And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. Luke 2:12

In the dark of the night, in the back of a cave, a Baby was wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manger. Some say newborns are the most tangible slice of heaven humans ever get to hold here on earth. Have you ever had the privilege?

I still marvel at how my heart ached with joy the first time I held our newborn daughter and stared into her painfully angelic face. It is hard to describe the utter perfection, unbelievable innocence, and palpable grace I felt were lying there in my lap for me and all the world to see, touch, and feel. These intangible riches from heaven were made tangible to see with my own eyes, touch with my own hands and feel with my own heart!

I can only imagine what it would have been like to behold the infant King (this sign from God!) knowing He was the Messiah sent to redeem the world. I can only dream what it would have been like to hold Him as a newborn baby…perfection incarnate, the most innocent of innocents to His dying day, and so full of promise for all the nations. No pressure!

In this case, God literally did send a slice of heaven down to earth. He sent a piece of paradise for them to actually SEE, TOUCH and FEEL…His magnificent Son, Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace, and Savior of all who call upon Him. And while we cannot as readily see Him or touch Him today, we can experience Him with our hearts just as deeply. His name means, after all, “God with us!”

Honestly, God?! The fact that you would even bother to take on human form for our sake, let alone chase each one of us to offer abundant life out of love will forever blow my mind! This Advent season, we are again invited to reflect on His ferocious love with humble, grateful hearts.

It’s not surprising that newborn babe began His life in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, with wise men searching for Him over two thousand years ago…

Wise souls still seek Him.
– Nicole Vermeer

His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and His kingdom. He will establish it and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:7

Good Morning,

I would like for you to read the Scripture a few times. Now think about your world, our world; here and abroad. Just take some time to think about what the world is like from your camera angle and experience.

Think about what you are reading and hearing in the news about our world. Make notes about what is encouraging and what is troubling. What would you like the Lord to know, how would you like for him to intervene? Take your time, search your heart and, make your notes. You are creating your prayer for this morning.

I want to share what was such Good News and a wonderful reminder, as I read this Scripture.

Not only does all authority rest upon His shoulder, it grows continually. Are you wondering who’s in charge and who’s taking responsibility? How is peace sounding? And there shall be endless peace. Now this was written for the time of David and his kingdom. Do you believe that our God is a God of now? To establish and uphold His kingdom with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore.

We worship a God who is passionately in love with us. If you exchange the word zeal for passion, in this passage, you know that God is on a mission! Let’s each of us stay on our knees and on our toes! Pray for and look for peace, justice, and righteousness. There is assurance, the scripture says, the Lord of hosts will do this.

Let’s pray.
Lord,
We come to You, thanking You and praising You for Your Word, Your faithfulness, Your passion, and Your promise.

Our hope is in You and Your transforming power to make change in us and in our world. We pray for wisdom. Your word tells us, if anyone lacks wisdom, ask. We are asking. Lord help us to take time to be still and listen to You so that we may have discernment.

I pray for each person as they prepare for this celebration of Your birth. I pray for provision and for abundant joy in this advent season.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.

– Noralea Poladian Goodrow

To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11 (NRSV)

This year’s family camp theme was “Mind the Gap.” The week encouraged us to make a connection to God through prayer, study, fellowship, and worship. Verse 11 speaks of our ultimate connection to God through Jesus, who was born to bridge the gap between our sinfulness and God’s holiness. It is not only Good News, it is the best news ever!

10 years ago, I wrote an Advent devotional on verse 10, speaking about replacing fear with joy. Two years ago, I wrote on verses 13 and 14, focusing on the peace of God. As verse 11 bridges the gap between verses 10 and 13, it begs the question, what bridges the gap between fear and peace? Our Advent theme this year answers that question perfectly. It is the presence of Christ whose birth is announced in this verse. The angel calls Jesus Savior, meaning One who keeps safe. Mary called God her Savior at the Annunciation. Jesus is also named Messiah or Anointed One, a ritual reserved for setting apart kings. Saul, David, and Solomon were all anointed kings of Israel, but the other kings were not, and Israel broke apart under those kings. The angel also names Jesus the Lord, a title reserved for God in the Old Testament, acknowledging Jesus’ divinity. The Roman emperors appropriated this title for themselves, demanding that all people swear allegiance with the words “Caesar is lord.”

Luke records that the angel told the shepherds that the birth was to you. But “you” meant to all people for all time. The shepherds are also told that the birth of Jesus occurred this day. Some translations use “today.” The reference is not only to a particular date in history, but also to every day since. The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord is born this day and every day in everyone who seeks to live as His disciple. It is an ongoing process. The covenant relationship between God and humanity was renewed through the birth and death of Jesus two thousand years ago. It is continually renewed as we become disciples. Covenants were established by cutting an animal in half and the participants walking through the gap between the two halves. Jesus died to bridge the gap between a righteous God and a rebellious people.

“Mind the Gap” signs are posted throughout the subway system in London. The signs warn riders to be careful as they step between the platform and the train. Jesus bridges the gap between fear and peace by keeping us safe from the snares of temptation as our Savior. He bridges the gap by being set apart to rule in our hearts and establish his reign as Christ, the Messiah. He bridges the gap by being both human and divine as the Lord incarnate.

