Advent Devotional - 22nd Day

Sunday, December 18th, 2011

Written by: Phyllis Chen

Readings: Luke 3;1-20, 7:18-30

My husband’s parents played an important role in the naming of our children. In following of Chinese tradition, besides the common family name, descendants often specify another common character in their given names for each generation. This common character in given name is called the "Spreading Character", which is an indication of the person's generation within the family system. Here, “Character” refers to the way the name is written in the Chinese handwriting. The importance, as I understood it, was directed at the other meaning of “character’, reflecting good attributes or greatness. They believed the name would reveal an essential destiny of our children. I felt so blessed to marry into a Christian family that revered such ideas.

“The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. … he formed me in the womb to be his servant (Isaiah 49:1, 5).

John the Baptist was born to prepare the way for Jesus, and so he was named by God and not in the following of the tradition of his family. In him we see that God already has a purpose for His children before they come into this world, and so the challenge of life is for them to discover this purpose and to be faithful to its demands.

“Heavenly Father, by the birth of your son and your promises, you adopted us into your family. During the celebration of the season of His birth, may we live out our days knowing the plans and purposes you have created us for and how very special we are in your family.” Amen.

Family Moments:

Fourth Sunday: John the Baptist, Repentance, Scallop Shell
John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, and he did so by baptizing them with water in the Jordan River. Jesus himself was baptized by John (that was the first thing Jesus did in his ministry). Martin Luther once said that every day when you wash your face you should remember your baptism. Wash your face and feel the cleansing, refreshing water make you clean. Then use some water to make the sign of the cross on the foreheads of your family members and remind them that they are a child of God. Color the ornament and add it to your Jesse Tree.