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Advent Devotional for Tuesday, December 4
II Samel 7:18-29
King David and God are in a really good place. God has just blessed David with victory over the Philistines. David has joined the people in expressing gratitude and joy, “dancing before the Lord with all his might.” Settling back in at home after the festivities, his continued exuberance spills over and into a desire to do something more to honor God. David decides he will build God a house—after all, he reasons, God has been living in an ark, while David has been living in a home made of cedar. Nathan assures David this is an idea God will support.
But God rejects David’s idea. When has God ever needed a house? Instead of David building a house for God, God will build a house for David: a house that will endure not only for a lifetime, not only for generations, but forever and ever.
How can it be that the God who does so much for us has promised even more? With David we are humbled; with David we are hopeful. We know we are unworthy, that this is pure grace. We ask for what has already been promised, exercising our invited audacity.
The One who promises to come is the Promised One who has no home. No room in the inn. No tomb but a stranger’s. No place to lay his head. He moves from womb to manger, from table to cross, from garden to lakeshore. He has no home but makes a home for us. He knows our need for space and care, and so prepares a place—a mansion. Many mansions. And he will come, and take us to himself. And we will be home — with him - forever.
Bounteous God,
Fill us, on this day, with the joy that comes when we recognize your blessings. Lead us to dance, and praise, and make excessive offerings even as you offer excessive gifts. Remind us that our home is in you even as we await your coming. Keep your promises, and give us the courage to claim them. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Cindy Rigby
The W. C. Brown Professor of Theology
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
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