Advent Devotional, Dec. 3: “The Loneliness of the King” by Molly Baskette

December 3rd,2016 Categories: Advent, Latest News

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As I write these words, it is high summer. My Facebook feed is filled nonstop with speculation, intrigue, lament and diatribe, as my friends implore each other to vote the right way in November.

By the time you will read these words, America will have a new king, but the “he” of the psalm may in fact be a “she.” You may be disappointed in the choice. You may be fearful of the future. Whoever is king, may they remember the highest calling of their office: to protect and defend the “lowest” people in their care, championing the cause of the broke and vulnerable. In case we’d forgotten that care for them is God’s highest earthly priority, we await in Advent a God who came naked, poor and powerless into the world to remind us of the core values of kingship.

Whoever is president, one thing is for certain: they need your prayer. Not once, but continually. As Obama’s weeks wane, as they ready themselves for perhaps the loneliest job on the planet, as they move into a position without human peers, they need to know Who they can trust. And they need to be able to hear God’s voice speaking directly to their heart.

God, You can change any heart. Even our new president’s. Give our new ruler Your justice, O Lord, that all your people might live and thrive.

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United Church of Christ Stillspeaking Devotional Published by Pilgrim Press. Shared with permission of the publisher.