Advent Devotional 2016
Introduction Who are we, Lord God, that You should come to us? Yet You have visited Your people and redeemed us in Your Son.
We also prepare for something that has yet to happen—the promised return of our crucified and risen Savior.
The Christmas season can elicit a range of emotions. We feel pressure to host the perfect family gatherings, purchase the ideal gifts and decorate our houses so our neighbors will be impressed. Emotions are intensified as we enjoy those we love, mourn those we have lost and feel anxiety about how we choose to spend our time.
Advent, which means “coming” or “arrival,” is the four-week period leading up to Christmas Day. The four sections of this devotional correspond to the four themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy and love. Inside, you will find touching anecdotes and deeper explanations of these themes in scripture. We encourage you to use this devotional to think about your own life and reflect upon how you are preparing for Christ’s arrival, and use the extra space at the end of the devotions to record your feelings. Look, listen, rejoice and be alert for the presence of Jesus among us.
Come, Lord Jesus. During this season of Advent, we prepare for something that has already happened—the birth of our Savior.
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Prayer Holy God, as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, make our hearts leap for joy at the sound of Your word, and move us by Your Spirit to bless the world You love. Amen.
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27
The Hope in Waiting Matthew 24:36-44 by whitney bell
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t’s the first day of Advent and we are so excited to read about the coming King and the shepherds and the wise men. Instead, we read about Jesus’ triumphant return and are told that we actually have no idea when that will happen. Like literally, no one knows. Only the Father. So we’re told to sit and wait. That’s not a super Christmas-y idea. In fact, it kind of bums me out. Here’s why. I am in a season of waiting on God. I have asked Him for something and have been waiting. I have no idea how long I’ll wait. Six months? A year? Forever? Waiting is neither easy nor fun. But looking at this scripture, I am reminded of something that is true of all kinds of folks who were waiting and looking for
the coming the King. God often shows up in ways we would never expect. Jesus is telling His disciples here that they can’t even anticipate His return because it will be when it is least expected and in a way they could never imagine. I think about Elijah looking and waiting for God—he looked in the fire, the rain, the earthquake. But God came to him in the still, small voice. And the people of Israel were waiting for their conquering King. Yet God sent a babe to a teenage, unwed mother. Talk about unexpected. For those of us in a season of waiting on the Lord, perhaps we can find hope in the surprising and unexpected ways He often shows up. This season reminds us of this: He always shows up. Just sometimes, it’s in a way we never expected.
• Prayer Father, as we enter this season of Advent, remind us to wait on You. To remember that You are a promise keeper. That You always show up. But when You do, it’s often in wild and unexpected ways. The Christ child is an excellent reminder of Your extraordinary ways. Fill us with hope as we wait on You. Amen.
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28
Looking Back to Look Forward Psalm 124 by james marroquin
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hen I was child, I had a recurring nightmare that I’d made a grave mistake I could never make right. There are times in the Bible when people express this kind of hopelessness. In Psalm 22, the author writes, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?”—words later spoken by Jesus on the cross. But this is not the position of the writer of Psalm 124. He is looking back to a time when God rescued him. He recognizes “if the Lord had not been on our side. . . the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.” So he proclaims “praise be to the Lord…Maker of Heaven and Earth.” When God answers your prayers, do you, like the Psalmist, take time to be grateful? When a problem that had caused anxiety and despair is finally resolved, do you stop
to savor God’s faithfulness? When Jesus was traveling between Samaria and Galilee, He encountered ten men with leprosy who asked Him, “have pity on us.” After Jesus healed them, only one, a Samaritan, came back to Jesus to express thanks. When God blesses you, are you more like the grateful Samaritan or the other nine men who never thanked their Healer? The Jesuits have a spiritual practice called the Examen they do every night. The first step in the Examen is thanking God for how He has blessed you that day. Growing gratitude in this way creates hope. When you are regularly reminded of how God cares for you, it instills confidence He will continue to do so, even when the stresses and strains of life come.
• Prayer Help us to see and savor Your many gifts. The smell of fresh bread and the comfort of friendship. The wonder of children and the beauty of oak trees. Thank You most of all for Your constant, loving presence. Grow our gratitude so we will trust and hope when suffering and trials come. Amen.
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29
Beyond “Rainbow Hope” Psalm 124, Genesis 9:1-17, Hebrews 11:32-40 by jen genovesi
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oday’s readings depict terrifying suffering, from bloody brutality to an epic flood—yet our assigned theme is hope. Hmm. In Genesis, God promises never to “destroy all life” in floodwaters. But what about the folks in Onion Creek, New Orleans, or anyplace devastated by tsunamis or cresting rivers? Is ours a “rainbow hope” that bad things won’t happen? “If the Lord had not been on our side,” Psalm 124 begins, a litany of terrible things would have destroyed them. But what if we didn’t escape something horrible? Is the Lord not on our side? Is our hope that God protects us with a magic wand? In Hebrews, written after we meet God in a new way through Jesus, we’re reminded of numerous people of faith who “escaped the edge of the sword,” but also of others tortured, stoned, sawed in two or killed by the sword. Is our hope a deferred prize, something better after we die? When in doubt, I take my cue
from Jesus. In times of crisis, what does He say? “Be not afraid.” Over and over. What does He do? He calms a stormy sea. He miraculously heals every sickness and disease. He willingly suffers torture, then conquers death. Through it all, He shows us how much He loves us, and how to love each other. When Jesus meets those with leprosy, blindness or deafness, He reached out his hand and touched them, right where it hurt. When Lazarus died, “Jesus wept.” The cumulative portrayal is a merciful God who hears our prayers, pulls us from danger, never abandons us—and who, when things are dire, reaches out and holds our hand, cries with us, embraces us. And that gives us hope.
