Micah 5:2-5A, Psalm 80:1-7, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-45,(46-55)

Our collect for today asks for God's "daily visitation" to purify our conscience. The phrase "daily visitation" gets my attention. Have you ever thought about God coming to visit you every day? I know God is here, always present, Emmanuel-God with us, but this visitation seems specific, purposeful in some way. I suspect this daily visitation will come when we least expect it, in the midst of whatever we are doing as we go about our day. I imagine, in some way, it will seem that our eyes are opened to see the Reality of what is all around us, the ears of our hearts opened to understand what Love is about in the present moment.

How can we be ready for this daily visitation? What welcome mat can we put out at our door? Surely prayer is a good place to start, as it indicates our desire to communicate with the Holy One. Any style of prayer with which we are comfortable, will do to show we are open to this daily visitation: adoration, contemplation, thanksgiving, supplication, whatever. Taking time to read Scripture, reflect on it, and respond in some way to the message we receive might serve as our welcome mat for God's intimate presence.

This Advent season of waiting with expectation for what God has in store for the world is a good time to establish a spiritual practice of preparing for God's daily visitation in our lives. Take some time to allow the Holy One to work deep within, to transform, deify, sanctify you through God's daily visitation. Notice if your Advent season is deepened, strengthened by your intention to welcome the daily visitation.