The Fourth Sunday of Advent: Patient Delight

Advent Season

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, on this blessed day, as we gather to reflect upon your Word, we open our hearts to receive your guidance and wisdom. We pray for your Spirit to illuminate our minds, helping us to understand your Word. Prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name, we pray. Amen.

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Scripture Reading

Psalm 37:1-7

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

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The Great Tradition

In everything he taught the benefit of hope in God: the person hoping in God, he says, and fed by him will enjoy the goods supplied by him while those who find delightful constant converse with him will most of all attain them. (Theodoret of Cyr)

How do you show yourself subject to [God]? By doing what he commanded. You do not receive your reward yet, but that may be because you are not yet capable of it. He is already able to give it, but you are not able to receive it. Exert yourself in your tasks, labor in the vineyard, and when evening comes ask for your wages, for he who brought you into the vineyard is trustworthy. (Augustine)

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Prayer of Confession

Gracious Lord, forgive us for the times we have allowed the success of those who follow wicked paths to disturb our peace. In moments of uncertainty, strengthen our trust in you. Help us to focus on the eternal perspective, knowing that your ways are higher than our ways. We confess our impatience and pray for a heart that waits on you with unwavering faith and delight. In Christ we pray. Amen.

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Reflection

Do you trust the Lord when times are tough, when you see those who do not appear to care about the things of God prospering? I believe our trust grows as our eternal perspective becomes clearer. How little would we worry about the things of the world, or value the things of the world, if we saw things more clearly from God’s perspective? If we valued what God values?

The Psalmist encourages us not to fret about those who do evil or be envious of those who do what is wrong. Instead, we should not wander off to the right or left, but continue down the right path, trusting God the whole way, obeying him as we travel.

Better yet, as we travel with God, let us love what he loves and desire what he desires. How do we discover what those things are? Theodoret tells us we do so by conversing with God continually. And as we speak with, and listen to our loving God, he will not only show us what delights him, but will give us those things as well. But we must be patient with God. He reveals and gives according to his schedule, not ours. We must trust that he always has our best interest at heart and knows what our best interest is. When we’re certain of those two truths, we can be at peace because we know we are being well loved and cared for.

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Key Principles

• Trust the Lord During Adversity: In verse 1, we’re told, “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong.” In a world where it seems that those who disregard God’s ways often prosper, it’s easy to become anxious or even envious. However, the Lord calls us to trust him, especially during challenging times. Trusting God means acknowledging his sovereignty, knowing that his plans are perfect, even when we can’t comprehend them.

• Delight in the Lord’s Ways: Verse 4 instructs us to “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Our delight in the Lord stems from a deep and continuous relationship with him. Theodoret reminds us that through constant conversation with God, we discover his desires and, in turn, are able to find delight in them.

• Patiently Waiting: In verse 7, we’re encouraged to “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.” Patience is a virtue often tested when we desire quick resolutions or immediate answers. Augustine reminds us that our Heavenly Father is trustworthy and capable of providing, but the timing is in his hands, not ours.

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Walking Points

• During this Advent season, take intentional moments to cultivate a spirit of trust in God. Reflect on his faithfulness in your life and the lives of those around you. Consider keeping a journal to document instances where God’s good providence has been evident, reinforcing your trust in his care for you.

• As we prepare our hearts throughout this Advent season, commit to cultivating a continuous conversation with God. Set aside dedicated time for prayer, reading Scripture, and listening to his voice. The more intentional and set-apart time we spend with our loving Father, the better we’ll understand his will and more easily align ourselves with it.

• Advent, with its emphasis on anticipation and waiting, provides a beautiful backdrop for us to embrace patience. Use this season to reflect on the waiting endured by those in the Bible, from the prophets anticipating the Messiah to Mary and Joseph awaiting the birth of Jesus. Practice patience in your daily life, trusting that God’s timing is perfect.

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Prayer of Thanksgiving

Gracious and Sovereign Lord, we come before you with hearts full of gratitude for your steadfast love and faithfulness. In a world that often confounds and distracts us, you are our sure foundation, unshakable and true.

Thank you for calling us to trust you in the midst of adversity. Even when the ways of the wicked seem to prosper, you remind us that their flourishing is fleeting, while your plans are eternal. We praise you for being our refuge and strength, the One in whom we can place our confidence without fear.

Thank you for teaching us to take delight in you, Lord. In your presence, we find true joy and the fulfillment of our deepest desires. How marvelous it is that as we draw near to you in prayer and abide in your Word, you transform our hearts to love what you love and to desire what pleases you.

Thank you for the gift of patience and the grace to wait upon you. In this Advent season, as we remember those who waited for the coming of the Messiah, we too are reminded that your timing is always perfect. Teach us to rest in your wisdom, knowing that you withhold no good thing from your children.

Above all, we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, whose coming we eagerly anticipate. May our lives be marked by trust in your promises, delight in your ways, and faithful perseverance in your vineyard. In the name of Christ, our Savior and King, we pray. Amen.

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Conclusion

As we navigate the obstacles and challenges of life, let’s anchor our trust in the Lord, finding peace in the hope of his promises. This Advent season let’s prayerfully pursue a spirit of trust, delight in the Lord’s ways through continuous communion and conversation, and patiently trust in his timing. And let’s remember the words of Augustine who said, “Exert yourself in your tasks, labor in the vineyard, and when evening comes ask for your wages, for he who brought you into the vineyard is trustworthy.” And so, he is. Thanks be to God.

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