• Prayer God of hope, help us to love as You love. May we protect the earth and all who dwell upon it, alleviating suffering with courage, a healing touch and hearts full of compassion, so that all may know You are on their side and pain is not the end of the story. Amen.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30
Having Hope Psalm 124, Isaiah 54:1-10, Matthew 24:23-25 by nathan ging
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s we think about Christmas and the birth of baby Jesus, we consider the hope for everyone that He would bring salvation to the rest of the world. God started fulfilling His promises when Jesus was conceived. Even though Jesus was the Savior, He wasn’t saving anybody as a baby. His birth was the hope of something good to come for the world. Isaiah 54:1-10 says “barren women should sing and not give up hope because they have not given birth.” Later in the verse it reads, “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.” The Lord has compassion for us just as He had compassion for my parents when they had trouble having children.
It took four years for my parents to eventually become pregnant with twins. Unfortunately, they lost the twins when my mother was four months into the pregnancy. Although this was devastating, my parents had hope they could become pregnant again. A year later they did and eventually gave birth to me. They said I was a gift from God. In addition, they were able to give birth to my twin brothers—more gifts from God. Even in times of trouble, we should remember the promise of God’s salvation and the birth of baby Jesus. God has compassion for us and is with us during difficult times. He is always present and willing to listen to our prayers.
• Prayer Dear Lord, thank You for the birth of baby Jesus and the hope of salvation. Please help us to remember that You are with us during difficult times and that You have compassion for us. Guide us through the ups and downs of daily life and to choose hope. Amen.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
Trust and Obey Acts 1:12-17; 22-26 by lorraine volk
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fter Christ’s ascension, His disciples waited for the promised Holy Spirit. So much had been revealed to them and yet there was so much they didn’t know or understand. They gathered in a familiar place to pray, turned to scripture, acknowledged God—that He knows everyone’s heart—and sought His guidance in the matters at hand. Their confidence was in God—that He is true to His Word and that His Word is true. As they waited and worshiped together, they were being prepared for the work ahead of them. They waited with hope and expectation of what God would do. During our sermon series on Acts last summer, the worst mass shooting in U.S. history occurred. I was thankful for the special prayer service at Covenant where we gathered together and prayed for direction
from the Holy Spirit to be healing agents in the world, instruments of reconciliation, to come alongside people who are hurting, to share Jesus. We remembered together that our hope is in Christ alone. Like the early disciples, there is much we don’t understand. Only God knows our hearts—hearts often filled with doubts, discouraged by our faults and failures, broken by shattered dreams. But God is great and knows everything. As we come together to worship Him, He encourages and strengthens us to be His witnesses in the world. He prepares us through His Word to do the good works He has planned in advance for us to do, to follow Him where we live and work and play. We wait with hope and expectation of what He will do.
• Prayer Father, thank You that by Your grace You have given us eternal encouragement and good hope in Christ Jesus. Help us this Advent season to share the love of Christ with others. Amen.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
Waiting and Hoping Isaiah 30:19-26 by rob breunig
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n this passage, although the Lord may give us “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,” He also promises to answer when we cry out to Him. He promises that the Teacher will reveal Himself to us in our distress and tell us the way to walk forward. He promises that He will teach us how to walk, and we will scatter our own idols as unclean things at His teaching. He promises that He will then bless us and heal us into a bright future. A promise implies a delayed fulfilment—the sense of “I will do” rather than an “I am doing.” I remember the word esperar from a college Spanish course—a word translated “to wait” or “to hope” depending on context. In the context of God’s promises in Isaiah
and in the spirit of Advent, I can sense both meanings at once. When we cry out to God in our adversity and affliction, we experience the time between the crying out and the fulfillment of the promises that God makes in the passage. We must wait in pain without knowing how and when God’s promises are fulfilled. But we can wait hoping for the fulfillment of God’s promises in our ultimate salvation and healing in Jesus. As we wait, we can seek to follow His teaching, care for one another in our afflictions, and live as reminders to one another of God’s love and His Kingdom, which is partly here but which is also coming in greater glory than we have seen.
• Prayer Lord, I pray that in this time that we would love and care for one another sympathetically and in so doing encourage one another to seek Your Kingdom and wait in joy in the hope of Your promises. Amen.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
Hope for a Troubled World Isaiah 40:1-11 by tricia argust
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e live in uncertain times. We are overwhelmed by the issues and problems that challenge our world, our nation and our community. Everything seems out of control. We want to cry out, but what can we say, or do, that will make a difference? The Advent season reminds us that Jesus Christ was born to show us God’s love and be our Savior. Jesus was sent to bring light and hope to a troubled world. Biblical hope is more than just desire for something to happen, it is an expectation and desire for something good in the future. Our hope for the future is Jesus Christ. Jesus “will establish (His Kingdom) and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore" (Isa 9:7).
