Day 12 - Jacob Turner

Growing up in the South, I distinctly remember spending time at my grandmother's house during the holiday season. Besides a kitchen full of warm food and a tree packed to the walls with presents, my main memory is a stack of Southern Living magazines that sat by the kitchen table. Inside these magazines were glistening pictures of gifts, decorations, cookies, and other treats. These things looked good at face value but led me to formulate my own meaning of the holidays centered on tradition and not on truth. 

Our passage today was a reply to the officers sent to arrest Jesus. Jesus proclaims in verse 38, on the final day of the festival of booths, "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" The Pharisees studied and believed their laws for years instead of leaning on the Word and wisdom of God. This caused a selfish heart posture and a lack of humility approaching God's throne. Instead of relying on our expectations, we should believe in the transformative gift of Jesus and allow His Word to renew us in all ways.

While our culturally comfortable family traditions may not be inherently evil, the pursuit of Advent is our greatest prize: Jesus. Instead of being defined by a pursuit of the images in holiday magazines, we should be marked by a humble pursuit of God Himself through time with Him in prayer and His Word. 

Where do you lean? Comfort or Christ? How is your status/culture keeping you blind? What's an intentional step toward Christ you can make this advent season?