THE POWER OF A CHILD

Scripture:

Isaiah 9:2-7
New Living Translation (NLT)

2 [a] The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,[b]
    a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
    and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
    just as you did when you destroyed the army of
Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
    and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
    They will be fuel for the fire.
6 For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[c] Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne
of his ancestor David for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies will make this happen!

Reflection:

Today's Scripture passage actually causes me to
reflect on the transformative power of a "child… Born
to us"(v.6). This season, the celebration of Jesus
birth really signifies a change not only for my problems,
my struggles, my faithless ruts but for our entire
system of being human-spiritual, emotional, physical,
and political. Today we can reflect and rejoice in God's
promises for friends and family faced terrible times and
painful situations for He has "government and its peace
will never end" (v.7)

HOLIDAY REFLECTION

Scripture:

Read Psalm 98

1 Sing a new song to the Lord,
    for he has done wonderful deeds.
His right hand has won a mighty victory;
    his holy arm has shown his saving power!
2 The Lord has announced his victory
    and has revealed his righteousness to every nation!
(Psalm 98: 1,2)

Reflection:

This has been one holiday season. I feel like I have
been put through the ringer. I have listened to people,
who are rushed, who are angry, who are anxious,
about of all things Christmas. I have found myself
getting caught up in all of these different emotions.

As the seasoned winds down I find myself reflecting
on my attitude towards Christmas. It ends up so very
busy and so very cluttered. Actually it ends up feeling
like work. I find myself thinking about next year.
What changes do I need to make in my life, and in
the lives of those around me, to celebrate this season?
Celebrate like creation does in Psalm 98? I want my
wife, my children, and my grandchildren, to grow up in
a home where Christmas is equated with "the Lord
announcing his victory" (v.2 NLT). Hopefully this will
be our greatest cause of celebration, especially during
Christmas.

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you so very much for giving us
your victory. Thank you for all the celebration and joy
that brings I asked you Oh God to help me think of
new ways to see your victory every year and at every
Christmas celebration. In your holy and blessed name
AMEN.

THE CHRISTMAS SEASON IS OVER, OR IS IT?

Scripture:

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been
born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
(Luke 2: 11)

First let's get something straight, Christmas is not
an season.  Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall
are seasons.

Christmas is an act in history, it is an act of
of the heart, it is an act of the mind, it is an act
of the soul. And that specific act should not and
will not end!

The birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, continues
to present Himself in our lives.  Because of that
specific act, the birth of the Son of God, God
Himself, came into and continues to be in our
lives.  GOD IS THERE FOR US, HE CONTINUES
TO BE IN OUR LIVES. God is there for us, He
continues to comfort and guide us.  Not only
do we need to recognize the act of Christ's birth,
we need to realize that Jesus' birth continues to
affect our lives.

He was not only born into the world then, He is
born into our lives now!

Continue to experience Jesus Christ, that
experience will continue you to live for an
eternity.

AGAIN AND ALWAYS;  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Prayer:

Almighty God, I thank you for your birth into
the world, and I ask you to continue to be a
part of my life forever. Thank you God for
always being there for me.   In Your Holy
Name.  AMEN

"DON'T JUDGE BY APPEARANCE"

December 27, 2013

Scripture:

Read Matthew 3:1-17. TEXT: John bore witness about Him
and cried out, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes
after me ranks before me, because He was before me'"
(John 1:15).

It's been another long Christmas season and you may be
ready to put away the decorations for another year. But
before you pack up the manger scene, first stop and take a
long look at that baby. What did He look like in the flesh?
His divinity was so completely hidden within His human body
most would have passed by without giving Him a second
glance. But encountering John the Baptist would have been
a completely different story.

"John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt
around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey"
(see Matthew 3:4). The fiery wilderness prophet warned the
people of Israel to turn from their sins and be baptized
because the Kingdom of God was at hand. John stirred up
so much excitement that people began wondering if he was
the promised Christ.

John immediately put that question to rest, "He who comes
after me ranks before me, because He was before me"
(see John 1:30). Yes, John may have been born six months
before Jesus and began his ministry first, but Jesus definitely
ranked supreme. John adds, "He ranks before me because
He was before me." 

The Baptist's words line up perfectly with what the apostle
John has been writing all along. Jesus of Nazareth is no
mere human. He is the only-begotten Son of God who has
existed from eternity. Now He dwells among us in human
flesh.