Believers know hope is grounded in the Word of God and God cannot lie (Heb 6:18; Num 23:19). Biblical hope comes from the promises of God, rooted in the work of Christ. Hope leads us to a life engaged with the world as God’s stewards. If we live according to God’s truth, we can expect great things to happen. We will live courageously; to be all God has called us to be in Christ. We live in uncertain times. Biblical hope is our foundation as we reach out to our community, our nation and our world. We can now cry out “He will feed his flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms, and carry them in his bosom …” (Isa 10:11).
• Prayer Dear Lord, troubled and confused in a confusing, troubled world, we try to make sense out of the conflicting voices. Touch our hearts and souls; enfold Your life around ours. Express Yourself to us, in us and through us, so that we may do Your will. Amen.
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Peace
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
Peace Awaiting Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm. 72:1-7, 18, 19; Roman 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12 by philip lawrence
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very summer when I was growing up, my family crowded into the car to travel. Trips were fraught with my brother, sister and I fighting over the invisible line on the backseat or the stifling heat in the sunny spot by the window. Days filled with anger and anxiety transformed into hope as the mountains in the distance slowly filled the windshield and we inched closer. One year, we headed to the Grand Canyon, fighting our backseat battles across New Mexico and Arizona. The closer we got, the more signs announced its presence just up the road. Grand Canyon—120 miles. Grand Canyon—60 miles. Grand Canyon—10 miles. The problem with the Grand Canyon is that you can’t see it as you get closer. Actually, depending on which way you approach, you can’t even see it from the parking lot. There is no visible hope that your journey will soon conclude and, after all of the
driving and fighting, you wonder: did we miss it? But then you stop, get out of the car, walk up to the edge and see the canyon in all its grandeur as it awaits you to come and be with it, and its expanse amazes you while its peace transforms you. We are in that time of year where we seek the Christ child. The days rush together and the bustle grows as we prepare in anticipation for that moment we see Him. The signs are everywhere announcing the coming of the child—the celebrations, decorations, good cheer. If you are not careful, you can miss it. Just rush on by. But if you stop the car and walk up to the edge, there you will see Him in all of His grandeur, in all of His expanse, a small child waiting for you to come and be with Him…and you will be transformed by His peace.
• Prayer Lord, help me today to stop and allow You to transform me with Your peace. Amen.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 5
Living Out Loud or a Quiet Life? I Thessalonians 4:1-12 by christy o. milam
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esus was the son of a carpenter. It’s easy to imagine that Jesus watched His earthly father work with his hands when He was a little boy. This image is powerful to me on many levels. I have often admired people I know who have the gift of being “handy” or “crafty”—not just those who create beautiful works of art, but those who do their life’s work with their hands. It seems to be a quiet calling. My family is prone to living life out loud. We shout conversations into the space between the first and second floor of our house. We often have music blaring and a commotion of activity. We cheer at sporting events both live and televised. Loud gets attention. But what does quiet get? Disinterest? I don’t think so. Take the example of a little boy watching someone
carving a piece of wood. He can’t take his eyes away. Even as adults, we can find peace in the quiet of the ordinary. And while quiet can be difficult, it can also be powerful. The loud lives of believers can be scary for others to watch. How much more peace could we as Christians experience and BRING to our everyday lives if we simply worked with our hands and showed by quiet actions to whom our lives are dedicated? This Advent season, maybe you can’t learn how to knit a sweater or build a bookshelf, but you can learn to be quiet and open to being a living example of God’s everlasting peace. Join me as I seek to turn down the volume of my loud life and instead fully find peace in a quiet one.
• Prayer Dear Lord, I want to be quiet. I want to be a living example of the peace on Earth that only You can provide. Please help me to be a quiet witness to unbelievers in my everyday, ordinary life. Amen.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
Embracing Peace Psalm 21, Isaiah 41:14-20, Romans 15:14-21 by anna schell “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sor- lives to earn peace and never get it. The only thing rows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot thou has we have to do is simply be and accept God’s gift of taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.”—It peace! Today as we face whatever may be thrown our is Well with My Soul, Horatio Spafford. way, this is what God is calling us to do: ask. Ask for His perfect peace. That’s all we have to do. Pray for a oday as we go through our everyday, ordinary loved one, a friend, a neighbor to receive God’s peace. lives, a thousand things will happen, good, bad, and ugly. As ugly hits us, we try to rebel, to ignore it This season is happy and exciting, but it also can be and to fight it. The truth is, that only gets us so far. In crazy. In the midst of the holiday chaos, I pray that the midst of our craziness, we forget to ask God for you would ask God for His calming peace. I encourHis perfect peace that surpasses all understanding. age you today to celebrate that our Savior is coming! Reach out to an old friend, say hi to a stranger, lift Peace about any situation, a peace that is perfect and someone up in prayer. Remember, Emmanuel— holy, can only come from God. We can try all our Christ is with us!
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• Prayer Dear Lord Jesus, I ask You today to lift up anyone who is worried, hurting, stressed or sick. Lord, may Your perfect peace that surpasses all understanding cover us today! Fill us with Your goodness, and help us to conquer the day. It’s in Your name we pray, Amen.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
Good Fruit from the Mouth and the Heart Matthew 12:33-37 by jim bayless
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oes your mouth ever get you in trouble? Virtually all of us answer yes!
