Purpose: The purpose, first and foremost, is to read God’s Word in an unhurried manner and to allow its transforming power to do its work in us. Because this is a challenge that happens during Advent and Christmas, passages have been selected that in some way help us to reflect on themes related to the season. To accept this challenge, you are asked to commit at least 30 minutes each day for reading, reflecting upon and responding to a passage of scripture. For some, the response may be as simple as “pondering the message and the meaning in your heart.” For others, you may want to engage in a more elaborate response. It is up to you to decide how to best respond to allow the word to penetrate your hearts and minds and get into your being. The main thing is that you read and spend time in the Word. You are challenged to give it a try for 30 days and see what happens.
How It Works
1. Read the suggested passage or a passage of your own choice.
2. Reflect on It
3. Respond (write your thoughts in your journal, post to St. James Facebook page, or email it if you wanna share and don’t use Facebook. See other suggestions below.)
Guides for Reading if you wanna go deeper…or Not
1. Read what comes before.
2. Read what comes later.
3. Read any other scripture references or commentary your Bible may give.
4. Look for repeated words. What do they tell you?
5. Look up unfamiliar words.
Possible Reflection Questions
1. What meaning do you think it had for the people of that day and time when they heard the story?
2. What meaning does it have for you/us in this day and time?
3. Where is God in the story?
4. How can this affect what you do or believe?
Possible Ways You Can Respond
1. Ponder it.
2. Post it. Post a response to the St. James Facebook page.
3. Journal it. Keep a journal and write your daily reflections.
4. Tweet it. We’ll give you a daily hashtag that can be accessed through the Facebook page.
5. Draw it. Express your response through a drawing for your own consumption or to share.
6. Write a letter to yourself or someone else.
7. Write a poem.
8. Express it in your own creative way.
How It Works
1. Read the suggested passage or a passage of your own choice.
2. Reflect on It
3. Respond (write your thoughts in your journal, post to St. James Facebook page, or email it if you wanna share and don’t use Facebook. See other suggestions below.)
Guides for Reading if you wanna go deeper…or Not
1. Read what comes before.
2. Read what comes later.
3. Read any other scripture references or commentary your Bible may give.
4. Look for repeated words. What do they tell you?
5. Look up unfamiliar words.
Possible Reflection Questions
1. What meaning do you think it had for the people of that day and time when they heard the story?
2. What meaning does it have for you/us in this day and time?
3. Where is God in the story?
4. How can this affect what you do or believe?
Possible Ways You Can Respond
1. Ponder it.
2. Post it. Post a response to the St. James Facebook page.
3. Journal it. Keep a journal and write your daily reflections.
4. Tweet it. We’ll give you a daily hashtag that can be accessed through the Facebook page.
5. Draw it. Express your response through a drawing for your own consumption or to share.
6. Write a letter to yourself or someone else.
7. Write a poem.
8. Express it in your own creative way.
30 Readings for Advent
Begin each day by reading the suggested passage. Use each day’s reading as a starting point, then see where God takes you. May it be a joyful journey into deeper knowing and growing in relationship with the One who is the “Reason for the Season.”
1. In the beginning God created (Gen. 1&2)
2. The Word Made Flesh (John 1)
3. The Fall (Gen. 3)
4. Luke 4:1-13
5. Am I My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper? (Gen. 4:9) Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
6. Luke 1
7. Prepare the way of the Lord…Mk. 1
8. Reconciliation of Jacob & Esau (Genesis 33) and The Prodigal Son (Luke 15)
9. Hagar named God. You are El-Roi, the God who sees. (Gen. 16)
10. Emmaus Road (Luke 24)
11. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139)
12. Here I am, send me. (Isaiah 6:1-8)
13. The Birth of Moses (Exodus 1 & 2)
14. I am who I am (Exodus 3)
15. Who do you say that I am? (Mark 8)
16. “How can I…unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:26-40)
17. What does the Lord require of you? (Micah 6:1-8)
18. Exploring the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14)
19. Your God will be my God, your people my people. (Ruth 1)
20. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…Isaiah 11 and Matthew 1
21. “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” (1Kings 17)
22. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” (Jonah 3&4)
23. “She did what she could.” (Mark 14:1-10)
24. “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law…” (Galatians 3)
25. “There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…” Isaiah 9:1-7
26. Cornelius and Peter (Acts 10)
27. “I am going away and I am coming back to you.” (John 14)
28. “Arise, shine, for your light has come…(Isaiah 60)
29. “…what we will be has not yet been made known. ” (1 John 3)
30. “I am… who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1)
Begin each day by reading the suggested passage. Use each day’s reading as a starting point, then see where God takes you. May it be a joyful journey into deeper knowing and growing in relationship with the One who is the “Reason for the Season.”
1. In the beginning God created (Gen. 1&2)
2. The Word Made Flesh (John 1)
3. The Fall (Gen. 3)
4. Luke 4:1-13
5. Am I My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper? (Gen. 4:9) Jesus Heals a Paralytic (Mark 2:1-12)
6. Luke 1
7. Prepare the way of the Lord…Mk. 1
8. Reconciliation of Jacob & Esau (Genesis 33) and The Prodigal Son (Luke 15)
9. Hagar named God. You are El-Roi, the God who sees. (Gen. 16)
10. Emmaus Road (Luke 24)
11. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139)
12. Here I am, send me. (Isaiah 6:1-8)
13. The Birth of Moses (Exodus 1 & 2)
14. I am who I am (Exodus 3)
15. Who do you say that I am? (Mark 8)
16. “How can I…unless someone explains it to me?” (Acts 8:26-40)
17. What does the Lord require of you? (Micah 6:1-8)
18. Exploring the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14)
19. Your God will be my God, your people my people. (Ruth 1)
20. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…Isaiah 11 and Matthew 1
21. “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” (1Kings 17)
22. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” (Jonah 3&4)
23. “She did what she could.” (Mark 14:1-10)
24. “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law…” (Galatians 3)
25. “There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…” Isaiah 9:1-7
26. Cornelius and Peter (Acts 10)
27. “I am going away and I am coming back to you.” (John 14)
28. “Arise, shine, for your light has come…(Isaiah 60)
29. “…what we will be has not yet been made known. ” (1 John 3)
30. “I am… who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1)