THE PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, thank You for raising up John the Baptist
to witness to Your Son Jesus, our Savior. Give me courage
and wisdom to share with my friends, family and neighbors
all that Jesus has done for our salvation. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"HAVE YOU SEEN HIS GLORY?"

December 26

Scripture:

Read Numbers 9:15-23. TEXT: And we have seen His glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and
truth (see John 1:14).

How would you like to lift up your eyes any time of day or
night and look upon the glory of God? The Israelites who left
Egypt enjoyed that privilege for 40 years. The Lord revealed
His glory in the pillar that led them across the wilderness to
the Promised Land. By day it was a pillar of cloud, by night
a pillar of fire. After Israel settled into the Promised Land the
pillar disappeared. God was still present in their midst, but
their eyes could no longer perceive His glory.

On that first Christmas God's glory shone briefly around the
shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem. But when they
ran into the little town they saw nothing special, just an
ordinary-looking baby who was "wrapped in swaddling cloths
and lying in a manger" (see Luke 2:12). No halo shone
around His head. The fullness of the deity was concealed
within the tabernacle of Jesus' infant body.

His glory as the Son of God would not be revealed until His
Baptism at age 30. Only then did He begin revealing His
divine glory through His words and His miracles,
demonstrating His power over disease, accidents, nature,
demons ... even death.

Today His glory is hidden in common, ordinary things like
the words of the Bible, the water of Baptism and the bread
and wine of Holy Communion. But we can rest assured that
since Jesus satisfied God's wrath at our sins through His
suffering and death, we will live with him forever, always
looking upon His dazzling glory.

THE PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, because of all You accomplished in Your first
coming at Bethlehem, I will stand faultless when You come
again in glory. Keep me in this faith so I will always be
ready for that great day. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

Christmas Day

Scripture:

Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalms 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6;
(John 1:1-18).

"The Word was made flesh, he lived among us"
(John 1:14).

On this Christmas day, I'd like to share with you a lessor-
known classic from years ago that never made it beyond
the pages of a Tennessee newspaper. The folksy language
and main character may well remind you of the 1940s film,
and for many, like the plot in "It's A Wonderful Life" this
story will "ring true" -- perhaps because it is true. The
article begins:

"On a Saturday night before Christmas, thirteen year-old
David received his weekly salary as usual. But he didn't go
home. He had a special delivery of his own to make.

"First he went down to the lot where the Christmas trees
were being sold. When he'd given a number of the trees his
careful inspection, he bought one and loaded it on his bicycle.
Then he wheeled it over to the home of a steady customer.
She was seventy-one, and she had been blind for
thirty-seven years.

"'It's me, David from Speedway,' he said when she came to
the door. And then David walked in and set up the tree and
talked cheerily as he trimmed it with the lights and
decorations he had brought along.

"The woman could hardly speak. Even as David was leaving
she could only mumble her thanks. But the old lady was
thrilled. She kept reaching out to touch the tree's branches
and to breathe its forest-fresh fragrance. 'I'm seventy-one
years old, she kept saying over and over. 'I'm seventy-one
years old and I've never had a tree.'

The author concludes, "Delivery boys come in all shapes
and sizes and some of them bring more to their jobs than
work."

OUR DELIVERER CAME IN THE SHAPE OF A SMALL BABY
WRAPPED IN SWADELLING CLOTHS LYING IN A HUMBLE
MANGER.  HE BROUGHT MORE TO HIS JOB, FOR HE
CAME TO SAVE THE WORLD!

GOD IS WITH US!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"THE TABERNACLE OF THE LORD"

Christmas Day

Scripture:

Exodus 40:34-38. TEXT: And the Word ... dwelt among
us (see John 1:14).


When God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt by the
hand of Moses, they traveled through the wilderness
until they reached Mount Sinai. On that mountain the
Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets,
and gave Moses the design to build the Tabernacle-a
special tent that served as the place of worship in the
wilderness. When Moses set up the Tabernacle with all
its furnishings, all Israel could see the glorious presence
of the Lord entering and filling that tent-a pillar of cloud
by day and a pillar of fire by night.

