Ecclesiastes 11:1-10  Send out your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will get it back.  ² Divide your means seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth.  ³ When clouds are full, they empty rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.  ⁴ Whoever observes the wind will not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.  ⁵ Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.  ⁶ In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.  ⁷ Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.  ⁸ Even those who live many years should rejoice in them all; yet let them remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.  ⁹ Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.  ¹⁰ Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Yesterday our Gospel lesson was a message about preparing for the coming of the Lord.  As tough as that often is, it is indeed something we must do.  However, we do not know how long we have to prepare, or if our preparation will be enough when the Messiah comes.  So for our devotion today, let me turn to the text above.  This text is a cry for diligence.  As you read through it, you will see that diligence has its own value.  This is because even in preparation, even in waiting, and even in diligence, God is at work. 

As we progress through this Advent season, we remain diligent that Christ will come.  But we also value the things that we can do with God’s help until that appointed time.  Many of you know that this coming March Springs of Grace will celebrate 10 years.  We have a lot of work to do.  This congregation has remained fixated on God’s work and the diligence has paid off.  So how long do we keep going?  Until the day of Christ.  What we so now are the beginning fruits of many more years to come. 

So as you prepare for Christmas this year, I hope that you also use these four weeks of Advent to prepare for the rest of your time on this earth.  Your diligence of doing God’s work will bear much fruit, and you will indeed see the value in your preparation.

In our prayers this week:  Norm (now in a regular room on the 4^th floor of the heart center) and Jane, Jane’s parents, Ann, Charles, and Scott.

God’s Peace,