This year, Advent
began on the first day of December and will continue to Christmas week. The timing is appropriate since the very word “Advent” comes from a Latin root,
which means “come” or “coming.” Therefore, this special season of the church
calls on Christians from every part of the Body of Christ to prepare the way
for the Lord in our individual and corporate lives. May Paul's prayer help us to get started in this year’s adventure into Advent:
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 – a prayer of Paul
Dear God,
sanctify us through and through –
through You –
our God of peace.
May our whole bodies,
souls, and spirits
be free of blame
at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for You are faithful
and can do anything!
May the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with us all.
from the Book of Bible Prayers – actual prayers collected from the
Bible and paraphrased by Mary Harwell
Sayler, ©2019
For those who
prefer the King James Version of the
Bible, here’s the same prayer, directly quoted from KJV.
1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 – a prayer of Paul
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly;
and I pray God your whole spirit and soul
and body be preserved blameless unto
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do
it.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Amen.
From the Book of KJV Prayers – actual prayers collected by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2019,
…