John has this Tent of Meeting in mind when he writes of
Jesus' birth. In Greek he writes, "The Word became flesh
and 'tabernacled' among us." Jesus' infant body is the
tent in which God's glory dwells night and day. Like the
Old Testament Tabernacle, He moves from place to place
among His people revealing His glory through word and
deed until His work of salvation is complete.

Of this same human body Jesus will later tell His
enemies, "Destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it in
three days" (see John 2:19). Indeed they nailed His body
to the cross and put Him to death. But through His
suffering and death Jesus satisfied God's wrath at our
sins, and freed us from hell. But His body didn't remain
dead. On the third day He rose it to life again, promising
one day He will raise our bodies and make them glorious
like His own.

THE PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to dwell among us as
our Brother, revealing Your glory, and turning away Your
Father's wrath by taking our place on the cross. Fill us
with peace and joy this Christmas and always. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"BECOMING HUMAN"

(Day 24 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Luke 1:26-38. Text: And the Word became flesh
(see John 1:14).

Go to your nearest manger scene and carefully study
Baby Jesus. Does He have a halo around His head?
Artists often include a halo to remind us this isn't just
any human baby. This is the eternal Son of God who
became one of us.

Up until this 14th verse John has been describing the
Child of Christmas, according to His divine nature as
the Son of God. He is the mighty Word of God, the
eternal Son. Everything in heaven and earth was
created through Him. He is the Light of men. Now,
as John reaches the pivotal moment in all human
history, he tells us, "The Word became flesh." In that
great, unfathomable mystery, Jesus takes our human
nature into His divinity: He is conceived by the power
of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.

That is the mystery of Christmas-the majesty of God's
gracious plan. To save us from our sin, God's Son
became human just like us. As a human He could
place Himself under God's Law and earn our place in
heaven by His perfect life. As a human He could take
our place under God's wrath, suffering and dying for
our sins and disobedience. Being God His shed blood
was able to pay for the sins of the whole world. Being
God He could-and did-defeat Satan, sin and hell for all
of us.

From the manger to the cross and empty tomb He
experienced life's highs and lows: cold and heat, hunger
and thirst, a mother's embrace, the companionship of
friends, the ridicule and persecution of enemies, the
agony of death on a cross ... and the satisfaction of
rising to life again on the third day.

THE PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your incredible humility in
stooping down to become human. This You did so that
we might be adopted as sons and daughters of Your
Heavenly Father. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"GOD'S OWN CHILDREN"

(Day 23 of Adent)

Scripture:

Read 1 John 3:1-3. But to all who did receive Him, who
believed in His Name, He gave the right to become
children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the
will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God
(John 1:12-13).

The manger shows us the amazing humility of our Lord.
But it also stands as a stark reminder of the world that
rejected the very God who came to save it and give us
eternal life. In the brief span of a little more than 30 years
that Baby went from the manger to the cross to a tomb --
all at the hands of His own people who rejected Him.

But not everyone rejected Him. There were -- and are --
many individuals who receive Him and rejoice at His
appearing, even on that first Christmas. These include
Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, and the wise men who
saw His star, leading them on their long journey west.
Jesus didn't come in power, pomp or an irresistible show
of force. He came quietly and inconspicuously, a tiny
Baby lying in a feeding trough.

He comes to us the same way today -- through simple,
non-pretentious words, through a splash of water, through
simple bread and wine. He comes to us quietly, but He
does a remarkable thing. He gives us the right to become
His brothers and sisters: God's very own children. It's not
because of our genealogy, hard work, or lives of dedicated
service. We are born of God by the faith created in us by
the Holy Spirit.

THE PRAYER:  Holy Father, thank You for giving us faith
by which we receive the right to become Your children in
Jesus Christ our Savior. Keep us in this faith that we may
always remain part of Your forever family. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE OUTCAST"

(Day 22 4th Sunday of Advent)

Scripture:

Read John 5:32-47. He came to His own, and His own
people did not receive Him (John 1:11).

The manger scene is a much-loved symbol of Christmas.
But have you ever stood out by a manger scene on a
cold December night? It's not as comfortable as it
appears from inside a nice, warm car or house. It's cold
and drafty, and it's certainly no place to lay a newborn
baby. So why did Joseph choose such a place?

When it came time for Mary to give birth, Joseph
frantically searched the little town of Bethlehem for shelter,
but he found none. There was no room in the inn, no
homeowner willing to open his guest chambers. He had no
choice but to accept an animal shelter and lay Mary's Son
in that lowly feeding trough.

