A Recipe for a Savior, Day # 1 Trust in the Lord

Over the next 25 days, I will be posting the daily devotions from the Advent devotion book "A Recipe for a Savior." This devotion book was prepared in conjunction with the theme for the Wednesday evening Advent services. Each devotion begins with a Scripture passage, thoughts for the day, a prayer and then a "deeper thought" section. This last section is meant to help you begin to reflect on the meaning of the devotion for your daily life. I invite you to post any comments that you have that go along with this theme. Your comments and feedback will help me as I continue to put together "A Recipe for a Savior."

TRUST IN THE LORD

Day #1

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.[1]

            This may seem like an unlikely place to begin an Advent devotion. One might expect the visit of the angel Gabriel to Zechariah in the temple or to Mary in her chamber. Why a verse from Proverbs of all places? Proverbs is not a place that we often dwell in our devotional life. Nor is it a place that we go when we think of Jesus’ birth.

            In most recipes, there are the regular ingredients that are expected, i.e. flour, sugar, nuts of some sort and a flavoring. Then there is the special ingredient. KFC calls the “secret ingredient.” That special ingredient is one that “kicks up” the recipe, taking it from normal to “WOW.” When we look at adding such an ingredient to the recipe it calls for us to trust the one who made the recipe. Will that really work with the other ingredients? Doubt begins to creep in.

            So it is with A Recipe for a Savior. There are times it calls for us to trust the One who made the recipe because it seems quite impossible for all the ingredients to come together in the right way. That is why we begin with this verse from Proverbs. Throughout the years, the faithful were challenged to not trust in their own understanding or their own recipe for a Savior. They were faced with the dilemma of faith – trust in the Word and the Promise of God, even when it made no sense or trust in their own ways and thoughts.

            As we follow this Recipe for a Savior, we, too, will be challenged to trust in the Lord in order to see all the ingredients come together. During this Advent season, we pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us as the ingredients are brought together, mixed and then brought to fruition. We begin to gather the ingredients for A Recipe for a Savior.

Prayer: Lord God, Your recipe for a Savior did not follow the way or the thoughts of man nor did it always fit his understanding. As I begin this Advent season, help me to keep Your way at the center of my life. In Jesus I pray. Amen.

Deeper Thought: If you were a part of the Christmas story, what would have been the most difficult aspect for you to accept? What challenges would you have faced in waiting for the Savior? What challenges you today as you await the Lord’s Advent?

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[1] All the Scripture used in this devotion is English Standard Version.