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Ilona's Advent Blog

Looking forward to a Christian Christmas

Advent Day Nineteen: John the Baptist

15.12.11 | The Candlelighter | No Comments

Precious Truth: God is still speaking.

Today’s Reading from The Word

Luke 3:16
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Thoughts:

In the transition between the two covenants that God has made with man came the last of the Old Testament prophets.

It had been such a long time since God had spoken to his people Israel. Scholars still argued among themselves, but a fresh living word from God? It was no where to be found.

How surprising it must have been to hear John the Baptist speaking in this desert environment, calling men to come and be baptized in Jordan as a visible sign of their return to the God of their Fathers.

One of my favorite passages in the gospel is that of the reaction of John, still in utero, to the coming of Christ, also yet unborn. He leapt with joy.
It reminds me of the life of an unborn child, full of potential, with senses yet untrained, but responsive to its world already. There is so much mystery in this part of our lives, in questions of how early we may know and understand spiritual things.

The spirit has a language of its own, one not circumscribed by education or brain capacity or experience. It hears from God and responds to God, and age or ability simply does not limit it or its capacity for peace and joy.

God still speaks, is your spirit listening? Quiet yourself and listen expectantly for God just now.

The ornament symbol: a shell
Jesse Tree Shell Ornament #1 ornament
Jesse Tree Shell Ornament #1 by ilonagarden
The carol for today: “O Holy Night”

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I love Christmas and one of my favorite parts of are the Advent preparations. I have made this site since starting to create Christmas pages for Ilona's Reflecting Pool.

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