When Jesus grew up and began His public ministry, we
might expect His chosen nation the Jews to receive Him.
Some did, but most did not. The Jewish authorities rejected
Him, turned Him over to the Gentiles, and called for the
brutal and humiliating punishment of crucifixion. They even
stood by, jeering at Him as He hung from the cross.

Before we come down too hard on them, however, we should
look at ourselves. How often do we refuse to receive Him as
our King? How often do we pick and choose which of His
teachings we will accept and which we will reject? How often
do we demand to live life on our own terms and not on His?

THE PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, it was shameful of Your people to reject
Your Son, but I must admit I have often done the same.
Forgive me and give me a true gratitude and loyalty to the
King who suffered and died on the cross to save me from my
sins. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE WORLD STOOD STILL?"

(Day 21 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Revelation 3:20-21.

He was in the world, and the world was made through
Him, yet the world did not know Him (John 1:10).

Christmas is a big deal in the United States. Drive along
any road this Christmas Eve and you'll see more
shops, stores and restaurants closed than any other
day of the year. It seems like the whole world stops to
recognize and celebrate our Savior's birth.

Isn't that how it was that first Christmas morn? Didn't
everybody stop and rush to Bethlehem to see their
God and Savior sleeping in the manger -- as an infant?
Sadly, the answer is no. Search the texts of ancient
Roman historians carefully and you'll find no record of
His birth. What you will find is a brief mention of His
execution as a criminal under an obscure Roman
military governor named Pontius Pilate. The world was
too preoccupied with its own affairs to recognize
Christ's arrival.

Christmas is indeed a huge deal in our country. But is
our world really that much different than the first century?
How often is Jesus' birth overshadowed by Christmas
specials about St. Nick, snowmen or grinches? Can we
see the torch-lit manger beyond the bright holiday lights,
the shiny sales advertisements, the preoccupying
parties? How often do our own Christmas planning and
preparations push Him off to the side?

That's where we see Jesus' meekness and humility most
clearly. He didn't demand to be born in the best house in
town; He settled for a dusty, smelly feeding trough as His
crib. This Christmas He comes in that same humility,
quietly knocking at the door of our hearts. As the
Christmas carol says, "Where meek souls will receive
Him still the dear Christ enters in."

THE PRAYER: 

Heavenly Father, we are so easily distracted by fancy,
shiny things we often miss the truly important things --
 like Your Son sleeping quietly in the manger. Forgive
us and help us to welcome Christ our Savior this
Christmas. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIGHT"

(Day 20 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Psalm 19.  The true light, which enlightens
everyone, was coming into the world (John 1:9).

During the first three days of creation week, the earth
was illuminated by the special light God spoke into
 existence on that first day. On the fourth day we read
"And God made the two great lights-the greater light to
rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night-and
the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the
heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day
and over the night, and to separate the light from the
darkness. And God saw that it was good"
(Genesis 1:16-18). When morning dawned that fourth
day, the earth was bathed in sunlight for the first time.

The centuries before Jesus was born into our world
were similar to the first half of creation week. God
spoke through various men as prophets. Their words
shone through the darkness of sin to show the world's
need for a Savior and to share God's gracious promise
to send His own Son as that Savior. All those who
believed were saved through faith in that promised Son,
including Old Testament heroes like Noah, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, Moses and King David.

But now as the first Christmas draws near, a new light
is about to dawn. God's own Son, the Light of the world,
is ready to burst forth and enlighten every man just as
the rising sun illuminates every forest, hill, mountain
and lake, taking its place in the sky.

The Christmas Child is God's bright Light, casting out
our darkness and illuminating the path to heaven. On
the Last Day, Christ Jesus will return to judge the world,
and we will see Him break through the clouds and be
our Light forever.

THE PRAYER: 

Lord Jesus, shine in my heart and guide me on the path
to heaven. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"A SPECIALLY CHOSEN WITNESS"

(Day 19 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read John 1:19-34. There was a man sent from
God, whose name was John. He came as a witness,
to bear witness about the light, that all might believe
through him. He was not the light, but came to bear
witness about the light (John 1:6-8).

