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Lectionary
ADVENT 1: 30 NOV – 6 DECEMBER. 2008
THEME: “MY VICTORY
WILL BE FINAL.”
SUGGESTED READING: ISAIAH 51: 4-11
We are in Advent period, and advent means ‘approach’
or ‘coming.’ When as Christians celebrate Advent, we remember
the three great comings of our Lord and Saviour. First, Advent
is the remembrance of Christ’s introduction to the world as
the infant king. Second, we celebrate Christ’s coming into our
hearts and lives on a daily basis by the presence of his
Spirit. Third, Advent encourages us to stand on tiptoes in
anticipation of Christ’s final coming and victory.
The
main theme of the biblical passage is ‘the ransom of God shall
return.’ God’s promise of the Jewish exiles returning to
Jerusalem must have been very comforting for the Jewish exiles
in Babylon. In an early chapter (40.1), God, through the
Prophet, proclaimed comfort to the exiles. The proclaimed
comfort is based on the divine decision that the people have
suffered enough; the years of disciplinary judgement are over,
the price for the sins of the past has been paid. Warfare is
ended. Sins are forgiven. God is just, not vicious or
vengeful. The prophet reports that God’s justice will become
light to the nations – a missionary thrust to the justice of
God. To a desolate and despondent community, the good news is
that you have been chosen by God. You have a date with
destiny. Africa is suffering from multiple crises -
ecological, economic, social and political. And the result of
all this is, of course, poverty, which makes Africans
vulnerable to war and disease. And war and disease constantly
thwart Africans' efforts to lift themselves out of poverty.
In the context of all this we can firmly say in the spirit
of advent that Hope is still there! The overall picture is not
one of unrelieved gloom. There are other images of Africa,
which are much more positive and forward-looking. The era of
coups d'état, single-party monopoly of power and
winner-take-all politics is giving way, thankfully, to a
steady progression of multiparty democratic elections,
restoration of constitutional rule, and the beginnings of
greater transparency, accountability and respect for
fundamental human rights.
What is important is that we
should all look to God who comes with victory. Indeed as we
pray ‘Your kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven’, it
is only hope in a living God who will send the Saviour to come
back and then we shall ‘sing therefore the redeemed of the
Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. Jesus is coming
with victory for Africa and the whole world. Africa, Step
Forth in Faith, the Victory of God is final!
Submitted
by Rev. Japhet Ndhlovu
PRAYER
Lord God, Prepare us
for the coming of your Son in glory, so that the people of
Africa will be ready partakers of his fullness; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRAY FOR :
Differently
abled persons in our communities (World Disability day,
December 3rd)
People ineffected and affected by HIV (World
AIDS day, December 1st - WHO)
READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Isaiah 52: 1 – 10; 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 – 11; Isaiah 62: 6
– 12; Luke 21: 25 – 33; Romans 13: 8 – 14; 1 Thessalonians 1:
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