Advent Devotional - 19th Day

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Written by: Doug Carey

Readings: Jeremiah 1:4-10, 2:4-13, 7:1-15, 8:22 - 9:11

A dominant theme found in these verses is the relationship that the children of God chose to have with their Father. In most of the verses the people allowed themselves to be distracted and they began to worship false gods even when they had all they would ever need.

Jeremiah tells the people that even though they and their ancestors strayed from God, the people would not be forgotten. In time, God’s faithfulness would pass through the generations until it would culminate with the birth of Jesus.

Keeping our focus is one of the challenges we face during Advent, when we will be inundated with advertisements and commercials that seek to secularize Christmas. We will be given numerous opportunities to become distracted like the people that Jeremiah spoke of in these verses. We will be presented with numerous false gods to worship. Will we act the same way and forget what is important? Will we become like the people who Jeremiah spoke of? Or will we overcome complacency?

Lord, I pray that this Advent season I stay focused on preparing myself for the birth of Jesus, and to stay faithful by disregarding the distractions that will confront me each day. Amen.

Family Moments:

Thursday: Week 3, Jeremiah, The Exile, Jeremiah 1:4-10, 2:4-13, 7:1-15, 8:22-9:1-11, Tears
Jeremiah is often referred to as the weeping prophet – he wept for the sins of the Israelites. Jeremiah was called to see the things that broke God’s heart, and tried to call them to the attention of his brothers and sisters. When you look around, what things do you see that would break God’s heart? Make a picture of tear drops, labeling each tear with things that you think would make God cry. How can you be a solution to those problems? Color the ornament and add it to your Jesse Tree.