From Austin Seminary: "Advent Devotional" for December 9

"Advent ushers us into a season of anticipation, hope, and joy, as we await the day of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Messiah ... We intend this Advent Devotional booklet as a gift of the season for you, to signify our deep appreciation for all that you do for Austin Seminary. And we hope that you will share it with others, so that they may also partake in the blessings of Advent alongside us. Be assured that our hearts are joyful to overflowing as we celebrate together this season that anticipates what my dear friend John Rogers described in the title of his book, “The Birth of God.” May your heart overflow, as well."

G. Archer Frierson

Austin Seminary Board of Trustees

• CLICK HERE for a complete, online copy of this season's devotionals.
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Advent Devotional for December 9

• Psalm 122

Jerusalem evokes intense feelings of nostalgia and historical grounding in Christians. For centuries it was the location of the Jewish temple and the place where Jesus spent his final week before his crucifixion. The Book of Acts (ch. 2) relates how the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ disciples in Jerusalem. The city is the heart of “the Holy Land” for Christians and Jews. In medieval times, Christian and Muslim armies fought to control the city. The New Testament ends with the evocation of a new Jerusalem coming down to earth (Rev. 21:2). In the Christian tradition, Jerusalem was often interpreted as a synonym for heaven, the place where God’s promises for us are fulfilled.

For the psalmist, Jerusalem is the focal point for the worship of the Lord God. It is important as the place “where the tribes go up … to praise the name of the LORD” (v. 4). Jerusalem is a city of peace by the very sound of its name (salem/shalom, peace) and because the LORD God, whose presence dwells there, brings peace.

Today Jerusalem sometimes provokes conflict. It is a city divided between Palestinians and Israelis, each of whom make claims on it as “theirs.” Muslims and religious Jews clash about access to the part of the city where both want to pray. President Trump moved the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, providing support to Israeli claims of sovereignty over the city. Some American Christians agree that the city should belong exclusively to Israel; others that the city should be shared between Israelis and Palestinians. As in the time of the psalmist, so today the city needs our prayers for peace (v.6).

In Advent, Christians intentionally ground our hopes for global justice and peace for Jerusalem—indeed, our hopes for shalom in our everyday experience—in the God revealed to us in Mary’s child, Jesus. Christian hope is not anchored in a single geographic location (as freighted as some places may be with historic or personal significance) but in the risen Jesus’ promise to be with us always (Matt. 28:20). This Advent season we pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem with our feet (as a hymn from my childhood puts it) standing on the promises of God.

Reverend Dr. Timothy D. Lincoln
Research Professor in Theological Education, Director of the Stitt Library & Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness

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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.

We hope that you are preparing the way for the Lord in your life as you read these meditations and prayers. And, we hope this Advent season is a meaningful one for you. Please know that Austin Seminary’s dedicated, diverse, and loving community of faith is not complete without you. Did you know?

   • Students in our masters-degree programs receive up to 85% need-based tuition aid.
   • Historically, more than 80% of our graduates are called to congregational ministry.
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