– Steve Madaris

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you Good News that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

God sent the angel because Jesus was born. The shepherds probably haven’t seen an angel. It’s scary when you see something you have never seen before. The shepherds were probably happy when they heard the Good News. They were EXCITED to meet JESUS. EVERYBODY will be glad that JESUS is born.

I was scared once like the shepherds were. It was one night, there weren’t any lights on and I got scared. But then I prayed to God, and He helped me fall asleep and not be scared. In conclusion, we’re all glad that JESUS was born.

– Grace Higginbotham

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in bands of cloth, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:6–7

It’s funny how subtly, little by little, we make choices that ultimately become habits and, eventually, those habits determine our destiny. Our eyes adjust to the light we have. As it gets darker, we adjust to move around in little, eventually no light. We don’t really see. We think we do—we bump around…but our vision is limited.

I remember being in a cavern on a vacation in Virginia about a mile underground. The rock formations were spectacular. Then they turned off the lights. Zero light. It was so dark that I was afraid to move. We are created to live in light. People assume their actions are hidden from view in the darkness. That’s where Israel was when Isaiah wrote; taking advantage of others, not feeding the hungry, helping the poor, nor exacting true justice. And so judgment would come to Israel through a devastating assault by Assyria. Isaiah later writes that if Israel would feed the hungry, enact righteous judgment, and help the poor, their light would break out. They would call on the Lord, who had been silent, and God would answer. Isaiah foresees another occasion when the Messiah would be born; the true Light of the world. God had described His word as light and Jesus is the living Word of God. His life is the very light of humankind. Light, by its nature, is proactive. It dispels darkness. Jesus tells us do not hide our light under a bushel and, therefore, limit its influence over darkness. We are called to a proactive display of light, ever spreading to help those in need and display the true nature of God. Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations but they became insular.

Jesus came to spread light to all the nations, and He does that through us, if we are willing. There is a Kingdom of Darkness where people hide their true motives and actions. There is the Kingdom of Light where all is seen and, like the cavern in Virginia, the light exposes the beautiful formations. Although it hurts your eyes to be exposed to light when you have been in a dark place, let’s come unafraid into God’s light and let it expose our own hidden places. God’s light has come, first through Israel, then through Jesus to us, and God intends for it to proactively dispel darkness where we find it.
– Terry Botwick

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. Luke 2:8–9

Think about it. The day started as any other day for these shepherds, they gathered supplies, guided their sheep to a safe place and set camp to rest for the night when in a blink of an eye, it no longer became an average day. As a blinding light filled the sky in a world with no electricity, terror ran through their bodies, their sheep (not the smartest in the animal kingdom) reacting and creating even more chaos would have made the situation worse, and then finally to see an angel, AN ANGEL. I think I would have passed out. But they didn’t…they didn’t pass out, they didn’t even run. It says that they were terrified but also in complete and utter awe of the spectacle around them.

They were in awe and wonder at the glory of the Lord that shone around them. What a beautiful image to imagine; a light so pure and brilliant that within it you are at peace. Sometimes when we enter into this season we get so caught up in the gifts, shopping and what to wear to all the events that we “have” to attend, that we forget that this season is about the pureness of light that entered the world for us.

Do we need an angel of the Lord to visit to make us take a breath and stand in amazement at the glory of the Lord? How would our hearts be different if we entered each day with that humility? How would this season be different for us? I know that I can get so caught up in the “celebrating” of the season that I forget to actually worship during the season. Worship the One that loves us so much. So much that He sent His Son into a world void of that brilliant light, to not only live among us but to love us so unconditionally, that the glimpse of glory is possible on a daily basis. And ultimately to die for us so the brilliant light could return to live in our hearts.

I challenge us all to take a moment and ask, “Do we stand in awe and wonder at the glory of the Lord in our lives or are we too busy that we miss His daily blessings?” In this season of giving, remember the best gift of all was given over two thousand years ago. Even though we do not stand in terror at the glory of the Lord, we need to stand in awe and share that wonder with those around us.
– Yvonne Lara

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in bands of cloth, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:6–7

In reflecting on these verses and our theme this year, I can’t help but think about taking out my Nativity sets and placing Mary and Joseph in the stable and the tiny baby Jesus in the manger. This is truly one of my favorite parts of decorating for Christmas. In reading these verses I am struck by the phrase: “…laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

It dawned on me that none of my Nativity sets include the inn. I have gotten so accustomed to the story that I think I assume that Mary, Joseph and Jesus belonged in the stable. The fact is that they belonged in the best 5-star inn, yet they ended up in the stable because all the inns were packed. I realize that in a season so full of extra things to do and places to go, our lives often begin to look like the inns of Bethlehem: so “overcrowded” that Jesus ends up outside in the lowly stables of our lives, often getting the least of our adoration and attention.

I pray we would not get accustomed to keeping Jesus out in the stable of our lives but would make time to seek Him and keep Him right in the center of our lives not just in this Advent season but each and every day.

As we spend some time today meditating on this passage, think about the inn of your life and where you are going to make room for the presence of Jesus today.

