The Beginning (Advent Reading Starts Today)
2021 Advent Reading Plan
Advent is the 4 week season of preparation that precedes Christmas. Christmas is an event of joy and feasting, but if we don’t learn the reason for the celebration it can become superficial and materialistic.
This year we need the joy of Christmas more than ever—let’s take the time to prepare so that our celebrations are as rich and joyful as the grace of God can make them.
Reading Plan Details
Readings are Monday-Friday, beginning today and ending Friday, 12/24.
Munger is a Bible-reading church. We believe that the Bible tells a unified story that leads to Jesus; many of the readings in this plan come from the Old Testament to help us understand the story of which Jesus is the fulfillment.
Each day, I’ll provide a brief commentary about that day’s reading, and include a reflection or question or prayer focus or thought to help connect the reading to our everyday lives.
Of course, feel free to do your readings at any time, but I strongly encourage you to develop the habit of the First 15: spending the first 15 minutes of each day in silence, prayer, and scripture.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
I like to pray early in the morning this time of year, just sitting in my chair under the light of the Christmas tree. Where’s your spot?
The Beginning
My goal is throughout this Advent reading plan is to trace the whole story of salvation starting from The Beginning, because the entire Bible tells a unified story that leads to Jesus, and we rarely take time to see it. Christmas is great, and preparing for it makes it even better. Let’s do this.
Genesis 1:1-2
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
The Lord, like a master artist, brings beauty and purpose out of nothingness.
Prayer for the Day:
A great prayer to pray during Advent 2021:
“Lord, can you make something beautiful out of all of this?”
How to Make the Rest of 2019 the Best of 2019
We’re halfway through 2019. Want to make the rest of the year the best of the year? Here’s how:
Start practicing the First15 and begin reading the Gospel of Luke with me tomorrow. In 2019, we've been reading through the Gospels every weekday; starting tomorrow, we’re reading through Luke every weekday from now until the end of October. Each reading is short (less than 5 minutes), and every weekday I’ll be writing a very short commentary on that day’s passage.
Sign Up Here to Receive My Luke Emails Every Weekday
Follow this link and check the option for "Gospels 2019 posts." You can unsubscribe at any time.
Fred Jones: "It Won't Hurt to Try It"
Mungarians Fred and Debra Jones took me up on the Gospels challenge starting in January, and here’s what the experience has meant to them:
Are you in?
P.S. Need us to mail you a Luke booklet?
If you missed getting your Luke booklet, we'll mail you one--just email Rosemary Cole with your address.
*****How to Subscribe to Updates from My Blog*****
If you sign up to receive my irregular updates, I’ll send you a white paper I’ve written called “The Simple Technique Anyone Can Immediately Use to Become a Better Communicator”.
I’m also blogging through the Gospels each weekday in 2019, and I have a separate mailing list for folks who only want to receive the Gospel posts. Subscribe here to receive a weekday update on that day’s Gospel reading. We begin the Gospel of Luke on July 7th–join us!