Thursday, December 9, 2021
The Host of God’s Followers
Are Without Number,
As Numerous as the Particles of Moisture
Floating Everywhere
Even More Than Those Visible in the Countless Clouds.
The One That Counts Is Each One of Us.
Joel 2:11-12
The Lord utters his voice at the head of his army; how vast is his host! Numberless are those who obey his command. Truly the day of the Lord is great; terrible indeed—who can endure it? Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.
Luke 12:36
Be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.
Words of Grace For Today
A clean blanket of soft snow gently covers the scars of days past, as the sun forgets to rise, or so one might think if one did not believe …
Doch!
How can one not believe since
God utters his voice at the head of his army; how vast is his host! Numberless are those who obey his command!
We have many a time already returned to God with our whole heart, perhaps with fasting and often with weeping and mourning at our sins, and awestruck by God’s Gracious love that renews full and abundant life in even our worst enemies who have many times tried to bring our death forward to one of these todays.
Who are we not to claim the hope that Christ has provided for us through our baptisms and the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
so that already overfilled with life only by Grace (not by our own merit or effort) we again this Advent (remembering that our waiting is also an every day attitude for us) wait for Jesus’ coming again as we would wait for our master to return from the wedding banquet, so that we may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks.
This we do out of complete gratitude and awe for God has also covered us with the clean blanket of Jesus’ soft forgiveness as it gently covers the scars of days past, even if the sun forgets to rise.
How else could we approach each day if not with such a deep faith as we receive and the Spirit nurtures in us?