A devotion for the first week of Advent, November 29 - December 5, 2020.
Read the rest of our 2020 Advent devotions.
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
The result is that you aren’t missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. (1 Corinthians 3:7)
For many of us, this first week of Advent is filled with thoughts of want. What do the kids want for Christmas? How about our coworkers? And someone has probably asked you if there is anything you want for Christmas. Do you have an answer?
This season of gift giving and receiving can become stressful. And this year, it seems even more so.
Since the global pandemic has many of us staying home this Christmas rather than traveling to visit relatives and friends, we have to build in extra time to ship our gifts. That means even less time to do all the shopping and that we will miss out on the best part—watching the people we love open our gifts.
As our presents are expressions of love for friends, relatives, coworkers and others, your spiritual gifts are an expression of God’s affection for you. Today's reading reminds us that God’s gifts are extravagant. “You aren’t missing any spiritual gift while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed,” we're told.
In this season of waiting God invites us into an ever-deepening relationship with Jesus. And you aren’t missing any spiritual gift you need for that.
During this first week of Advent, reflect on how God loves and has gifted you. What gifts do you have (explore them here)? How do they remind you of God’s love for you? How will you go deeper this Christmas and into the new year?
Prayer: Thank you, O God, for inviting me into a growing relationship with you and for giving me every gift I need. Amen.
Activity: As you wrap a gift this week, whisper a prayer of thanks for the gifts you have already received from God.
*Joe Iovino is Director, Member Content for United Methodist Communications. Contact him by email.
This devotion was published on November 27, 2020.
