Advent Devotion December 2

When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

While we are saved by grace, we are still called to repentance for our sins and things that we have done and have left undone. This first week of Advent encourages us to repentance for all of our sins.

The sign of Jonah could be referring to Christ’s death on the cross and being dead for three days as it reflects the amount of time that Jonah was within the belly of the big fish. Also, in the story of Jonah we witness the entire repentance of the people of Nineveh. It is in this that I believe we are called to today. As we read through the paper, watch the news on television, or possibly even scroll through the newsfeed on our favorite social media account we are bombarded with what appears to be bad news. The good news far outweighs the bad, unfortunately it is the bad that is always making the headlines.

These are the sins of the world and a sign of the brokenness that we live amongst. May we repent of all of these and have a active voice in the areas that drive our passions. It can also be in our inactions that we promote the very thing that we are against.

Forgiving God, we pray for peace in the world so that generations to come will not experience bloodshed and war. We pray that in this time of Advent we may be a voice for those that cannot be heard. AMEN