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Morning Devotion for the Season of Advent

December 2, 2022

The Invitatory

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you knows how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrongs or exploits a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, so that you may behave properly towards outsiders and be dependent on no one.

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Meditation: Jo Ann B. Jones

My, but, that decadent piece of chocolate smells delicious. It makes my mouth water and stimulates a memory of the last time something so delightful melted in my mouth. Yet, I choose to resist this indulgence because I have set a goal to reduce my intake of sugar. I am also trying to lose fifteen pounds before the end of the year. I try to force myself out of bed in the morning to engage in my morning set of exercises, yet the urge to savor my warm duvet wins instead. We all face moments in life where high or low self-control comes into focus.

For some unknown reason I have held onto my report cards from Lower School at Baltimore Friends School. For a number of years I carried some shame in response to my grades in self-control. Now I have some perspective, which has allowed me to forgive myself and to admit to some horror that Friends School had such unreasonable expectations of the level of self-control for an elementary school child. And now I have a much different perspective on self-control.

Of course, self-control develops over time together with experience, maturity and self-reflection. One may become less impulsive, able to maintain certain regimens at work, such as arriving on time, completing assignments on time and being prepared for meetings. One learns to live within one’s budget, to set goals for saving for vacations, college education for one’s children and retirement. And then one develops good habits for maintaining one’s health. As with anything in life, there may be a downside to too much self-control. One’s emotional experiences may be restricted. Or one may pass up a fun experience and regret the decision. Meeting one’s responsibilities may be taken too far and result in overextending oneself. It should not be the sole determinant of one’s life.

Paul counters the exercise of self-control by placing it in a larger context, indeed in a much larger enterprise. In an earlier verse he declares forthrightly “each one of you knows how to control your own body in holiness and honor” And in so stating removes the sole means of control from ourselves. He goes on to write, “For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.” Paul reminds the members of the church that they are already sharing in the new life of Christ, a life that has hope as an essential ingredient. The scope of human interactions has broadened considerably and yet, at the same time, the ability to engage with others in love is greatly and vigorously supported by God through the Holy Spirit. It is an intriguing letting go of self and self-control in the interest and the expression of love. Love of sisters and brothers - this is the primary responsibility of each person toward those in the church.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

    hallowed be thy Name,

    thy kingdom come,

    thy will be done,

        on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

    as we forgive those

        who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

    and the power, and the glory

   for ever and ever. Amen.