An Advent Devotion - 4

SCRIPTURE:
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. ~ Isaiah 11:1-4

REFLECTION:
It is sometimes very difficult to not judge or be critical of others. We are all tempted to judge people by their outward appearances. Society rates people by what type or style of clothing they wear, if they have the newest and best things, how much money they make, the colour of their skin, their weight. The Christmas season tends to over emphasize outward appearance - who gets the most and most expensive presents. By judging only on the way people look, we miss out on the opportunity to get to know the person behind the mask; we miss out on developing relationships. This year let us take some time to really get to know someone before we judge them.

PRAYER:
Lord, Help us to be forgiving and generous to others. Help us not to judge, but to extend your grace. Amen.

ACTIVITY:
Make a Jesse Tree.
The Jesse Tree is much like an Advent Calendar. It follows Jesus' ancestors throughout the Bible. Each day you place a decoration on the Jesse Tree and read the Bible verse describing what the decoration represents.
Here are a few links:
http://www.cresourcei.org/jesse.html
http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-2/jesse_tree%2000.htm
http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19971201/FRIDGE/FRIDGE1.HTM

SONG: Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
Theodore Baker
© Public Domain

Lo how a rose e'er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung,
Of Jesse's lineage coming,
As saints of old have sung.
It came a flower bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright,
She bore to us a Saviour,
When half spent was the night.

This flower so small and tender
With fragrance fills the air,
His brightness ends the darkness
That kept the earth in fear.
True God, and yet true man,
He came to save His people
From earth's dark night of sin.

STORY/POEM: Christmas Trees (A Christmas Circular Letter) by Robert Frost
QUOTE: "From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other." ~ -Emily Matthews

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