Story by Ron Harmon, Presiding Bishop
What God has done for me will never be forgotten, the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
Based on the Advent Devotion for Families and Households available at https://account-media.s3.amazonaws.com/26072/uploaded/h/0e18630581_1729692500_hope-is-near-advent-2024-23102024.pdf
Open: Light a candle or ring a chime.
Ask: Take a few minutes and ask yourself, “When did I feel hope today or yesterday?”
Listen: If you take the northern route from Kansas City, Missouri, to Orange, California, you encounter gently rolling plains, majestic mountains, uninhabitable desert, and eventually sandy beaches. It is a breathtaking journey, one that awakens deeper thoughts, awareness, and gratitude for that which defies description. It is more expedient to fly, but then one misses the grand landscape and elongated moments to contemplate the beauty of it all.
It had been a long day of driving. As I stopped at several hotels, I soon discovered advanced reservations may have been a good idea. I remember the feeling of being turned away at multiple stops along the way. Would I find a place for rest or continue my tired pursuit in hopes of a welcome place to stay?
I wonder at times how the message of peace finds room in our lives—lives connected to a superhighway of constant tweets, instant messages, news updates, and the latest deals online. Where is the exit to the inner life, where unexplored dreams and hopes are released in healing words and restorative actions? How does one pause in the spaces between tasks and places to retreat to the inner sanctuary of connectedness and peace?
For me, the journey to Bethlehem is an opportunity to drive rather than fly. It is the ancient invitation to pause and consider how the simplicity of the Advent story speaks powerfully to the fragmented reality of our lives. It is a gentle reminder to decelerate and disconnect externally to make room for what could emerge internally. It is a nudging toward new stirrings, possibilities, and resolute clarity for the journey ahead.
Breathe
The season of Advent reminds us that even as we wait for the birth of Christ in our lives and world, God is always with us. Right here, right now—wherever we are and with the ones we love. Take a deep breath and breathe in the presence of God.
Respond
How can you bring hope to others today?
Presence Prayer
Set a timer for 30–60 seconds. Be quiet and just be present with God in the silence. Just being with God and letting God be with us is enough sometimes.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.