparation, but before you jump in to today’s reflection, just take a moment, breathe slowly, and pray the following prayer as truthfully and earnestly as you can.

God of Peace
You have promised to crush the head of Satan,
that ancient serpent, under our feet.
Therefore, help us to live in faithfulness to your eternal light
and in active rebellion against the darkness of this age.
We swear our allegiance to you alone.
Amen.

Daily Scripture: Ephesians 6:13

Find the above scripture in your bible and read slowly – you might want to read it out loud. You can also find it here.

Reflection

Yesterday we noted that the church’s struggle is a spiritual, rather than a physical, one, but that we still need the armour of God for protection. In a similar passage, Paul, in his second letter to the church in Corinth, says that ‘though we are humabeings, we do not wage war according to human standards, for the weapons of our
warfare are not merely human, but have divine power to destroy strongholds’ (2 Cor. 10:3-4). Once again, we are reminded that we are in a war but that our strategy and our weaponry are both powerful but also deeply counter-intuitive to the way the world operates.

In light of this have a read of 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 and see how what we are learning about in Ephesians might relate to the ‘secret and hidden wisdom mentioned here’.

Advent Quotes

‘The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing
warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.’

| 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

‘Jesus clearly believed in the reality of Satan and other principalities and powers. Now, I have very compelling historical, philosophical, and existential reasons for concluding that Jesus is Lord, and if I confess him to be Lord, I don’t see how I can consider myself in a position to ever correct his theology, especially about such a
foundational theological matter!’

| Greg Boyd

‘We wage war in the heavenlies by making peace on the earth.’

| Anonymous

Advent Song: Poverty

There’s a power in poverty that breaks principalities
And brings the authority’s down to their knees
There’s a brewing frustration and ageless temptation
To fight for control by some manipulation

But the God of the kingdoms and the God of the Nations
The God of creation sends his revelation
Thru the homeless and penniless Jesus the son
The poor will inherit the Kingdom to come

Where will we turn when our world falls apart
And all of the treasures we’ve stored in our barns
Can’t buy the Kingdom of God?
Who will we praise when we’ve praised all our lives
men who build Kingdoms and men who build fame
What will we fear when all that remains
Is God on His throne, with a child in his arms,
and love in his eyes
And the sound of his heart cries

| Porters Gate

WAGE PEACE

Closing Benediction

Be people of peace.
Let peace live in your heart and share the peace of Christ with all you meet.
Share peace by acting out of compassion and not fear.
Share peace by listening to all sides of the story.
Share peace by praying for our world.
In this Advent season, we need to see, feel, and share peace.
As you go out into the wonder of God’s creations,
share peace and hope with those you meet.

Amen.

| Liturgy Link

Zoom Reflections Monday – Thursday evenings at 9 – 9:20pm

Click here to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86970491613

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts and reflections and so please do leave a comment in the section at the bottom of this page. Much love to you all on this Advent journey!