ADVENT • 9

Are we spending time and growing in the presence of God?

This week’s readings exhort us to spend time and grow in the presence of God.

reading for: 22 Dec

Luke 2:41-52

Jesus growing in the presence of God

  • READ

The passage for today is one of the rare passages in the gospels that speak about the childhood of Jesus. This particular passage speaks of a time when Jesus was twelve, and his family was taking a trip to Jerusalem.

The passage starts with the parents of Jesus going to Jerusalem. (V41) Like every other observant Jew, they would have to go to Jerusalem every year during the celebration of the Passover. This was one of the major feasts on the Jewish calendar as it celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the land of Egypt. When Jesus was twelve years old, Jesus went up with them to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. (V42)

The passage does not tell us explicitly what they did during the celebration of the Passover, but it is probably similar to what they were commanded to do in Exodus 12:1-28 and Leviticus 23:5-8. Verse 43 takes up the story after the feast has ended, and it is likely that this refers not merely to the actual Passover but also the feast of Unleavened Bread and the seven days after it. The text presents Jesus and his parents as observant Jews, and hence it was no surprise that they would stay till the entire Passover season has ended. When the celebration ended, his parents like the other Jews left Jerusalem, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, unknown to his parents. (V43) His parents though they did not see him when they left Jerusalem but supposing that Jesus was in the group, went a day’s journey. After a day, they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances. (V44) When they still could not find him, they went to Jerusalem to search for him. (V45) After three days, they found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers and having a conversation with them. (V46) The text tells us that all were amazed at the understanding and answers of this twelve-year-old Jesus. (V47)

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother asked him why he had treated them like this. They had been deeply worried for him and searching for him. (V48) And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (V49). His parents did not understand him. (V50) Jesus then went home to Nazareth with them and was submissive to them. Mary treasured all these things in her heart. (V51) The text then tells us that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (V52)

We see here, Jesus’s dedication to his Father. He was not merely content with spending the required time like others who were coming to Jerusalem and then leave when the feast was over. Jesus knew that he had to be in his Father’s house and spend time with his Father and those who were in the Temple of his Father. Even when he went home to Nazareth obeying the wishes of his earthly parents, the text tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man. Jesus was growing in the presence of God.

  • REFLECT

    Do we treasure the presence of God like Jesus? Do we long to be in the presence of God? Are we growing in the presence of God? Reflect on these questions and take them to God in prayer and ask him for the desire to spend time with him, to treasure his presence and to grow in his presence.

reading for: 23 Dec

1 Samuel 2:18-20,26

Samuel growing in the presence of God

  • READ

    In 1 Samuel 1, the events of Samuel mother Hannah being barren are highlighted, and she only gave birth to Samuel after she promised the Lord that she would give Samuel to the Lord all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 1:1-20) This promise to the Lord was what she kept, for as soon as Samuel was weaned, she brought Samuel to dwell in the presence of God forever. (1 Samuel 1:21-28)

    Serving together with Samuel in the house of the Lord at Shiloh at that time were Eli worthless sons. They were truly worthless people who did not know the Lord and did not follow the priestly practices commanded by the Lord in Leviticus. (1 Samuel 2:12-17)

    On the other hand, Samuel was ministering before the presence of God wearing a linen ephod. (V18) The linen ephod was something that only members of the Levitical tribe were allowed to wear. Samuel’s mother made a robe for Samuel and gave it to Samuel every year at the time of the yearly sacrifice. This suggests that Hannah still cared for Samuel though he was serving before the presence of God. (V19) Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah with fruitfulness, and the Lord granted that request for Hannah bore three sons and two daughters. (V20-21)

    The story then again shifts to talk about Eli and his two sons. Eli knew about the behaviour of his two sons. The text gives additional colour to the behaviour of these worthless two sons by describing how they lay with the women who were serving God at the entrance to the tent of meeting. (1 Samuel 2:21) Eli rebuked them and encouraged them not to sin against the Lord, but they did not listen to him, for it was the will of the Lord to destroy them. (1 Samuel 2:23-25). Other than rebuking them, we know that Eli did not take any action that he should have done. He did not remove them from their position, nor did he seek to put them to death. Eli let them do what they always had done, to cheat God. This would lead to the destruction that would come upon the family of Eli as prophesied in 1 Samuel 2:27-34.

    The story then shifts again to Samuel in 1 Samuel 2:26 for it describes Samuel in this way, “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. “(V26) Samuel was growing in the presence of God, and he was favoured by God and by man.

