ADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this as interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This Sunday, December 20th is the fourth Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our fourth candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of LOVE and we think of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, the man who raised a child that wasn’t his.

Candle of Love: Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

Meditation:

This passage tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. While he was probably disappointed when he first found out Mary was with child, God’s direction gave him reassurance. He walked in that reassurance and raised Jesus as his own son.

Now was Joseph simply obedient or did he grow to love Mary and her son Jesus? As a righteous man, a man of God, I believe he grew to love them both.

Matthew 13:35 tells us that Joseph was a carpenter. As Jesus’ earthly father, he would have taught his son his trade. They spent their days working side by side. Learning to build and hewn and nail.

Thirty years later, a cross would be hewn and built from wood and nails were used to secure the hands and feet of Christ to that cross. The carpenter’s son crucified.

Activity:

This will take some effort on your part today, but won’t you take the time to seek out a wooden cross at a church or chapel near you? When you find one, stand directly in front of it and observe that wooden cross. Consider the LOVE that held the carpenter’s son to the cross. Kneel at the foot where Christ’s feet were pierced or place your hands where Christ’s hands would have been nailed to the cross.

Prayer:

Father God, as we consider Joseph, we know that you chose him to raise your only son here on earth. As we seek out, find, and then observe a wooden cross we remember the carpenter’s son, the very Son of God raised to be a carpenter himself. We remember The Carpenter’s hands stretched out upon a wooden cross, and we humbly give thanks. Jesus, you alone are worthy of our praise and adoration.

For your use:

Here is a .pdf file of this meditation for your use: ADVENT 4 Candle of Love. Please see the ADVENTure Prayer Walk post for further resources and instructions. Should you have any questions, please comment below.

And may God bless you with LOVE, Jody

P.S. Missed other ADVENTure Prayer Walk posts? See:

• 1st Sunday of Advent:  Candle of HOPE: the Wise Men
• 2nd Sunday of Advent:  Candle of PEACE: the Shepherds
• 3rd Sunday of Advent:  Candle of JOY: Mary
• 4th Sunday of Advent: Candle of LOVE: Joseph
• Christmas Eve or Day:  CHRIST Candle

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What is Create-A-Day?  Just as One-A-Day® Vitamins help restore the nutrients we deplete in our bodies, so too do we need to refill, replenish and renew our creative souls. In 2015, watch for daily* posts to undergird your ministry; lead you to resources to nurture the creative spirit within; and draw you more deeply in worship of Jesus Christ. My goal is to provide you, the creative Christian, with over 250* resources to help you develop your ARTistry, CREATivity & capacity for BEaUty. Books, worship arts ministries, video series, websites, conferences—all geared towards artists, creatives, worshipers and people serving in worship and creative arts ministries.

Jody Thomae is the author of God’s Creative Gift—Unleashing the Artist in You and The Creator’s Healing Power–Restoring the Broken to Beautiful, both devotional books in the Bible Studies to Nurture the Creative Spirit Within series, designed to serve as resources for creative Christians, artists, musicians, worshippers and those that appreciate beauty. She has been involved in worship arts ministry since 1997, coordinating artistic involvement in church services and regional worship events through dance, drama, poetry and fine arts. She teaches and leads workshops in the area of creativity, spirituality and embodied prayer. She has also released a devotional CD, Song of the Beloved. Her passion is for the revelation of God to be made more real through the prophetic use of the arts in church and formational ministry. It is her desire to portray the message of Christ’s desperate and unfailing love for His people to help sustain the hearts of the broken and weary. Life scriptures include Psalm 27; Isaiah 50:4-7; and Zephaniah 3:14-17.