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Daily Advent Meditation
By Lena Petty
Zechariah 8:9-17
"God who rules over all also says, 'Gather strength, you who are listening to these words today from the mouths of the prophets who were there at the founding of the house of God who rules over all, so that the temple might be built. Before that time there was no compensation for human or animal, nor was there any relief from adversity for those who came and went, because I had pitted everybody - each one - against everyone else. But I will be different now to this remnant of my people from the way I was in those days,' says God who rules over all, 'for there will be a peaceful time of sowing, the vine will produce its fruit and the ground its yield, and the skies will rain down dew. Then I will allow the remnant of my people to possess all these things. And it will come about that just as you (both Judah and Israel) were a curse to the nations, so I will save you and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid! Instead, be strong!' "
"For God who rules over all says, 'As I had planned to hurt you when your fathers made me angry,' says God who rules over all, 'and I was not sorry, so, to the contrary, I have planned in these days to do good to Jerusalem and Judah - do not fear! These are the things you must do: Speak the truth, each of you, to one another. Practice true and righteous judgment in your courts. Do not plan evil in your hearts against one another. Do not favor a false oath - these are all things that I hate,' says God.' " New Revised Standard Version
We have all been apprehensive when entering into a relationship with someone who has a past that is not the most pleasant. Sometimes our prejudgment of someone can hinder us from "hearing" important messages that they may have for us. While we may always remember the past, we can try to not allow fear to determine our future. People can change. Just as God gave the Israelites another chance in today's story, we can give those we care about another chance and have a new attitude not controlled by the past.
My grandmother has a beautiful cherry bedroom that she's had for as long as I can remember. When I was young, I would play with the woodworking on the headboard, acting like I was changing the channel on the television. My grandmother would make me dust it for leaving my fingerprints all over her headboard. Twenty plus years later, my children put garbage pail kids stickers all over the chest of drawers. I was very upset with them for ruining Grandmother's chest of drawers and tried to get them off. I couldn't believe it when Grandmother's response was "Oh leave them on there. That just means they love me. You don't chance ruining the child who has a heart and feelings for a piece of furniture that cannot love you back."
Grandmother knew that she could change her mind and try something different. She knew what really mattered was doing what you know is right, even if it was different than what you had been doing all of your life.
Advent allows those of us who are skeptical about the future, because of the past, to hope. We can face today with anticipation instead of dread, because we know that it doesn't need to be like yesterday. God gives us a fresh start every day to get it right: to speak the truth, to live in peace, to love one another. What's from the heart reaches the heart..
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