Advent and Lenten Devotions by Goshen
College students, faculty, and staff - Welcome to Goshen College Advent
Devotions 2013: Thursday, 28 November 2013
The God of humpback whales, waterfalls
and pinkie toes by Annabeth Tucker, a senior English writing major from Erie,
Pa.
SCRIPTURE: Romans 13: An Urgent Appeal
11 Besides this, you know what time it
is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is
nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the
day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor
of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and
drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and
jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for
the flesh, to gratify its desires.(NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:
Bananas ripen. Baby giraffes are born.
Chimpanzees eat tiny, tasty bugs off each others’ backs. A flamingo dies. Water
drops down from pregnant clouds, and, eventually, evaporates back up. The
ocean—big and blue and full—waves and waves. Wind circulates across the earth’s
surface, searching and knowing.
From the mating song of a cardinal bird
to the crevices and craters on our earth’s moon, God knows everything. His love
is greater than we can fathom and far beyond what we deserve. Yet God freely
lavishes God’s love on creation, on us. God is found in overripe fruit and
awkward infant giraffes, but God is also found in us, in the miracle of ear
canals and eyeballs. The awe, the wonder, the mystery of being made in God’s
image is astounding. The majesty of God coming to be with us in our own form is
what we anticipate to celebrate on Christmas.
Have you encountered this God of the
mountains, the valleys, the animals and the storms—the God of the universe? The
God of it all who, in all God’s glory, still wants a personal relationship with
you.
Now is the time, brothers and sisters. In
the midst of bellowing whales, buff ants, eroding boulders and bright stars,
human beings have a place. Now is the time to open our eyes and see God all
around us in creation and in our lives. He asks us to wake up from our slumber
and to activate our faith. To put on the armor of light; not only this, but to
put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is the time to be fully alive.
Come, revel with me in the glorious
mystery that is the beauty of creation, light of the world, the hope of God with
us.
SCRIPTURE: Romans 13:An Urgent Appeal
11 Besides this, you know what time it
is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is
nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the
day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor
of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and
drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and
jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the
flesh, to gratify its desires.(NRSV)
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Goshen College
1700 South Main Street
Goshen, IN 46526 United States
(574) 535-7569
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