Today is December 13th in the second week of Advent.


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and say Come Holy Spirit.  
 
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 3.  
 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. He who believes in him is not condemned; he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” 
 

This is something to behold, indeed: God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved. Consider this as we begin our time of prayer this advent-time: God so loved the world… 
 
John tells us that God so loved the word in the same breath as he says that the world loved darkness more than the light of Christ! Scripture tells us that while we were still sinners, God loved us and gave himself for us. Consider now what it cost God to come into a world, to become man, to bring us His light and peace EVEN WHILE we embraced the darkness… 
 
Talk to the Lord now about any of your deeds that may need to be exposed. Be honest with him, and enter into a place of confession about where you might tend to prefer darkness over light…  
 
How do you experience ‘coming into the light of Christ’? Does it bring you peace, to bring your confessions to Jesus? Ask God to fill you with his light and peace as you offer up your confession and walk in repentance today. 

Come, thou long expected Jesus, 
born to set thy people free; 
from our fears and sins release us, 
let us find our rest in thee. 
Behold, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… 
In the name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.