BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
and life, as well as His death and resurrection, He proclaimed the truth of the Father, and glorified Him in His obedient actions.
When we come to know and believe in Jesus and see all that He did, we get to behold and experience His glory the truth and weight of this newborn King of Kings Therefore we are able to follow His example and do the same – go out and tell the world who God is and glorify God in all we do!
We want to invite you to set aside a brief moment in your busy lives to sit and meditate on the things, activities, and thoughts that give the Lord all the glory in the highest. This Advent devotional is a short tool to help you do this, with corresponding thoughts for meditation for each Sunday of Advent. In total, there are five devotional activities (one for each Sunday, plus one for Christmas Eve) that you can do by yourself, with a friend, or with your family/spouse. We encourage you to light a candle as you begin your time with the Lord, seek Him in prayer and thanksgiving, read His word, and meditate on how He is calling you to give Him glory.
May the good news of the Newborn King fill your hearts with all the hope, peace, joy, and love He brings!
Let’s dive in!
First Sunday of Advent December 1
Hope in Christ
Light a Candle and Pray:
Lord Jesus, You are the Light that has come into the world. As we/I open your word, allow it to take root in our/my heart, transform and renew our/my mind, and strengthen our/my soul. O Lord, by the power and guidance of your Holy Spirit, may our/my faith be strengthened by Your word. Amen.
Read:
“So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!”
Psalm 31:24
Thoughts for Meditation:
On this first Sunday of Advent, we are encouraged to think about the hope that we have because of Jesus Christ. As we look at the song, “O Come, All Ye Faithful”, we see that it is easier to have hope if our faith comes from the Lord.
Anytime we show our faith in Jesus by the way we live our lives, we bring glory to Him. We show the world that in our troubled times, we can be strong and courageous because the Lord has proved that He is worth being faithful to.
Second Sunday of Advent December 8
Peace on Earth
Light a Candle and Pray:
Gracious Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace and in You we find our wholeness and restoration our perfect Shalom. As we/I begin this week of hurried busyness, steady and still our/my soul, so that in everything we/I do, it is done so that You may be glorified above all. In Your name we/I pray, Amen.
Read:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:14
Thoughts for Meditation:
When we become a Christian, a follower of Christ, there is excitement, but also peace. This is the peace we have longed for in our lives.
You would think that in a season that is all about the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, peace would be easier to find. The truth is that it is much harder to find at Christmas. We live in a world that seems to get busier all the time, especially at Christmas.
Third Sunday of Advent December 15
Joy for the World
Light a Candle and Pray:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may our/my soul overflow with rejoicing joy at the sight and truth of Your saving grace in Christ Jesus. May the trappings of this season, all point to Your glory in this world, and may we/I never cheapen the reason why we have such joy. Give us/me the courage to share this joy with others, so that all may know the true reason for Christmas. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read:
“I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:2
Thoughts for Meditation:
Joy is a wonderful thing that God gave us through Jesus. Joy is not just a feeling; it is a state of mind.
As you can see from the scripture verse, David was filled with joy. Even though David had great struggles, he also had great joy. Oh, how our hearts can be filled with joy over Jesus being born.
Fourth Sunday of Advent December 22
Love Others - Glorify God
Light a Candle and Pray:
Oh Lord Jesus, Your love has the power to call a sinful, broken heart into Your glorious light and grace. You loved and continue to love the whole world, sending Your faithful into the world to share Your love with others. Continue to show up and show out Your abundant love. Open our/my eyes to opportunities to share this great love with others, and grant in me a Spirit of boldness and courage to seize those opportunities. In Jesus’ name we/I pray Amen.
Read:
“We love each other because he loved us first.”
1 John 4:19
Thoughts for Meditation:
God is the ultimate example of love. We are reminded of this at Christmas. He sent his Son to earth as a human to show us what love looks like. He loved us before our parents did, He loves us now more than anyone else can, and He will always love us no matter what.
Sometimes we struggle to love others for many different reasons, usually because they hurt us in one way or another.We often forget that there are times when we are difficult to love.
Christmas Eve December 24
All Glory to Jesus
Light a Candle and Pray:
Oh Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace – We/I rejoice and give you praise and glorify Your great Name. We/I celebrate this night that changed the entire world, and still has power and glory throughout the world. You interrupted the course and time of humanity, by entering this world as a human baby fully Divine. We/I thank you for humbling Yourself to be born in a manger, that would one day lead to the humility of the Cross. May the glory of this day, and the glory of the Triune God continue to interrupt humanity’s sinfulness, and draw hearts to You. In Jesus’ name we/I pray Amen.
Read:
The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
1 John 4:19
Thoughts for Meditation:
There are so many reasons why Jesus deserves all the glory we can give Him and so much more. One thing that God kept drawing me to was that Jesus is the light of the world.