Advent Devotional: Dec 23

Luke 1:46b-55 | 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29 | Galatians 3:6-14

You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. (2 Samuel 7:24)

The Gospel of John says that God is love and love is often a creative force. Couple in love often desire to create a family and bring new life into the world. The love of humanity, nature, and life drives people to create art, music, and literature. God did not have to create anything, but God’s love - the love between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - compelled him to do so.

God’s covenant with Abraham shows us that God wanted to create a human family that he would watch over and guide. All people would be blessed through God’s promise to Abraham. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob became God’s chosen people and his human children. Then, thousands of years ago, God joined himself to his children in Jesus Christ. When God the Son joined himself to humankind, he made a way for all of humankind - Jew and Gentile - to become children of God. God’s love created a family.

The good news of Christmas is that God loves his creation so much that he descended into our world to draw us to him. God is not content to allow us to continue in our brokenness and sin without hope of redemption and restoration because he loves us. He loves you. God has overcome every barrier we have put up between our lives and his all so that his people can be his forever. 

John the Baptist was the voice crying in the wilderness, calling us to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Jesus is the Lord who has prepared the way for us to be part of the family of God. May the good news of Christmas and the love of God surround you as you join with your church family in worship this weekend! 

Prayer Response: Lord, your coming is still miraculous. Your joining the family of the poor and displaced still baffles and convicts us. Keep us by your manger until we learn the way of love. Amen.

- Shane Claiborne, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (p. 79)

Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary
Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica, Inc.
Reflections by Rev. Serena J. Wolfe

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Advent Devotional: Dec 22

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Advent Devotional: Dec 24