An Advent Devotional

The season of Advent began yesterday with the First Sunday of Advent. Advent is a time of repentance and preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ at the end of days.

I have had a few people ask for a Advent devotional practice that can be applied to deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ. This year, I’d like to commend to you an ancient practice of the church: the service of Compline. The ancient church traditionally practiced seven “prayer offices” daily. Bishop Hippolytus of Rome recommended these particular times when writing his Apostolic Tradition in the second and third centuries: "on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight" and "the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day, being hours associated with Christ's Passion."

Bedtime prayer, which has become known to us as “Compline,” is a brief prayer service that can be done individually or with others and only generally takes about 10 minutes.

If you would like to try on this prayer discipline, I have provided brief readings and prayers to make up a complete Compline prayer office you can use each night.

If you’re feeling bold, you can also try reading the entire Gospel of Luke, one chapter per night, throughout the rest of Advent. The brief lessons I have excerpted run one passage from each chapter of Luke’s Gospel, in order, per night.

The lessons provided continue through to the Christmas season and lead all the way through to Epiphany on January 6.

If you have questions about how to do this prayer discipline, I’d love to hear from you. Text me at 507-832-0099 or email ted@oursaviorsjackson.com.