Bonhoeffer: Advent

Saturday, December 4, 2021
    Commemoration of Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, Founder of the Little Gidding Community, 1637
Meditation:
    “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
    —Luke 2:14 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Advent is a time of waiting. Our whole life, however, is Advent—that is, a time of waiting for the ultimate, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth, when all people are brothers and sisters and one rejoices in the words of the angels: “On earth peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.” Learn to wait, because he has promised to come. “I stand at the door...” We however call to him: “Yes, come soon, Lord Jesus!”
    ... Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), A Testament to Freedom: the essential writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Geffrey B. Kelly, F. Burton Nelson, eds., HarperCollins, 1995, p. 186 (see the book)
    See also Luke 2:14; Ps. 37:7; Hab. 2:3; Luke 2:25-35; Heb. 9:27-28; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:11,20; 22:20
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant Your people patience to await Your return. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Engstrom: the Word in our lives

Friday, December 3, 2021
    Commemoration of Francis Xavier, Apostle of the Indies, Missionary, 1552
Meditation:
    “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the LORD.
    —Isaiah 59:21 (NIV)
Quotation:
    The injection of the Word into our lives provides individual or corporate direction in all we do and say.
    ... Ted W. Engstrom (1916-2006), former president, World Vision US, in a private communication from World Vision
    See also Isa. 59:21; Luke 11:28; John 1:14; Rom. 10:17; Heb. 4:12; Rev. 19:13
Quiet time reflection:
    Your word, Lord, has given me life. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Davidman: spiritual pride

Thursday, December 2, 2021
Meditation:
    [Jesus:] “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
    —Matthew 7:22-23
Quotation:
    We of the churches often gather our robes away from contamination, and thank God that we are not as other men. We don’t despise God’s name; in fact, we call upon it constantly to justify ourselves... If we object to meat-eating, we declare that God is vegetarian; if we abhor war, we proclaim a pacifist Deity. He who turned water into wine to gladden a wedding is now accused by many of favouring that abominable fluid grape juice.
    There can hardly be a more evil way of taking God’s name in vain than this way of presuming to speak in it. For here is spiritual pride, the ultimate sin, in action—the sin of believing in one’s own righteousness. The true prophet says humbly, “To me, a sinful man, God spoke.” But the scribes and Pharisees declare, “When we speak, God agrees.” They feel no need of a special revelation, for they are always, in their own view, infallible. It is t his self-righteousness of the pious that most breeds atheism, by inspiring all decent, ordinary men with loathing of the enormous lie.
    ... Joy Davidman (1915-1960), Smoke on the Mountain, London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1955, reprint, Westminster John Knox Press, 1985, p. 46 (see the book)
    See also Matt. 7:22-23; Luke 16:14,15; John 9:39-41; 2 Cor. 10:18; Gal. 6:3; Rev. 3:17-18
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, grant that Your Holy Spirit may begin to extinguish the Pharisee in me. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Hromadka: Christian civilization?

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
    Commemoration of Charles de Foucauld, Hermit, Servant of the Poor, 1916
Meditation:
    [Paul:] “In the past, [God] let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
    —Acts 14:16-17 (NIV)
Quotation:
    We cannot pass our responsibility on to politicians, diplomats, economists, technicians, scientists, and secular ideologists. We ourselves are obliged to think about the problems of the form of responsible society and of our own contribution to its creation. Let us avoid the impression that this responsible society will be identical with Christian society. There has been, is, and will be no Christian society, just as there is no Christian state, Christian economy, or Christian civilization. The new earth and the new heaven which we expect in faith will not be the work of human hands, but a creation of God’s mercy and justice. And these are essentially eschatological concepts. Christian civilization is an illusion, and every attempt to fight in its name against so-called un-Christian efforts—social and political ideas—is a self-deception and a grave danger to the church itself.
    ... J. L. Hromadka (1889-1969), The Church and Theology in Today’s Troubled Times, Prague: Ecumenical Council of Churches in Czechoslovakia, 1956, p. 80-81 (see the book)
    See also Acts 14:16-17; Jer. 50:6-7; Dan. 7:13-14; Hos. 4:17-18; Matt. 15:12-14; John 18:36; Eph. 4:17-19; 2 Thess. 2:11-12; 2 Pet. 3:13
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, lead Your church to speak truth to society. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Hare: the light of Christ

Tuesday, November 30, 2021
    Feast of Andrew the Apostle
Meditation:
    Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
    —Luke 2:29-32 (KJV)
Quotation:
    In darkness there is no choice. It is light that enables us to see the differences between things; and it is Christ who gives us light.
    ... Augustus William Hare (1792-1834) & Julius Charles Hare (1795-1855), Guesses at Truth, by Two Brothers, second series, London: Taylor and Walton, 1848, p. 209 (see the book)
    See also Luke 2:29-32; Mal. 4:2; John 1:4-9; Eph. 5:13-14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You are the light. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Tozer: unsaintly saints

Monday, November 29, 2021
Meditation:
    Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
    —Mark 10:42-44 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Unsaintly saints are the tragedy of Christianity. People of the world usually pass through the circle of disciples to reach Christ, and if they find those disciples severe and sharp-tongued they can hardly be blamed if they sigh and turn away from Him... The low state of religion in our day is largely due to the lack of public confidence in religious people.
    ... A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), Of God and Men, Harrisburg, Penn.: Christian Publications, Inc., 1960, p. 85 (see the book)
    See also Mark 10:42-44; Matt. 23:2-4; Luke 18:10-14
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, soften our hearts towards Your people. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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Adams: Advent letter

Sunday, November 28, 2021
    Advent I
Meditation:
    “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
    —Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV)
Quotation:
    Well, here it is Advent, and the Christmas season will soon be upon us. When He came the first time, it was as a Baby—showing us an aspect of His nature very suited to our understanding. Now that we are grown (even if not very mature), we look forward to the return of that same Jesus who went away for a while: Man when He left, Man still, Man when He shall come back. May we all see Him as He is, now and forever.
    ... Robert MacColl Adams (1913-1985), from a letter, 1975
    See also Dan. 7:13-14; Mark 13:26; 14:61-62; John 14:18; 1 John 1:1-3; 3:2; Rev. 1:7
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, You have made Yourself known to us as a Man. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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