Today is Sunday the 15th of December, the 3rd Sunday of Advent. Good Shepherd Collective sings 'O Come O Come Emmanuel'. O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. O come, O Key of David, come and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death's abode. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. O come, O King of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. Bid all our sad divisions cease and be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel. Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ‘Rejoice in the Lord always;’ St Paul writes to the Church of the Philippians. How do you feel about this exhortation today? Is it easy or difficult to rejoice in the Lord? If it’s difficult, try for a moment to identify the reasons or feelings which hold you back. On the other hand, if you can rejoice today, take a moment or two to simply do this, delighting in God. Paul also reminds the church that, ‘The Lord is near.’ Stay with these words for a while, perhaps repeating them a few times, and let them minister to you. The Lord is near. As you listen to the reading again, notice which phrase most moves you. Knowing that the Lord is near, you might like to ask God for his peace to guard your heart and mind. Try to imagine this ‘guarding’ presence surrounding you and those you love and pray for, perhaps letting this image shape your prayer for the rest of the day. O Wisdom Lord and Ruler Root of Jesse Key of David Rising Sun King of the Nations Emmanuel Come, Lord Jesus.
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