What is the most spectacular holiday display in your
area? How did you first find out about it? Unless it
happens to be your or your neighbor's house, or is
somewhere along the way to work, church or school,
somebody must have pointed it out to you. No matter
how bright this display is, we can pass within a block
or two of it without ever noticing it's there.

The same is true of the Child of Christmas. God's
mighty Son, the Light of the world, was lying in a
manger in Bethlehem, but none of the neighbors knew
a thing about it, that is, until some shepherds started
spreading the word that an angel had visited them and
announced His birth. The wise men never would have
started their long journey to Bethlehem to worship Him
unless the light of the Christmas star led them to Him.

That's why we need the witness of John the Baptist,
so we can know that the Baby of Christmas, the Child
in the manger, is God's promised Savior. John's voice
still cries out today, calling us to turn from our
destructive life of selfish preoccupation, so Jesus can
be born in our hearts. Now God sends us as witnesses
to tell our family, friends, neighbors and co-workers
about the most spectacular Light this world has ever
seen.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending witnesses like
John the Baptist to lead me to the brightness of Your
mighty Son. Empower me to be a witness, leading my
friends, family and neighbors to the wondrous Child of
Bethlehem. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"NO MORE GLOOM"

(Day 18 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Isaiah 9:1-7. For to us a Child is born, to us
a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His
shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

At the very beginning of the Old Testament, the Word
of God was there with the Father and Holy Spirit,
creating all things. As we have seen, all through the
history of the Old Testament God's promise to send
His Son was repeated and revealed ever more clearly
from generation to generation. Today we pause at one
last Old Testament promise before returning to John's
account of the first Christmas.

King Ahaz did not trust God's promise to deliver Judah
from Israel and Syria, but God was faithful. He handed
those two nations over to the dreaded Assyrian Empire.
The northern kingdom of Israel was hauled off into
captivity and dispersed throughout the Assyrian Empire.
It was a time of great anguish for believers who lived in
Israel.

But God speaks to these believers through His prophet
Isaiah. He singles out two of the northernmost tribes of
Israel-Zebulun and Naphtali-and promises, "The people
who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those
who dwell in a land of deep darkness, on them has light
shined. ... For to us a Child is born" (see Isaiah 9:1-7).

As we return to the Gospel of John, we note a young
virgin living in the northern region of Galilee in a town
called Nazareth. This virgin will miraculously conceive a
child and travel south to the city of David in the land of
Judah. And on a very special night the Virgin Mary will
give birth to her firstborn Son and lay Him in a manger.

THE PRAYER: 

Holy Father, thank You for sending Jesus and fulfilling
Your many promises throughout the Old Testament.
Give me faith that You will keep all Your other promises
as well. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE"

(Day 17 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Isaiah 7:1-14.  The Lord Himself will give you
a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a
Son (see Isaiah 7:14).

By the Holy Spirit, King David was a strong man of
faith. Sadly, not all his descendants were. After David's
son Solomon turned from the Lord to worship the false
gods of his many wives, the Lord divided Israel into two
kingdoms. David's descendants ruled the smaller
kingdom called Judah. The other ten tribes formed the
northern kingdom called Israel.

More than a dozen generations after King David, a
descendant named Ahaz ruled Judah. But he found
himself threatened by an alliance of the kings of Israel
and Syria. Ahaz was terrified. God sent the prophet
Isaiah to calm the king and assure him the kings of
Israel and Syria would fail.

In order to strengthen his faith and confidence God
promised to perform any miracle Ahaz chose. But
unbelieving Ahaz dismissed God's offer, already
determined to seek help from another country. So
God Himself chose the sign. It was actually two signs:
the first would be the defeat of the two kings in the
time it took a woman to conceive, bear and wean a
child. Indeed, in that short time Ahaz watched the
kingdom of Assyria sweep through and conquer both
Israel and Syria.

But Ahaz did not live to see the second sign. It is
the one you and I celebrate every Christmas. By the
power of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary conceived
and bore a son-God's own Son Jesus Christ. He
delivered us from a calamity far greater than enemy
nations. Jesus conquered Satan, sin, death and hell
to give us perfect peace and joy forever.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, thank You for foretelling the miraculous
conception of Your Son Jesus of the Virgin Mary.
Give me confidence that because Jesus Christ is
both God and Man, He is our Lord and Savior. In J
esus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE HOUSE GOD BUILT"

(Day 16 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read 2 Samuel 7:1-16. 

