One Week from Today

Welcome to our Advent journey 2015.  Our hope this season is to look forward to the coming of the Christ child, to be challenged in our thinking and understanding of this amazing event, and most importantly, to apply this eternal event to our every day lives.  For isn't it only in believing and living our belief that we are made whole in Him.  To prepare for the coming weeks below is the scripture on which we will be focused.  And yes, we know that this is not the typical Christmas scripture but then we are not typical people, are we?  Let's look deeply at these profound words of Jesus as we lay them on top of the Christmas story.

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.   

Mark 12: 28-34

So to ponder a bit before the start of Advent:
What do you love with your whole heart?  How does that play out in your world?
Who do you love with your soul?  What is 'all your soul'?
How does one love with all their mind and strength?
Why do these words scare me and challenge me?

Be praying with us as we all prepare for the journey.  And lets take some new people with us.  Who can you invite?  You can sign up for our writings on the website: adventagain.blogspot.com