– Melanie Briscoe

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Luke 2:4–5

Picture life without electricity or running water. What’s often unimaginable for us might have been commonplace for people in Nazareth at the time of Jesus’ birth. So as I try to understand the experiences of people from 40 lifetimes ago on the other side of the world in a place of villages and dirt roads, I come to wonder if the journey that Joseph and Mary took from Nazareth to Bethlehem was as difficult as we might think. After all, it’s likely that Joseph had family in Bethlehem and had traveled this road before. However, what makes this expedition notable and wonderful are the extraordinary circumstances that surrounded it.

Mary was likely in her third trimester, pregnant with a child from the God of the universe…let that sink in for a minute. I suppose this might make her less worried about their travels, knowing that God had a plan for this child. Yet Joseph, who had once almost left Mary but for a divine dream, might very well have struggled with the will of God in this moment. Normally, he and Mary would go to register with little hesitation, obeying the empire and protecting family assets remaining in Bethlehem. But his wife was very pregnant and this path was often dangerous.

Had Joseph put it all together—that this was the fulfillment of an age-old prophecy? If so, what a truly incredible moment—to see events lining up so perfectly and to be in the middle of it all! But what if he hadn’t figured it out, and earnestly wrestled with the decision to go to Bethlehem? Shouldn’t he guard his wife and this miraculous child by staying put? If so, he’d have to trust God to protect him from financial ruin and civil punishment. But if he decided to go, he needed faith that God would protect his family on this very inconvenient journey. Oh, to be a fly on the wall as Joseph prayed for guidance.

What do you do when you’re unsure of what’s best? What if Joseph had decided to wait it out in Nazareth? Would God’s plan have been thwarted? Or would God have shown up in another dream as He did when Joseph was ready to leave Mary? Something tells me that because Joseph was seeking to do right in the eyes of the Lord, God was there. And to me, that’s very comforting!
– Patrick Clark

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Luke 2:1–3

These three verses set the scene for an amazing story that is about to take place. An empire-wide registration was mandatory for all citizens, requiring many to travel to the birthplace of their ancestors. Luke’s intentional mention of Quirinius as governor creates a specific timeline of these events. He also makes a point to highlight Augustus, the supreme power figure in the ancient world, as God’s instrument in the fulfillment of messianic prophecy.

It seems that an edict from the government to pay taxes in person wouldn’t come as good news to a couple expecting their first child. I wonder how Mary and Joseph prepared for this trip? Did they expect to make it back home in time to have the baby? Did Mary bring the proper herbs, bandages and oils commonly used in childbirth at the time, just in case?

Luke does not give us these types of details. He merely tells us of the necessity to fulfill the task of governmental paperwork. Yet in this mundane chore, God is setting up an incredible and miraculous story. Mary and Joseph knew that God was at work in their lives and especially through her pregnancy. But I wonder if they knew that the errand of registration was part of this plan?

Sometimes it seems that the routine things in life are the least important. Sure, we believe that God is at work in our lives, but we usually do not see Him in the everyday tasks such as grocery shopping, washing dishes, or going to the DMV. Perhaps it is in these times that God is setting the scene for something incredible and miraculous for us.

– Mindy Coates Smith

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, The Lord Himself, is my strength and defense; He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

I didn’t really understand God at all until I had children.

In my younger years, I thought I had. That’s because I was soooo smart. I totally got God. He was, you know, God—the Creator of the universe and stuff, my spiritual “Father” (even though I had a real Dad who seemed to be filling the role of regular father just fine all on his own). But yeah, I got the general concept…

Of course, I was a know-nothing, arrogant dope. But kids changed all that, and gave me the ability to see just how little I knew—and to learn about God through the eyes of a father.

• I stood by helplessly as my wife struggled through a painful pregnancy and a brutal childbirth. And I learned about selflessness.
• I watched two babies take their first air-gulping cries. And I learned about the miracle of creation and the pride one feels in that process.
• I discovered just how utterly helpless infants are, and their total reliance on me for survival. And I learned responsibility.
• I found their toothless grins intoxicating. And I learned joy.
• I saw how my presence could change a mood. And I learned comfort.
• I gathered through experience that my kid’s fear could be lessened in my arms. And I learned protection.
• I angrily discovered they don’t always do what I tell them to do. And I learned about discipline.
• And I found out that I can’t stay mad too long, because they’re kids, because they don’t know any better, and because I love them like crazy! So I learned forgiveness.

Is there anything I wouldn’t do for my children? Do you think for a second that I wouldn’t protect them from anything that might try to harm them? Do you honestly think I wouldn’t love them when they hurt, encourage them when they’re down, and willingly give all of myself to ensure their happiness and safety?

I think every parent feels the same about their children. We all do. And God feels the exact same way about us—His children.

Isaiah 12:2 says, “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, The Lord Himself, is my strength and defense; He has become my salvation.” Isaiah repeats himself in this verse, “The Lord, The Lord Himself.” I’m pretty sure he wanted to make a point.

God is your Dad, dear reader. God Himself! And He loves you deeper than you’ll ever comprehend.

You are God’s kid, His precious child.

– Jonathan Bock