advent devotionals
Memorize: Psalm 139:14
I will praise You
because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful,
and I know this very well.
Read: Psalm 139:1-14, Psalm 104
Reflect:
Advent calls us to prepare for the arrival of our Savior Jesus Christ, yet often times our preparation is filled with the stress of planning and busyness. We don’t even take a full day to give thanks, as many race off Thanksgiving evening to find the deals. We race into December facing a to-do list of shopping, cooking, wrapping, and working...so that we can enjoy the birth of God's son?
Let’s think about this – Does our preparation have the wrong focus and the wrong feeling. Psalms 104 & 139 encourages us to pause in the midst of our preparation and consider the question, "Who am I preparing for?" Are we preparing for the arrival of Our Savior, or for the world's expectations of Christmas?
I hope today we choose to prepare for Jesus! When we do, our preparations are less about doing and more about being. We begin to prepare with praise to God for the intimacy that He has with each of us. We wake up each day with less attention on what needs done during Advent and more attention on what's been done through God's power.
Apply:
How does your thinking & planning change when you reflect on the power of your creator…your All-knowing, Ever-present God, who made you and wants an active, personal relationship with you?
Pray:
Father God, today I offer my praise for all that you have done, will do, and continue to do in my life. Help me to prepare for the things that matter and ignore the demands of this Adventseason that pull me away from you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
November 27
November 28
November 29
November 30
December 1
December 2
December 3
December 4
December 5
December 6
December 7
December 8
December 9
December 10
December 11
December 12
love people
Memorize: 1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make your love grow more and multiply for each other and for all people so that you will love others as we love you.
Read: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Reflect:
Paul, the writer of this epistle, had the kind of love for the Thessalonians that the Bible describes Paul as having a familial relationship with them. It is this familial concern that is behind this letter to them. During an earlier visit, Paul spent an extended period with them investing in relationships resulting in many people receiving Christ.
The Christmas season provides an opportunity for us to reach out to people we haven’t seen or talked with for, well, probably a year. We send e-cards and texts. We may even send cards through the mail. During this season, we are even more inclined to speak to those providing customer service at the stores where we are purchasing gifts, greeting them with, “Merry Christmas.”
During the Christmas season, many people are friendly and courteous because they are in the “spirit of Christmas,” but what about those relationships throughout the rest of year? Should not this attitude prevail past December 25th?
Apply:
Do you have a neighbor who is alone and doesn’t know what this advent season is all about? Well you need to tell them. In fact, as Paul tells you that you need to love them. How much did God love us by sending his son to Earth 2000 years ago? How far did God’s love reach in his first advent? It went far enough to reach even you. Now God calls you to extend that love to your neighbor. So invite them over for dinner. Invite them to church. Show them what it means to be loved. Find a way to tell them what you already know, that they are not alone. We have hope that he is coming back for us, now tell others what you already know. He is coming back a second time.
Pray:
Jesus, help me to love people the way that you do. Give me the courage to invite _______________ to church this Christmas season. Amen.