Our daily speech and actions reveal what is really inside our hearts. The heart is the fountain, words are the stream. Words are not trivialities, but the legitimate and normal fruit of the heart; therefore, by them each will be judged. Whatever you are on the inside will come out of your mouth. Your heart, not the dictionary, gives meaning to your words. Jesus uses this analogy of the true condition of one’s heart and moral character. What’s inside of us—our will, desire and attitude—produces either good or bad fruit, and it will be obvious to everyone what kind of fruit we bear. We can say nice things in public when others are watching, but when we speak angry or thoughtless words, we reveal what is really inside of us.
Words are powerful; take them seriously. They can be our salvation, but also our damnation if they reveal corruption in our heart. Jesus connects soundness with good fruit. Good fruit is the result of sound living—living according to moral truth and upright character. How do we avoid bad fruit? By being true—true to God, His word, and His grace. And that takes character. Those who are true to God know that their strength lies not in themselves but in God, who supplies the grace we need to live as His disciples. The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope, love, justice and prudence. Do you cultivate good fruit in your life and reject whatever produces bad fruit?
• Prayer Lord Jesus, help us to remember that, as Christians, we are accountable to God for what we say. Let us learn to say and do that which is agreeable to the Christian character and in accord with Your will. In Christ’s name, Amen.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
What Is Peace? Psalm 146:5-10 by cherrylynn burris
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ohan Galtung, in Reader in Peace Studies, discusses the concepts of negative and positive peace. Negative Peace is the absence of direct violence between individuals, groups and government. In essence, it is the absence of war and conflict. Positive Peace is the presence of social justice. The root causes of war are eliminated and there are deliberate efforts to protect, defend and advocate for those who are the most in need. Now read the Psalm for today. Sound familiar? The kind of peace God gives is the fruit of justice, a real and lasting peace that reaches deep into the
soul of a person, community, nation and world. This peace comes from God, who puts justice before violence because it is justice that begets peace, not the laying down of weapons and silencing of conflict. The Psalmist celebrates a God who lifts up those who are weighted down, cares for orphans and widows, opens the eyes of the blind, and gives food to the hungry. God gives justice to the oppressed. Our God is the source of perfect peace and sent us a baby, born in a stable, to help us find it. How can God use you to bring justice and real peace to the world? How can you be God’s instrument to achieve this end wherever you are or may go?
• Prayer Grant us, Lord God, a vision of Your world as Your love would have it: a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor; a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them; a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love. Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from Prayers for Justice and Peace ucc.org)
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9
Intentional Peace Psalm 146:5-10, 2 Peter 3:13-15a by mike austin Do any of these sound familiar? "I can't believe ____ won the election! What are we going to do now?" "The company is not doing well at all! Who will they lay off next?" "The news is terrible! It just seems the world is falling apart!"
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ave you ever been plagued with any of a million similar thoughts? It's as if the world around us conspires to keep us unsettled, uncertain, fearful. It seems bent on disturbing our peace and it is tempting to harden our hearts in the face of it all. But God made us a promise, packaged in swaddling clothes and announced with a choir of angels declaring
"Peace on Earth!" and "Goodwill toward all!" We are in the season of anticipation and celebration of that gift. Will He find you at peace? Sometimes we just find ourselves at peace—the tumblers fall into place, the stars and planets align—choose your metaphor. Other times circumstances seem out of control and we find peace only through deliberate action. Exercise, journaling, meditation, conversation with trusted friends are all good ways, but there are even better ways: studying scripture, worshiping, participating in a community of faith. And, of course, prayer. In a very real sense, prayer is conversation with your most trusted friend. What better way to be found at peace by the Lord than to be seeking Him out and laying your life before Him all along!
• Prayer Almighty and glorious God, our help in ages past and our hope for years to come, let the Holy Spirit pour out the oil of Your peace on our troubled waters. Guide us in these days of anticipation leading up to the celebration of the coming of Your greatest gift that we may be found by You at peace. Amen.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10
Absorbing God’s Peace 1 Samuel 2:1-8 by abbey gray I struggle with Hannah’s prayer. I cannot read of God’s blessings to some without thinking of others—just as earnest in their faith—who haven’t been so blessed. God blessed Hannah with a child, but He might not have. Would that mean she wasn’t righteous, that she need not be faithful? Or would it mean we worship a God who says, “My ways are not your ways?” Where is peace in this? To me, peace is the absence of unnecessary struggle. Some struggle is productive, but my least peaceful moments are when I try to control something that isn’t mine to control. This passage confronts me with the fact that I do not understand God. My first instinct is to struggle, twisting it into something that reads true for my understanding of God and the reality I observe in the world. Peace comes when I let go of that struggle, let the words wash over me and simply absorb the paradoxes
as best I can. This posture reminds me of one of my favorite poems: First Lesson Lie back, daughter, let your head be tipped back in the cup of my hand. Gently, and I will hold you. Spread your arms wide, lie out on the stream and look high at the gulls. A dead-man’s float is face down. You will dive and swim soon enough where this tidewater ebbs to the sea. Daughter, believe me, when you tire on the long thrash to your island, lie up, and survive. As you float now, where I held you and let go, remember when fear cramps your heart what I told you: lie gently and wide to the light-year stars, lie back, and the sea will hold you. -Philip Booth
• Prayer Heavenly Father, grant me the gift of perseverance to seek You in the moment and the string of moments that make up my life. Amen.
