Friday Book Club: December Books

This December I read two Advent books, and I would highly recommend both for anyone next year.  I thought they were both really great!  Both books had daily scripture verses and writings by various people--saints, ministers, regular folks.  They really made me think and were easy reads.

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

"She might have doubted, but she shut her eyes and trusted God who could bring all things to pass, even though common sense were against it; and because she believed, God did to her as he had said."

"Do you know what a stable smells like?  You know what that family would have smelled like after the birth when they went out into the city?  And if they were standing next to you, how would you have felt about them and regarded them?  I want you to see Christ in the neighbor you tend to despise--in the political party you despise--in the race you despise--in the class of people you despise."

"If though hast but room for Christ he will come and be thy guest."

"Why is the world in such a mess?  You and I are the problem.  Our good intentions are not strong enough to control our evil impulses.  We need a Savior to rescue us from ourselves."

"There may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them."

"These wise men believed in Christ when they had never seen him; but that was not all.  They believed in him when the scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving; but that again was not all.  They believed in him when they saw him as a little infant on Mary's knees, and worshiped him as King.  This was the crowning point of their faith.  They saw no miracles to convince them.  They heard not teaching to persuade them.  They saw nothing but a newborn infant, helpless and weak, needing amother's care like any of us.  And yet when they saw that infant, they beleived that they saw the divine Savior of the world!  We read of no greater faith than this in the world.  It is a faith that deserves to be placed side by side with that of the penitent thief.  The thief saw someone dying the death of a criminal, and yet prayed to him and called him Lord.  The wise men saw a newborn baby on the lap of a poor woman and yet worshipped him, and confessed that he was Christ.  Blessed indeed are those who can believe in this way!"

Advent and Christmas with the Saints

"Dear God, if you were with me in any infinitesimal moments of sheer silence, then I'm sorry I missed you, because I was not silent myself."

"Keep this light burning brightly within me, I pray, that I might never lose my way, and so that everyone I encounter todaymight recognize your Spirit in my soul."

"Oh Child of Divinity, why do I seek God in the spectacular--in a glorious sunrise, a sweet melody, a sacred ceremony, an inspired prayer?  Teach me, rather, to seek the Divine in the ordinary--in my grandmother's hands or my brother's face, in my child's laughter or my own baby's wail--so that I might, finally, come to perceive God in all things and to be with God as God is always with me."