    The story presented today provides stark contrasts between two families. On the one hand, it presents the story of Samuel and his family as being faithful to God. Hannah kept her promise to God and did not go back on her word. Elkannah and Hannah came up to offer sacrifices to God every year. Samuel was ministering before and growing in the presence of God faithfully. This family would be blessed both in the passage for today and later in the life of Samuel. On the other hand, we have the family of Eli and his two worthless sons. The two sons were worthless and sought to cheat against God. They were not growing in the presence of God and were doing evil right in the presence of God. When he knew of it, Eli did not take any action to stop them, except for rebuking them. The outcome of this family of Eli is that God would judge them.

  • REFLECT

    Looking at the story of the family of Samuel, let’s reflect on whether we are growing in the presence of God. Are we keeping our promises to God? Or do we promise God but have no intention of fulfilling what we said we would do for God? Pray that God will be with us, to grow in his presence and to strengthen us to seek to fulfil what we have promised him.

    Looking at the family of Eli, may we listen to the rebuke of others and allow their words to speak into our lives. Also, may we when we see our brothers and sisters walking in evil, may we speak up and take action to lead them back to the ways and presence of God.

reading for: 24 Dec

Colossians 3:12-17

How to grow in the presence of God

  • READ

    In the previous two days, we have heard stories of Jesus and Samuel growing in the presence of God. We also have seen that Eli and his two sons though they were in the presence of God, they were not growing. Today we will look at Paul’s advice on how to grow in the presence of God.

    In verses 12-14, Paul uses the imagery of putting on clothing to describe the virtues that his readers as God’s chosen ones were to put on. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. “(V12-14) His readers were to be kind, meek, patient, compassionate and loving towards others.

    In verse 15, Paul exhorted his readers in this way “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. “(V15) They were not to be bickering with one another, but they were to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts as they are the one body of Christ.

    Verse 16 and 17 contain the exhortation of Paul to his readers to let the Word of Christ dwell in them. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. “(V16-17) They were to be the one body of Christ focussed on Christ and his word. They were to be thankful and sing praises to the Father through Christ.

    Paul has given us a good idea of how to grow in the presence of God. Firstly, it is by putting on virtues of patience, humility, compassion. Secondly, it is by letting the peace of Christ rule in our hearts as the one body of Christ. Thirdly, it is by letting the word of Christ dwell in our hearts. Finally, we are to give thanks to the Father through Christ.

  • REFLECT

    What is one virtue that we can put on this week so that we can continue to grow in God’s presence?

    Or is the peace of God not ruling in our hearts that we are bickering and angry with others in the one body of Christ? If that is the case, may we bring it before God and seek reconciliation before the new year begins.

    Or are we so desensitized to the word of Christ that the word of Christ is not dwelling in our hearts? Pray that God will awaken love in us for the word of Christ so that it can dwell in our hearts richly and it will overflow in our conversations with others, especially for those you’ve invited to the Christmas services.

reading for: 25 Dec

Psalm 148

Praising the name of God in his presence

  • READ

  • This psalm is a psalm of praise to God. Everyone is to praise God. Those from the heavens are to praise him. (V1) Those in the heights are to praise him. The angels and hosts are to praise him. (V2) The sun, moon and stars are to praise God. The highest heavens and the waters above the heavens are to praise him because he created them. (V3-4) The psalmist in naming these exalted beings, from angels to the highest heavens, tells us that the exalted beings in the heavens above were to praise him because he created them, and he is he who gave a decree to them which shall not pass away. (V5-6)

    Those from below on the earth are also to praise him. No matter if it is a great sea creature, abyss, fire, hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling the word of the Lord, they are to praise him. (V7-8) Mountains, hills, fruit trees, cedars, beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds were to praise God. (V9-10) All kinds of humans are also to praise him, whether we are rulers or being ruled, whether we are young or old, whether we are male or female, we are to praise him. (V11-12)

    In summary, all are to praise God because he is worthy of our praise. His name alone is exalted, his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all the saints. Praise the Lord!

  • REFLECT

    Praise the Lord! May we sing praises to our God. He is the one that is worthy of our praise. We can look at the beautiful creation that he has made, whether it is the sun, moon and stars that lie above or hills, fruit trees, beasts that lie below on the earth and praise him for these created things. We can also reflect on the things that God has done for us this year and praise him for those things. Above all, let us Praise the Lord!

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