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Joy
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
Joy in the Kingdom Already Matthew 11:2-6, Psalm 146:5-10 by billy streu
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am currently a student at Knox Theological Seminary. In my New Testament course, we spent a lot of time looking at the role of the Kingdom of God. We have “not yet” seen or experienced the full glory of God’s Kingdom, but the Bible tells us it is “already” at work and among us. Christ’s coming opened the way. John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah. Jesus gives a fascinating answer, implying that He is by giving examples of how His arrival unlocked the Kingdom of God on Earth—the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised and the poor receive good news. Jesus’ arrival truly set the Kingdom in motion.
What beautiful news! Although we are unable to yet experience the full glory of God’s reign, the gift of Christ allows us to see many of its blessings already. There is wondrous joy in this gift! We can certainly use this joy in our world today. Keep your eyes open to God’s Kingdom work, countless stories every day of salvation, healing, service, forgiveness, generosity and love (many within our church). Watch for the Kingdom among us and you will find it. May it be overwhelming evidence that our God is with us always. May it bring you abounding joy to see our King at work. And may Advent remind us of this joyous gift of the Kingdom of God that Christ brought, still brings, and will bring to completion!
• Prayer Almighty King, thank You for allowing us to experience the blessings of Your Kingdom already. May You slow us down enough today to see Your Kingdom at work, and may it fill our hearts with joy. We praise You for the gift of Yourself in Jesus Christ, Emmanuel. Amen.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 12
Look Up! Psalm 42 by marilyn adams
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he Advent season and days leading up to Christmas can be overwhelming. There are so many distractions and to-do lists, we often lose the real meaning of Christmas. Loss of loved ones makes the season even harder and can lead to depression, a growing condition in our society today. When discouraged, we tend to focus inward. Psalm 42 demonstrates this perfectly with many ‘I,’ ‘me’ and ‘my’ pronouns. Ten times the psalmist asks “why?” Christians aren’t immune to depression. Often, discouraged Christians add to their problems by feeling guilty because they are depressed. A commentator on Psalm 42 suggests three things we can do to
help: Stop looking at ourselves and start looking at God; stop looking at the past and start looking to the future; and stop searching for reasons and start resting on promises. One of the most important things about any difficult experience is not that we get out of it, but what we get out of it. If we will truly thirst after God, stop complaining and start praying and praising God, life will not be a mirror in which we see only ourselves, it will be a window through which we see God. Look out and UP!!
• Prayer Heavenly Father, by Your grace, help us to take the focus off ourselves and reach out to You and to others. Remind us often that You and only You are the source of our joy, and that You will always be with us. During this Advent season especially, bring us closer to Christ where we can experience JOY and rest in the HOPE that You have promised. In His precious and holy name, Amen.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13
Joyfully Embracing the Community of Believers Jude 17-25 by daniel campbell
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few years ago, Stephanie and I embarked on a journey with three other couples to find out what was so great about this “doing life together” thing Thomas kept going on and on about. We asked Thomas how our group should begin and he answered that we needed to start by giving 45 minute biographies of ourselves. 45 minutes! What would we talk about for 45 minutes? In this passage, the author gives advice on remaining faithful in Christ. Jude reminds us that in this broken world, trouble always has and always will exist. Difficult times are assured and those outside of our faith will not understand the decisions we make. How are we then to remain joyful? Jude also reminds us that in addition to prayer, we must rely on our
community of believers to sustain each other’s faith through knowing one another authentically. Joy comes from our relationship with our Redeemer, fortified through our relationship with our fellow believers. The intent behind our biographies was to remove the veil we place on ourselves so others see only that person we want them to see. It forced us to know each other’s stories. Authentic relationships based on shared faith began to form and joy flows from each time we meet together. Do you have a community of believers encouraging you to experience the joy of living for Christ? Would you be willing to risk removing your veil to find joy in relationships?
• Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of the perfect joy that comes only from You. Remind us to surround ourselves with others intent on “staying right at the center of Your love, keeping our arms open and outstretched ready to receive Your mercy.” Amen.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14
Annoying Joy Zechariah 8:1-5, Matthew 8:14-15 by danielle gudgel
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t is not easy to wait for redemption. The Jewish people waited in painful exile in Babylon until the vision from Zechariah began to come to fruition. We wait for Jesus to finish His work, in us and in our world. Waiting can look like this: When I wake up, my transition from groggy to optimistic seems painfully long. I have to let myself move slowly: eat breakfast, drink coffee, give pretend smiles and wait. My kids, on the other hand, wake up as if yesterday was yesterday, sleep was sleep—and this is the morning! They are ready to seize a new day. They run and toddle with purpose toward favorite toys and squeal about going outside. Some mornings, we parents
appreciate that our children live out the latter part of Albert Einstein’s quote: “There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.” Other mornings, we are just annoyed that we snails must make an effort to help with all the excitement. We can’t force joy. But we can ask ourselves, can we find something hopeful—or even fun—with which to begin? Is there anything bright down there in our souls, even as we are weary? Another important question might be, can we ask God for ways to see future joy like in Zechariah? The lighthearted annoyance we feel over the joy of others may be a gift to awaken us, even as we continue to wait for healing and blessing that has still not arrived.
