Meditation 3 – Looking Within

The final part of our Advent reflection is to look within. We have looked back at the first coming of Jesus, looked ahead at the Second coming, and now we look at the coming of Jesus into our own lives. This is a time to reflect on where we stand right now with Jesus and how we need His redemption to work in us.

Readings:
Psalm 63:1
Psalm 130:7
Philippians 2:12-13
Colossians 1:13-15
1 John 1:6-9

Reflection:

Advent is a time of longing for redemption. Prior to Jesus birth, the Jewish people were longing for their Messiah to appear; but, today we, acknowledging that Jesus has come and is the Messiah, long for His redemption in our lives. With this in mind, Advent becomes a time when we can identify the things in our lives that need to be redeemed by our Savior.

Those that follow Christ know that throughout life, we must continually allow Christ to work in all the areas of our lives that need to be changed. Throughout our life, we are to constantly ask God to search our hearts and identify things that hinder our life with Him. “Continue to work out your salvation,” as Philippians 2:12 says.

For this final meditation, we want to look at our lives and invite God to search our hearts. We all have areas or things in our life that need to be redeemed and changed by God. Jesus has come to redeem not only our souls, but our entire lives.

Exercises:

1. On a piece of paper write, “Powers that hold me in their grip.” List everything that you can think of from which you would like to be set free. These may be bad habits, undesirable relationships, a job that is stifling and unrewarding, a bad temper, jealousy, envy, dishonesty, or any blockage to living by the spirit of joy, temperance, and generosity. Commit it to the one who comes to set the prisoners free, turn it over to Christ in prayer, and ask the one who is to come into your life to take over this problem up into himself.

2. Take a look at your daily life. Ask God to reveal an area of your life that needs to be more fully devoted to Him. Write down what God brings to your mind. Reflect on and write down ways in which you can, with God’s help, allow this part of your life to be given to Him. Now commit this to God and ask for His help.

Please feel free to share you thoughts in the comments.

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