Advent Devotional

Luke 3:7-18

And the crowds asked John: what then should we do? (v. 10)

So often we want to make our faith a matter of doing. The crowd asked John: what then should we do? It is as if when we are told what to do, then we have a plan. And if we have a plan, there is a path to success.

Doing is not all there is to faith. To be sure there are times when doing is important, even critical. But there is more to life and faith and love.

A proper sense of being will direct us in what we are to do. When we realize who we are and whose we are, the doing comes into focus. For example, in the scripture, the tax collectors ask John what they should do to repent. He replied they should not extort. If they had a sense of self in relation to God and others, then the extortion would fall away.

Preparing for the coming season of Christmas is a chance to work with our sense of being. May we grow in our awareness of what we need as we live in God’s love. As we do, we will gain a deeper answer to the question: what then should we do?

PRAYER: God of doing, show us the path to be on. May we grow in our knowledge of who you have made us, so that we may do the good and important things. And in so doing, may we share your love. Amen.

Joel Alvis