• Prayer Jesus, healer of broken people, give us eyes for celebration and future hope. If we are weary, give our cranky souls courage that we may ask for Your brightness to come into our hearts. Amen.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
Joy in Restoration Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 by emily goulet
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n the season of Advent, it can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We can find little bursts of happiness from baking cookies, wearing tacky sweaters and buying presents. This leads many of us to be constantly on the go during the holiday season. Although these things are good, this is not what our Father had in mind for us. Psalm 80 leads us by example to place our hope in God to find restoration and joy. This scripture is a desperate song to God. The people coming from Egypt plead with Him to lead them and give them safety and restoration. These people are aware they are near the end of their road. The fact
that they know their only hope is in God is that in which we can rejoice. They know that, even though everything else may be going poorly, as long as their hope and joy is in their Savior, He will lead them to restoration and joy. For us, it is important to put our hope in Him no matter what is going on in our lives. Whether we are caught up in holiday novelties, on a mountaintop of life or nearing the end of our road, it is when we put our hope in Jesus that we will find the restoration that we all need. No matter where we are or what we are going through, we can always cry out to our Father.
• Prayer Dear God, please help me to remember that all of my hope belongs in You. Thank You for restoring and bringing me new mercies every morning. I thank You for Your endless love and eternal grace for me. Amen.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
The Bread of Tears Psalm 80:1-7 by stacy curtis
A
s Christians, we are called to be peacemakers and loving examples of Christ’s grace, but at times, we find ourselves unable to function in this way. We find ourselves filled with pain, confusion, doubt, anger. A parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. A friend loses her life to cancer. A marriage ends. A beloved family pet dies. When we are in this dark place, how can we reconcile our pain in order to be made whole again? Alone, we cannot succeed in overcoming our trials. We fail miserably in our human brokenness and rely on false comforts that may not be in our best interest. At times, the only thing we can do is to pour out our grief to God through prayer or song.
The book of Psalms gives us many examples of songs penned in grief and anguish, some of them by David, God’s chosen king. Even he had moments where the darkness of his life was too much to bear alone. David and others often were moved to write songs expressing their deepest emotions and offering them up as a prayer to God. Try reading Psalm 80:1-7 aloud as a prayer. Speak the verses slowly and feel the emotional weight of the psalmist’s words as he cries out to God. As you read, give your suffering, your sorrow, your doubt to the Lord, and ask Him to bring the light of Christ into your life.
• Prayer Father God, how long will You feed us with the bread of tears; how long must we drink tears by the bowlful? Restore us, God Almighty; make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved. Amen.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17
The Search for Joy Psalm 80:3 by jason florey
J
oy is definitely a term we associate with Christmas. We see it on ornaments and t-shirts, and sing it in songs. But what is joy, true joy? The world wants us to believe that we can attain true joy in relationships, accomplishments, possessions; that it is based on our life “going well.” However, I have learned that such joy is only temporary. Tough circumstances and sometimes tragedy unfortunately are part of living in this world. True joy in Christ is everlasting. It is a choice, based on true communion with God and obedience to Him. It is putting God first in all things, then others and last, ourselves—Jesus, others, yourself.
experience joy during difficult times, I have seen time and again people in terrible situations—fighting for their lives from cancer, sickness or unexpected hardship—exhibit pure joy in the midst of it. They recognize God’s presence and power working through them and live with a thankful and grateful heart. Allowing God to be present in our circumstances and asking for His face to shine upon us is not only what we need to do, but God what wants us to do. How will you view your circumstances this holiday season? Will you look to God and choose to experience true joy?
Although the world leads us to believe we cannot
• Prayer Jesus, we look forward with great anticipation to Your arrival. May You ignite in us a spirit of justice, compassion and love for all those who suffer, and may Your will be made manifest in our daily thoughts and deeds. Amen.
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Love
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18
A Sign of His Love and Faithfulness Isaiah 7:10-16 by beth mcmullen daniel
I
saiah, a popular Old Testament prophet, is often referred to during the high seasons of Advent/ Christmas and Lent/Easter. We may recognize his words in Handel’s Messiah. We look for and see Jesus in his familiar prophesies. However, only one line in this passage seems to appeal to us in this season of waiting and preparing, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This text—and the context for this reference to Immanuel—is actually about faith. Our faith and the faithfulness of God. Ahaz, the King of Judah and his people are fearful of attacks by kings of surrounding
areas. Isaiah reassures Ahaz and encourages him to trust and call upon Yahweh. Ahaz refuses under the guise of obeying Hebrew Scriptures (which he quotes out of context). Rather than leave Judah to faithless fear and destruction, Isaiah points to God’s faithfulness. Yahweh will send a sign, Immanuel—God is with us—and He promises deliverance. We hope to be strong and sure like Isaiah. But oftentimes, we are actually like Ahaz. God is calling us, reassuring us in times of fear and anxiety, asking us to trust and call upon Him. But we hesitate—knowing scripture but reluctant to exercise faith. Thank God that He is faithful: loving us enough to come down to be with us and promising us hope and deliverance.
