Devotion for the Thursday of the Third Week in Advent

Theme for the week: Joy

Devotion for the thursday of the third Week in Advent (Day 19)

Reading: John 15:7–11 (NRSV)

⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

REFLECTION:

“Your joy may be complete.” Jesus is speaking these words to the disciples in the context of his last supper with them. He has already washed their feet, served them a meal and now is beginning to prepare them for life without him. Jesus is giving to the disciples his own joy so that their joy may be whole and complete. Jesus is giving them the inner peace, serenity, fear of the Lord and focus that leads to complete joy. Jesus wants them to be able to accomplish their work joyfully, without fear, worry or concern. Jesus is giving them this joy as a kind of inoculation against what he knows they are going to face. In a very short while, they are going to be leaderless and in mourning. Jesus wants the disciples’ inner joy to protect them against the inevitable mourning and possible despair they will face.

Is your own joy complete? Is it whole and holy? If not, in what part of your life is your joy incomplete? What is stopping your joy from being complete? Jesus promises that we will abide in his love. Abiding in his love is like setting up a home with Jesus’ love spread over us like a tent.

What does knowing and feeling surrounded by Jesus’ complete love do for your sense of joy? What incompleteness do you want to share with Jesus? In describing this incompleteness to Jesus in prayer, try to visualize what it would look like if your joy were completed. Visualize Jesus love coming to you and filling out this incomplete place in your life. As Jesus’ has commanded, ask him for what it is that you need to feel complete joy.

PRAYER: Pray that you and those you love may always abide in Jesus’ love, feeling Jesus’ love spread over your entire life. Pray that Jesus’ love may heal and fill those incomplete spots where joy is blocked. Pray for all those who are lonely, in despair, unable to pray, or have no one to pray for them. Pray that Jesus may bring joy into their lives. Amen