Wednesday after Rorate coeli, The Fourth Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 22, 2021 by under
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (NKJV)
2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Devotion
The contrast between God’s wisdom and the world’s wisdom couldn’t be more obvious than it is this week leading up to Christmas. The world, in its wisdom, is immersed in last minute shopping, decorating, planning, and partying. The world is desperately seeking merriment, fulfillment, and acceptance. If it finds those things at all, it is fleeting. Meanwhile, the world in its wisdom continues to fret over a virus, trusting in “science” and “experts” to extend their earthly lives just a little bit longer, with no hope at all beyond this world and no fear at all of this world’s Judge.
Then there is God’s wisdom, which is revealed in the Gospel. It was revealed in small, prophetic, even cryptic sayings in the Old Testament, so that the details of it remained a great mystery. But that mystery of God’s wisdom has now been revealed, centering in the incarnation, birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God, all of which was necessary if we poor sinners were to be saved.
Through the Gospel, Christians have come to know and to agree with God’s wisdom, that it is truly wise and awesome and surprising and good. And so this week, we who have been given the gift of knowing God’s wisdom are preparing with great joy to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, which is one of those great, mysterious things that God has “prepared for those who love Him.”
Prayer: Stir up, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy power, and come, and with great might, succor us, that by the help of Thy grace whatsoever is hindered by our sins may be speedily accomplished, through Thy mercy and satisfaction; Who livest and reignest with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Advent: Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
