Advent Devotional December 16, 2021

Scripture

Revelation 4:9-5:5

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; 2 and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Devotional

The Rev. Rebecca L. Dix

Things have a way of wedging themselves into our lives. Objects convince us that we could not live without them and that we would not have worth or value to anything or anyone without them. It is not only this stuff that scribes a commentary contrary to the truth of who we are as children of God. There’s the diatribe scrolling constantly in our mind, reverberating a cacophony of lies in the aching hollows of our lives. Convincing us that we are not worthy of God’s love.

Not enough. Not good enough. Not thin enough. Not strong enough. Not old enough. Not young enough. Having opinions on our cellulite and stretch marks and wrinkles, on our acne, our family, our weight, and smothering us with guilt if we dare to feel otherwise.

Siblings, as we wander toward the manger, I invite you into the wild and untamed holy of the Lamb who is coming to dwell among us. Who unsettles us in Love and reclaims us as God’s own.

Prayer

Holy One, it is you who sees us as worthy of Love, not because of anything we did or could do, but because of your everlasting faithfulness. Unsettle the lies that keep us from seeing the Good News of Great Joy, both as we celebrate the birth and as we await your Kingdom coming. Amen.