• Prayer God, we ask for Your forgiveness of our faithlessness and we give You thanks for Your love and faithfulness. Help us in this last week of Advent to look and listen for You. May we see You and hear You despite the chaos and noise. Remind us that You are with us—that we are delivered—even today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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MONDAY, DECEMBER 19
A Song Without Melody 1 Samuel 2:1-10 by andrew bell
I
’ve long been fascinated by song writing and have often wondered if David put words to music or music to his prayers when he wrote the Psalms. I once read that U2’s lead singer said he wakes up with various melodies in his head and does his best to quickly put them to paper. I can’t imagine music just coming to me. This is part of why I get a kick out of musicals like Singin’ In the Rain or The Music Man. It is one thing to sit down and compose a song, but quite another to be in conversation and just break into song to express your thoughts. Some of David’s psalms are deeply tied to his perspective and circumstances, while others make declarations about God irrespective of the situation. Hannah
does a bit of both, starting by rejoicing, then shifting to declaring how mighty God is by what He does and has done. Hannah never says the word “love,” but it is clear she loves the Lord and feels loved by Him. I’ve never attempted to write a song. I can’t relate to hearing a melody in my head and putting words to it, but I can relate to Hannah’s prayer, an expression of her awe of and love for the Lord. Hannah may not have put this prayer to music the way Mary and Zechariah did in Luke, but Hannah’s prayer “sings” to me and reminds me that our prayers always are music to God’s ears.
• Prayer Wonderful Father, I praise You for being better than words could say and more holy than any song or prayer could fully express. Direct my heart to seek more of You, that my heart might sing of Your worth even when I’m at a loss for words, whether due to joy or sorrow. Amen.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20
You May Already Be a Winner! Genesis 21:1-21; Galatians 4:21-5:1 by elizabeth mcbride
W
hen I was a kid, I loved entering the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes.
If you never entered one of these 1980s sweepstakes, let me explain how it worked. You received a thick envelope with the words “You may already be a winner!” across the front. Of course, you had to immediately rip that envelope open. Inside were forms and official-looking stickers and you had to put the stickers in just the right places, in just the right way. You did all this with giddy hope that you would be the lucky winner and Ed McMahon would show up on your doorstep with balloons and a giant, cardboard check.
you’ll win the prize at the end? As Christians, we can get caught up trying to do all the right things to earn God’s love and miss this fact: YOU ARE ALREADY A WINNER. You have received the inheritance God promised to Abraham. God sent Jesus to live among us, know us, love us and die for us. We are no longer slaves to our sin and shame. God’s grace is never-ending and covers everything. Jesus took care of all of our brokenness, all the things that make us feel unworthy of love. There is no thick envelope, no forms to fill out. God is waiting on our doorstep right now. All we have to do is open the door and claim our prize.
Do you ever feel like life is one big Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, do everything right and maybe
• Prayer Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, our Savior. Help us to see ourselves as You see us, as heirs to a great fortune. Fill our hearts with so much joy and peace that it spills out and overflows to those around us. Amen.
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21
A Family Tree Matthew 1:1-17 by kathryn sedberry
H
ave you ever actually read each name in the first 17 verses of Matthew that reveal to us the family tree of Jesus? Of course, you’ll recognize those among the main cast: Abraham, Jacob, Jesse, David, Isaac. But what about Asa, Abijah, Nahshon, Salmon, Shealtiel? I wonder if they had any idea of the special part they played in the greatest love story in the history of the world? When I was in high school, I used the microfiche system at our local library for a genealogy project. For those of you too young to know this term, microfiche holds information on film in miniaturized
form. My ancestors came to life under the lens of that reader machine as I dreamed about the details of their lives. I felt respect and pride for being their kin; I was thankful for the part they played in my history. Why did God give us that long list of names in Matthew? He wants us to appreciate the plan He has had for humankind since the beginning of time. This is more than just a list of names. He wants us to know that every family member matters. He gave us the greatest gift of all when He sent His Son Jesus. Rejoice in your free gift of family—the reflection of God’s love.
• Prayer Lord, thank You for the gift of family and for loving us so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to us. Help us to honor our families and friends this Christmas season and beyond by loving one another as You first loved us. Amen.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22
God's Compelling Love Luke 1:46-55 by jen russell
T
he love of God compels Mary to sing His praises. How is it that she trusts in His love in the midst of such uncertainty? Her situation is no fairytale. This young, economically poor and unwed girl lives in a Jewish community where all that is certain is the judgment she will face from people she has trusted and loved, possibly even her fiancé Joseph. Yet, she refers to herself as "blessed" saying, "From now on all generations will call me blessed" (Luke 1:48).
with gratitude and an eager willingness to embrace the call. Mary's obedient and joyous response is a result of learning through the Greek Old Testament of God's faithfulness to Israel (v50-55). The truth of God's provision for His people dispels fear Mary may have about her future. Mary is in awe of the holy God (v49). She knows she is a sinner and God is her Savior (v47). Her humble posture before the Lord is evidence of her knowledge of His great love.
Mary sees more than her present circumstances. She is filled with adoration toward God because she knows He is using her. She will give birth to the Son of God. This is no small task, yet because she has experienced the deep love of God, she responds
She gets to be a part of God's mighty deeds—why wouldn’t she be singing praises to God for this amazing gift? Why wouldn’t we be singing praises for this amazing gift?
• Prayer My prayer is that like Mary, God's love would compel us to forget our present circumstances (whether seemingly good or bad) and be captivated by the gift we have been given in receiving and sharing the gospel story. Amen.