I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall
come from your body, and I will establish his
kingdom (see 2 Samuel 7:12).

The greatest king over Israel in the Old Testament was
King David from the tribe of Judah. He loved and trusted
God. While still a young man he boldly went up against
the giant Goliath and defeated him with a sling. He
became leader of Israel's army and fought many wars
to protect the nation that had descended from Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob. Finally, after many years the enemies
were defeated with God's help, and Israel was at rest
from war.

That's when David sat in his palace and thought about
the Ark of the Covenant. At God's command, Moses built
this symbol of God's presence among His people. After
hundreds of years that Ark was still sitting in the tent
Moses had constructed for it. David proposed to build a
great temple, so the Ark could finally rest inside a
permanent structure.

But through the prophet Nathan, God told David he was
not the king to build a temple, a house for Him. Instead,
God promised to build a house for David-an eternal
kingdom. He promised to raise up one of David's offspring
to be an eternal King; this King would live and reign over
Israel forever and ever.

David recognized that prophecy. It was the same promise
God had given Adam and Eve, the same promise He had
given Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah. It said one of their
descendants would be the promised Savior, the Son of
God. We celebrate the fulfillment of that promise again this
Christmas season with the birth of Jesus Christ our King.

THE PRAYER: 

"O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our
heav'nly home; Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery." Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE PROPHET"

(Day 15 of Advent)


Read Deuteronomy 18:15-19. 
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet
like me from among you, from your brothers-it is to
Him you shall listen (Deuteronomy 18:15).

The most famous of Jacob's 12 sons isn't Judah,
the ancestor of the tribe from which Jesus came, it
is his 11th son and his favorite: Joseph. Out of
jealousy Judah and his other brothers sold him into
slavery. He was then taken to Egypt and eventually
raised to the position of prime minister when God
gave him the interpretation of a dream of Pharaoh,
king of Egypt.

When the severe famine predicted in that dream
broke out, Jacob and his family went to Egypt to get
food. There Joseph revealed himself and brought
them to the land of Egypt to live while the famine
persisted. There the Israelites grew in numbers
until the Egyptians feared and enslaved them.

Four hundred years later God raised up an Israelite
from the tribe of Levi named Moses to free Israel
from slavery. Though Moses conveyed God's
command "Let My people go!" Pharaoh hardened
his heart and refused to listen. So God worked 10
powerful plagues through Moses that compelled the
Egyptians to let the Israelites go.

Moses was unique among all the leaders of Israel.
While God spoke to other prophets through dreams
and visions, He spoke to Moses face to face. Before
his death Moses spoke about the Child of Christmas,
promising that God would raise another unique
Prophet like himself. This great Prophet-the Son of
God-will be an Israelite, living among His fellow
Israelites. No wonder we go to such efforts each
Christmas to celebrate His birth among us.

THE PRAYER:
Holy Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus
to be our great Prophet. Give us faith to hear and obey
Him always. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE CHOSEN TRIBE"

(Day 14 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 49:1-2, 8-12. The scepter shall not
depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between
his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall
be the obedience of the peoples (Genesis 49:10).

As time went by, God revealed more of His plan to
send His Son into the world. He promised Abraham
the Savior would come out of the great nation of his
descendants. Abraham was the father of Isaac. Isaac
was the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father
of 12 sons. These 12 became the ancestors of the
12 tribes that made up the nation of Israel.

But God still had to choose one of those tribes from
which His Son would be born. He rejected Jacob's first
three sons and chose the fourth, Judah, to be the ruler
of the nation, the ancestor of the tribe from which His
Son would come.

In the time before Jesus' birth that first Christmas morn,
great rulers arose from the tribe of Judah, especially
King David. He successfully led the armies of Israel
against all the enemies that threatened it-winning peace
for his people.

His descendant Jesus Christ also came as ruler to
defend us from all our enemies. He did this, however,
not by raising an army to fight behind Him. Jesus went
to battle all alone, His hands and feet nailed to the cross.
But by His suffering and death He routed all our enemies.
He crushed Satan's head, destroyed death, and rescued
us from hell. Raised on the third day, He sits enthroned
at God's right hand in glory.

This is the Savior whose birth we are preparing to
celebrate in 11 more days.

