It is advent season and I love the idea of advent calendars- everyday for 24 days until Christmas you can reward yourself with something from an advent calendar! And while I am yet to get a calendar, I thought I would end the year with 24 days of reflections on my year from my bible readings over the next 2-3 weeks. I have themed this exercise “advent devotions” and my commitment to you is to meditate on the scriptures I read, reflect on it and share with you. So without further ado, lets begin with Day 1.

Last week I was listening to the radio and I heard something that deeply moved me in a way nothing has for a long time. The radio host said- God is not against us- and that spoke so many volumes to my heart. You see, this year there have been times when even though cerebrally I know God is not against me, everything else felt like the opposite, leaving me feeling all alone. Many times, I took on a me-versus-the-world persona in the face of adversity; forgetting this fundamental truth- God is not against me. Even better is that not only is God not against me, He is for me and if God is for me, nothing can be against me. He is fighting for me and will never stop. He is my sufficiency.

Today’s readings from the book of Psalms 145 only adds to this encouragement:

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Psalm 145: 18- 20 NIV

So dear friend, let this wash over you: Even when circumstances are dire and it feels like the whole world is against you, God is for you! He surrounds you like the mountains surround Jerusalem and he stands beside you as the Man of War and Jehovah Sabaoth- The Lord of Hosts- you are never alone!

Yours Truly.