Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: December 1, 2024

Date: First Sunday of Advent

Scripture Text: 1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2

Brothers and sisters:

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

Finally, brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God and as you are conducting yourselves, you do so even more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

The second reading for today comes from Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonians. Paul stresses the necessity to live loving lives so as to be found “blameless in holiness” at the coming of Christ.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Am I using love for my LORD and others as my North Star in my journey?

Praying:

LORD, as we begin our Advent journey to Christmas, we lift our minds and hearts to You and ask earnestly for your guidance and grace to help us daily increase in our desire to love You with all our being and to love one another as You call us to do. We seek to bring to You on Christmas Day a better “us” – a more loving “us.” Send your Spirit to kindle in us the fire of your love and awaken in us the ones You created us to be and call us to be. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.