Advent Devotional: Dec 20
1 Samuel 2:1-10 | Genesis 21:1-21 | Galatians 4:21-5:1
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
(1 Samuel 2:8)
As I read Hannah’s prayer again, I was struck by this verse. It perfectly sums up what God has done to save his people. Abraham and his family were nomads with nothing significant to offer the world, but God worked through Abraham to bring his people, Israel, into existence. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, but God rescued them and set them free. Hannah was childless, but God gave her a child and provided her a hopeful future. Jesus was born into a poor family in Bethlehem and now sits at the right hand of God the Father. God has chosen to work through the poor and powerless to bring salvation. We do not need the things our world values - wealth, power, intellect, or strength - to be loved by God. God loves us because we are part of his creation. He invites us to be his children and gives us a hopeful future. This is good news!
The God we read about in the Old Testament who freed the slaves from Egypt and promised to be their God is the same God who made a promise of salvation to all people through Jesus Christ. The birth of Christ shows God’s love for all of us. We will celebrate this love and the gift of freedom Jesus gives on Sunday morning when we sing about his birth.
Prayer response: Holy are you Lord God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. As in the poverty of a stable Jesus was born, so by the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. Help us by the Holy Spirit to be people of great hope. Fill us with your love and grace. Amen.
Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary
Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica, Inc.
Prayer adapted from “The Great Thanksgiving for Christmas Eve, Day or Season,” Copyright © 1972 The
Methodist Publishing House; Copyright © 1980, 1981, 1985 UMPH; Copyright © 1986 by Abingdon Press;
Copyright © 1987, 1989, 1992 UMPH.
Reflection by Rev. Serena J. Wolfe
