DEVOTION FOR THURSDAY IN THE WEEK OF ADVENT I (12/2/10)

GOD’S WORD—Romans 13:14
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

MEDITATION
Adam and Eve, we are told in the book of Genesis, fashioned fig leaf garments. This was NOT history’s first recorded attempt at making a fashion statement! Rather, the intent was to cover their nakedness and shame. All down through the years, humanity has followed suit. (Forgive the pun.) Never mind that God told them not to eat the fruit. In the end, it was apparently too appealing to resist.

It was a desire of the “flesh”, to borrow the language of the apostle Paul in today’s reading. Gratifying that desire became paramount with Adam and Eve. The Word of their Creator, though, became an afterthought.

Flesh, being flesh, will always have its needs and desires. Life becomes unmanageable when needs are overlooked and the gratification of those desires becomes an all-consuming enterprise.

But recovery – better yet, real life! – begins with Jesus Christ who was born, that first Christmas, to save us from our sins (Mt. 1:21). So, says the apostle, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” There’s no need to spend one more minute fashioning fig leaves.

PRAYER
Stir up your power, O Lord, and come; that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by your mighty deliverance; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

VERSE
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates; behold the King of Glory waits!
The King of kings is drawing near; the Savior of the world is here;
Life and salvation He doth bring, wherefore rejoice and gladly sing:
We praise Thee, Father, now, Creator, wise art Thou.