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23
God So Loved… Luke 1:46b-55, Isaiah 60:1-6, Luke 1:67-80 by skip crowe
C
hristmas originally was a huge event within a small crowd. Today it is a large event, but becoming rather ordinary in our lives. I value the outpourings of love from family and friends during magical moments of exchanging gifts. Lifetime memories are formed. Christmas today is a very good thing. But let’s focus on the why, what and who of that first Christmas. Why? Six big words: “For God so loved the World…” (John 3:16). Love so much greater than what humans can understand. Dallas pastor Tony Evans says, “Jesus loves you and there is not one darn thing that I can do about it.” God’s love initiated what is now the annual celebration called Christmas. What? Seven big words: “…that He sent His only begotten Son.” From this beginning, the rest of
mankind can experience God’s love on a personal level and those who do have a very special celebration of Christmas. Who? The Bible records these specific people: Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zacharias, John, Angels, shepherds and wisemen. Those first celebrants, though few in number, had God’s love in their lives, yet “God so loved the World.” God’s mission is to expand the crowd to all peoples of this world. So, what do I do this Christmas? Take the privilege of sharing the news to my world as well as outside it. In “Love Does,” Bob Goff says, “We are part of God’s much bigger plan for the world. Just like God’s son arrived, so did you…Heaven has been leaning over the rails…since you got here waiting to see what you will do with your life.”
• Prayer The Psalmist cried out “Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth—tell of His glory among the nations, His wondrous deeds among all the peoples.” The apostle Paul wrote to Titus “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all the earth.” Amen.
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24
Love Reflected Luke 2:1-14 by dede church
F
or many years, my family has packed the car on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning, we rip through Santa’s offerings with scandalous speed, eat breakfast and load up for the six-hour journey to my childhood home in Shreveport. I enjoy traveling on Christmas Day because EVERYONE is lovely. Crusty convenience store clerks are courteous, drivers smile and invite us to merge in front of them, and we greet every member of our large family with hugs and happiness. Trivial arguments or past wrongs are magically forgiven. Christmas infuses us with so much joy there isn’t room for negative thoughts or actions. Without realizing it, we reflect the pure joy that emanates from the Christ child. We feel God’s love for us in its purest, most transformative shape and instinctively respond in kind. We simply can’t stop ourselves
from loving all those around us. Luke says, “Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men.’” What greater gift could we receive than peace and good will? Despite this divisive and difficult year, on Christmas Eve, we fully experience the love and comfort of the Holy Spirit. We are invited to reflect this love through our actions, showing good will toward our fellow men and women. What if we decide to be our best Christmas selves all year? If we choose kindness, joy and forgiveness every day for all those around us, couldn’t we reflect God’s perfect love—even when we’re not wearing a Christmas sweater?
• Prayer Dear God, on this Christmas Eve, we thank You for the gift of Your son Jesus Christ and for the power of Your love to make us love each other just a little bit better. Amen.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, CHRISTMAS DAY
This Is Not the End John 4:7-16; John 1:1-14 by jon wasson
T
he trick for those of us who eagerly and intentionally waited all Advent long for Christmas morning is to realize that it is not the end, but the beginning. Christmas marks the re-creation of the world in Jesus Christ. As John tells us in the beginning of his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God… All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” The stories we tell ourselves have enormous power to shape us. I worry that too many of us subtly tell ourselves that our lives can be created or achieved
through our own choices and efforts. We spend a tremendous amount of time arranging our lives— finances, houses, relationships and careers—hoping that we will one day arrive at an identity we find fulfilling. But we are rarely satisfied. John’s gospel reminds us that in the beginning are not our dreams, achievements, anxieties or worst fears, but God revealed in Jesus Christ who loves the world He has created. Amidst this often frazzled and fragmented world, we are reminded that the world belongs to God who sends His Son that we might know God’s love for us. Indeed, Christmas is not the end but the beginning—our beginning. Thanks be to God and Merry Christmas!
• Prayer Holy God, thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, the light and life of the world, who reveals to us just how much You love us. Be gracious to us as we find our lives in Your holy beginning for us this year. Amen.
Acknowledgment This 2016 Advent Devotional was written by members of the Covenant congregation. Our contributors represent all ages, backgrounds and experiences. Each of them was assigned scripture and one of the four Advent themes, and asked to reflect on Jesus’ coming in the world. Many thanks to all who participated. Your words are a blessing to all of us this Advent season. AUTHORS Marilyn Adams Tricia Argust Mike Austin Jim Bayless Andrew Bell Whitney Bell Rob Breunig Cherrylynn Burris Daniel Campbell DeDe Church Skip Crowe Stacy Curtis Beth Daniel Jason Florey Jen Genovesi Nathan Ging Emily Goulet Abbey Gray Danielle Gudgel Philip Lawrence James Marroquin Elizabeth McBride Christy Milam Jen Russell Anna Schell Kathryn Sedberry Billy Streu Lorraine Volk Jon Wasson
ADVENT ADVISORS Jon Wasson Kathryn Sedberry COPY EDITORS Melissa Gaskill Stephanie Schultz DESIGN AND LAYOUT Hilary Pittman PRINTER OneTouchPoint The typefaces used in this book were Minion Pro by Robert Slimbach and Blend by Typesenses.
Christmas Eve Worship Times 2:00 pm
traditional service with candlelight and communion
4:00 pm
preschool Children Service
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contemporary service with candlelight
8 :30 pm
traditional service with choir and candlelight
10:30 pm
traditional service with candlelight and communion
S anctuary Sanctuary FE 200
Sanctuary Sanctuary
Christmas Events Wed,NOV. 30th Advent Event, step back in time to explore the
5:30–7:30 pm
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Wed,Dec. 14th Church-wide Carol Sing in the Sanctuary : pm
6 30
SUN,Dec. 18th GraceNotes Vocal Ensemble Christmas
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Concert in the Sanctuary
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