Advent Conspiracy Daily Reflections
This little resource is intended for all ages, for use in family groups, alone, with a partner or with friends. It invites you to stop, say, at meal times, when you get up, when enjoying nature with a cuppa, or perhaps before bed.
This year Manningham Uniting Church (MUC) is focussing on the Advent Conspiracy themes that bring us back to the recognition and celebration of Christmas being first about the birth of Jesus. We are encouraged to worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all (see adventconspiracy.org).
The resource offers a short prayer for each day and invites you to think about a simple reflection based on one of the readings for the day. Please enjoy.
Sunday 25 December
This Christmas and beyond, Lord, please open our eyes, ears, mouths, and hearts to celebrate the coming of Jesus and the sharing of God’s love and grace in the world
May we, individually and collectively, choose to share that love in some way, large, small, silently, nurturing, feeding, listening, praying, advocating, visiting, planting seeds with the people we know, those we meet and with those strangers who will become friends
Amen
Saturday 24 December
May we see the coming of Jesus, and his life and example, as the generous receiving of God’s love and grace that it is
Help us to share this gift and example generously and purposefully with others
Thank you for walking this path with us and giving us ears to listen and eyes to see…..may we use them respectfully and well
Friday 23 December
Lord, open our hearts and ears to Mary’s Song
May we humble ourselves as we individually and collectively love and serve others this Advent and ongoing
Thursday 22 December
May we be led to put ourselves to one side, to embrace and welcome the diversity with which we are surrounded, and to generously and equally listen and share Jesus’ teachings and God’s love on a daily basis, whether by our actions, our care, or our words
Wednesday 21 December
Lord, may we accept with gratitude that you work in mysterious ways
Help us to follow you willingly and find your ways in ourselves and others as we are open and intentional in ‘loving all’ this Advent season
Tuesday 20 December
Father God, we are reminded again of God’s love for us through the Old and New Testament stories. At times it all gets too hard
Open our hearts and minds to see God’s love through new eyes as we celebrate the birth of a small child born in a manger
Monday 19 December
Father God, we are reminded not all people can embrace Christmas as a time to celebrate
Help us to be sensitive, to listen, and in those quiet moments to show others something of God’s love
Sunday 18 December
Father God, each day we turn on the news we are reminded of climate change, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and interest rates
Encourage us to reach out, to sit with, to share our hope for all people everywhere, in the form of one called Jesus
Saturday 17 December
Lord, help us to step beyond ourselves
May we open our eyes, ears and hearts to the needs of others and be genuinely surprised and happy as we interact together in new and different ways, sharing your love and guidance
Friday 16 December
Jesus, thank you for your redemption, grace and caring, for making us equal in your eyes
Help us to give of ourselves and to offer that same equality, compassion, kindness, and grace to those we love and to those who begin as strangers
Thursday 15 December
Lord, open our hearts
Give us the vision and determination to live, to give, and to share your love clearly and with purpose, welcoming and valuing our diversities
Wednesday 14 December
Lord, help us to dig deep
May we be grateful our many blessings this Christmas and beyond
May we seek many new ‘giving’ opportunities to share personally with others
Tuesday 13 December
Father God, we often talk about your grace. It flows easily off the tongue. They become words to be read on a piece of paper Help us to recognise your gift of Love to us, to be shared with others as difficult as that is
Monday 12 December
Father God, as we gather with family, may we be more aware of those who have no close family
Encourage us to reach out to the lonely. A phone call, a coffee, an invitation to share with another, to be a voice for the lonely
Sunday 11 December
Father God, sit with us as we reflect on times and places in the past. Let us remember with fondness those moments of joy and those with sadness Encourage us to share with others the joy of Mary’s Song in the form of one called Jesus
Saturday 10 December
Lord, please guide us this Christmas and beyond to be faithful in offering your gifts of upholding, healing, compassion, time and loving to those we know and those we are yet to know
Friday 9 December
Thank you for the example of Ruth in following her heart with integrity and returning with Naomi to know God
May our journeys with God and our examples to others reflect that same dedication as we navigate the ups and downs of life
Thursday 8 December
God’s love is a gift, a gift we are called on to experience and share
May this be our gift to others this Christmas
Wednesday 7 December
Open our hearts and guard our words this Advent season
May our words and actions be free and generous gifts that reveal God’s love and care for every person
Tuesday 6 December
Thank you for your mercy and your willingness to uphold us when we falter, when we rely just on ourselves
May we take the time to stop, trust, give thanks, be humble to your will, and to do our best
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