Arotahi has created a prayer guide with daily readings for the season of Advent (1 December to 6 January) – download the PDF here. Each week of daily readings will arrive on Baptist NZ on Fridays. In this article, Sunday 22 December – Saturday 28 December. View other weeks here:
Sunday 1 December – Saturday 7 December
Sunday 8 December – Saturday 14 December
Sunday 15 December – Saturday 21 December
Below are a mixture of stories and reflections from Arotahi people and partners from around the world. As we read these, may we become more aware of the glimpses of hope, peace, joy and love that are springing up through people, places and land. As well, we anticipate the fullness of God’s promises for our world.
Join us in prayer this season of Advent.
From the Arotahi Team.
Sunday 22 December
Love
For God so loves the world God comes to us –
indwelling our humanity, challenging our self protection, speaking to
our frailty.
And just as breathing through the chaos God made life out of the
dark,
God’s energy of recreation
births in us a vital spark.
And we – encouraged into being –
find God’s image in ourselves and so renewed
bring life to others...
God with us, is love for all.
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
Light the candle of hope, peace, joy, and love to proclaim that God’s light is coming into our darkness.
Christmas is the miracle of God’s love made flesh among us. The story of Jesus is a message of God’s great love for the world. This Advent, let us make room for God’s love, in our hearts, in our homes, in our relationships together.
Immanuel shall come and dwell with us. We look for you. We wait for you. We receive your love.
Brenda Stone
Worship Curator | markpierson.org.nz
Monday 23 December
You stepped down from heaven, humbly you came
God of all creation here with us
In a starlit manger, Emmanuel
Light of the world here to save
Adore, come let us adore
O come let us adore him
The Lord, worship Christ the Lord
Let all that is within us adore
Wise men bring their treasure
Shepherds bow low
Angel voices sing of peace on earth
What have I to offer
To heavens king
I'll bring my love, my life, my all
Angels sing, praises ring to the new born king
Peace on earth, here with us, joy awakening
At his feet we fall
Common Hymnal – Adore
Fourth-century church father Gregory of Nazianzus wrote, "God became human and poor for our sake, to raise up our flesh, to recover our divine image, to recreate humanity. We no longer observe distinctions arriving from the flesh, but we are to bear within ourselves only the seal of God, by whom and for whom we were created. We are to be so formed and moulded by Jesus that we are recognised as belonging to his one family. If only we could be what we hope to be, by the great kindness of our generous God!"
Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Enuma Okoro
Lord, your coming is still miraculous.
Your coming here on earth still baffles and convicts us.
Keep us by your manger until we learn the way of love.
Amen
Tuesday 24 December
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55
Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes Mary’s sung response to the Angel’s news as “the most passionate, the wildest… most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung!”.
Stepping into pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood was no smalladventure. To add to the messiness, not long before she is due to give birth, Mary and Joseph take a long journey back to Bethlehem. There she gives birth in the same room as the animals!
Around the world there are many mothers who have had to endure tough pregnancies, childbirth and motherhood. There are those who live in places of conflict, who cannot reach medical care, and those who are prevented from accessing the care they need. Data from 2023 states that every two minutes a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. This is a setback for maternal health from previous years. Maternal deaths continue to be concentrated in countries impacted by poverty. In countries facing severe humanitarian crises, maternal mortality rates were more than double the global average (UN).
God,
As we reflect upon Mary’s words, we lift up the mothers and mothers-to-be of our world.
Hear the cries of those who suffer.
May your mercy, provision and justice be with them.
May our world respond with love.
Amen
Grace Le Heux
Arotahi Liturgy & Event Support
Wednesday 25 December
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:4-7
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
Son of God, Child of Mary,
born in the stable at Bethlehem,
be born again in us this day
that through us the world may know
the wonder of Your love.
Amen
Thursday 26 December
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6-7
Christmas has come. The baby has arrived. He is named:
And he was called Jesus, meaning He saves
And he was called Son of the most High
And he was called Son of God
And he was called Son of David
And he was called Son of Abraham
And he was called King of the Jews
And he was called the Word
And he was called Christ, meaning the King, the promised Messiah
And he was called Emmanuel, meaning God with us.
Strictly speaking most of these are titles. But there are also two personal names in that list. It is wonderful to ponder these. Firstly, “His name is Jesus, meaning He saves” and “Emmanuel, God is with us!” These are the personal names of our God. He was and is the one whom saves, and the one who is with us!”
Cindy & Ross
Friday 27 December
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15
Jesus was a refugee. The Great Commission calls us to go and make disciples of all nations. The nations, people from the ends of the earth, are also coming to our shores, as refugees.
1 out of every 69 people on Earth is now displaced. That is about 120 million people, of which 40% are children (UNHCR, 2024). 68 million of these are internally displaced within their own countries. If forcibly
displaced people formed a country, it would be the 13th most populated in the world, just behind Japan (Al Jazeera). Some of the situations and areas contributing to this mass displacement are:
- The war in Ukraine continues to be the most significant contributor to displacement of people
- In African countries including South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Eritrea the food crisis has caused almost 4 million refugees
- Environmental disasters like drought & flooding are causing climate refugees to be a growing demographic
- Around 1.9 million people are displaced from the Gaza Strip
- Recently, over 113,000 Lebanese people have been displaced
What can we do?
- Welcome the stranger in our neighbourhoods
- Extend our table and extend hospitality
- Raise awareness
- Support organisations that are supporting the displaced
- Advocate for increased refugee quotas and fairer migration policies
Let’s join with Pope Francis’ prayer from the 2024 World Day of Migrants and Refugees. He highlighted the parallels between the biblical Exodus and the modern shared experiences of suffering, hope and divine accompaniment, with the words, “God walks with His people”.
God of Love,
You walk with all your people.
You welcome the neighbour and the stranger.
May we do likewise, acting for justice so that all people know peace and freedom,
at home and far away.
God of Care,
you feed the hungry and make room for all who are displaced.
May we do likewise, acting with compassion so that all people fleeing
poverty and fear find what they need to live well.
God of Freedom,
you meet us where we are and make the way for life.
May we do likewise,
acting in solidarity
with all people, especially migrants and refugees, to realise hope
together.
Amen.
Michelle Ritchie
Arotahi NZ Operations Manager
Saturday 28 December
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
Isaiah 58:6-9
As we enter into a new year, pray for the leaders and decision makers around our world. They hold so much power to do good, but also for destruction.
There are many people around our world who bear the brunt of injustice. Their voices can be silenced, ignored or trampled upon.
God of all people,
Come and stir a revolution amongst us
So that those who are hungry for justice may be fed.
For those who are greedy for power and pay no heed to the plight of their neighbours – may they encounter your transformation.
Together may we share and give generously.
So that together, we may see your light and justice break forth like the dawn.
Amen
Image: From the cover of Arotahi Daily Advent Readings 2024 PDF
