Advent 2023: A Love Letter to Myself by Carlos Botts
- Evan Taylor
- Jan 1, 2024
- 2 min read
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
1 Corinthians 6:19
Seventh Day After Christmas
Confession: I have a longstanding, love/hate relationship with my body--- too tall, too skinny, too fat, feet too big, nose too broad, too…. And all the challenges of the aging body! Why are we so critical of our bodies?
Author and Lutheran minister, Nadia Bolz-Weber, spoke on the sacred nature of the human body, “We might experience the awesomeness of God in the mountains… but we see the image of God in the human body in all its perfectly glorious diversity.” She continued, “God saves you in your body, not from your body.”
Singer, songwriter, Mary J. Blige, sings, “I wake up every morning and tell myself, ‘Good morning, Gorgeous.’” I'm pretty sure that I do not fit the profile for this Queen of Hip-Hop’s targeted audience, but she is singing to me.
So, this old, beautiful black male, will continue to affirm himself each morning by addressing that Imago Dei (image of God) with, “Good Morning, Gorgeous” until he believes every word.
Brother James F. Robinson
Mighty Men of Metropolitan
Metropolitan Cultural Arts Ministry
Prayer: Loving God, help us to see ourselves through your eyes, worthy to be temples of your Holy Spirit. The human body was good enough for Jesus. We accept these bodies as precious gifts from you. Help us to treat each other as precious and worthy in all our perfect imperfections. Amen.
Advent Guide 2023
As we stand in expectation of peace on Earth and reflect on the events of our times and the lives of our brothers, sisters and siblings in Christ, we await change and new birth.
We seek, listen and perceive the presence of God in words of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.
We invite you to join us in meditation, reflection, prayer and spiritual disciplines throughout the season of Advent and beyond.
Read along with us each day or download the book to read and reflect along with us offline.
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