“Even If…Life Distracts" Readings Isaiah 7:10-17; Romans 1:1-7; Luke 2:1-14 You know how this works. Someone asks, “can you do this for me” or “can you take the kids here” or “we should start doing this activity” or something seemingly innocent, and soon you find yourself with a schedule so full you feel like life is just passing you by. There is always someone else to talk to, some other task to complete, some other problem to address, some other relationship struggling. When you do have a minute, you turn on the TV to zone out, just to let your brain rest a bit. And it can feel either like you will never get a break or never have time to actually live life the way you want to live it. Satan uses distraction as a powerful tool to erode your trust in the Lord. Like a couple that stops talking to each other simply because there are more things to take care of, the first thing to go in the distracted and overscheduled life is prayer and time in the Word. Pretty soon, we find that our faith is ankle deep, filled with platitudes but not substance. And often there seems to be no end in sight. This Advent, we prepare our hearts by acknowledging the distractions that pull us from him, that separate us from others and threaten our souls. The Gospel promise of Jesus is that he cares about your distracted heart, and he offers you the gift of a simple focus. Jesus says, “even if this life is distracting you…I am coming to this world for you. To remind you of what is real, true, lovely, and good, and to bring you peace. You can trust in me.” Bulletin 12-21-2025