December 10 Advent Devotional
Scripture: Colossians 1:11-14 (NRSV)
11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
When you rise up each day, how do you approach what is ahead of you? Whether you are headed off to work, taking care of your kids, giving care to a sick relative or whatever the day may hold for you, do you face the day’s tasks relying on your own strength alone? If the answer is yes, how is that working out for you?
Paul tells us in our scripture reading that as believers in Christ, we are strengthened by God’s mighty power to have great endurance and patience. Endurance and patience for what? I would say to live confidently, to do good and to resist evil.
In every daily activity you undertake Satan is always looking for a way to pull you toward sinfulness and away from a holy and righteous life. The fears and concerns we have are all part of our human nature and stem from man’s fall from grace in the garden of Eden. None of us have escaped the condemnation of that fall.
But if we believe, that is, if we have faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are rescued from the rebel life that Satan offers and forgiven of our sins so that we might serve the one, true and rightful King. And for that faith, we are guaranteed to share in the inheritance with all other saints in God’s eternal kingdom. That’s God’s promise! We are co-heirs of the Kingdom with Jesus for all eternity It’s a gift that knows no end! It’s the one true gift we should focus on at Advent.
Satan is never going to stop trying to lure you into his darkness. It takes God given endurance and patience to resist his attempts. No one is strong enough to resist on their own. Want to resist evil? Ask God for his help. He is looking forward to hearing from you! He wants you to be His forever!
Prayer: Loving God, the gift of eternal life is all any of us really need. For no matter what comes while we are on this earth, no matter how difficult our lives may be, the hope of spending eternity with you makes it all worthwhile. Give each of us the endurance and patience we need until we are blessed to join the saints that have gone before us. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Submitted by: Janet and Corky Clark