THE PRAYER:

Gracious Father, thank You for revealing Your undeserved
promise to send Your Son throughout the pages of the Old
Testament. Fill us with peace and joy this Christmas
season as we again celebrate His birth, life, death and
resurrection for us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"THE CHEAT"

(Day 13 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 28:10-17. I will not leave you until I have
done what I have promised you (see Genesis 28:15).

Abraham's son Isaac grew up and married a woman
named Rebekah. In time she became pregnant with twin
sons-one of whom would continue the line that would
lead to the Christmas Child. God told her, "Two nations
are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall
be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the
older shall serve the younger" (see Genesis 25:23). The
younger twin Jacob was that child of promise, whose
descendants would form a great nation.

Jacob was an unlikely person to be a blessing to the
world. His name means "he cheats." This he proved
twice by cheating his older twin Esau-first by buying
Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew, then tricking his
blind father to receive the blessing Isaac intended to
give Esau. While fleeing from Esau's murderous rage,
Jacob dreamed of a ladder stretching from earth to
heaven with God standing at the top. The Lord repeated
the promise He had previously given Abraham and Isaac:
"in you and in your offspring shall all the families of the
earth be blessed" (see Genesis 12:3). The next 20 years
saw many ups and downs in Jacob's life, but God kept
His promise and never left him.

Each Christmas we remember how God fulfilled His
promise to bless all the families of the earth through
Jacob's offspring, Jesus Christ, the Baby of Bethlehem.
Like Jacob we don't deserve the blessings Jesus earned
for us. But God offers them to us out of His pure grace:
the gifts of forgiveness, peace and eternal life with Him
in paradise.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, You faithfully keep every promise You
make, and remain with us until all Your promises are
fulfilled. Keep us in this faith in Jesus Christ our Lord,
that we may receive the gift of eternal life You promised
when He returns. We pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE CHILD OF PROMISE

(Day 12 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 17:15-19, 26:1-5. God said, "Sarah
your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his
name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as
an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him"
(Genesis 17:19).

Abram was 75 years old when God called him to
travel to a distant land. He promised to make a great
nation out of him-and from that nation to send His
Son to bless all nations. Abram obeyed God and
brought his wife Sarai along to the land of Canaan.
But for 25 more years they remained childless. Over
that long period of waiting God repeated His promise
to Abram again and again, changing his name to
Abraham and his wife's to Sarah.

But it was hard for Abraham and Sarah to wait so
long for God to keep His promise. At one point Sarah
decided to take matters into her own hands. She
gave her maidservant to Abraham that he might have
the child of promise through her. But the servant's
son Ishmael was not the child God had promised
Abraham. By God's mighty power Sarah herself
would give birth to the promised child. Finally, when
he was 100 years old, Abraham's 90-year-old wife
Sarah gave birth to Isaac, whose name means "he
laughs."

Like Abraham, the world had to wait a long time for
the birth of God's great Child of promise: Jesus
Christ, the Baby of Bethlehem. Every year we
celebrate His birth with great joy and laughter, and
we rejoice in the great blessings of peace,
forgiveness and eternal life He brought the world
through His life, death and resurrection.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, thank You for faithfully keeping Your
promise. Give me patience to wait for Jesus' second
coming, when You will restore all believers and
creation to complete perfection. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"NEXT IN LINE"

(Day 11 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 11:1-9, 12:1-3. In you all the families
of the earth shall be blessed (see Genesis 12:3).

After the flood Noah's children began to repopulate
the earth. But the flood didn't really change mankind's
fallen nature. Even while God was promising Noah He
would not send another flood because of man, He
noted, "the intention of man's heart is evil from his
youth" (see Genesis 8:21).

An episode in Genesis 11 illustrates this stubborn,
rebellious streak in mankind. God had commanded
Noah and his descendants to spread out after the
flood and fill the earth. But while migrating west, a
group of them decided not to keep spreading out, but
to stay together and make a name or reputation for
themselves. They began building a huge tower with
its top in the heavens. God confused their language
so they would not understand one another. As a result
they went out and spread across the earth.

Though they were spread out, history was slowly
repeating itself. Just like Seth's descendants before
the flood, the number of believers among Noah's
descendants began to plummet again. So the Lord
chose an unbelieving man named Abram. He called
him from worshiping idols and false gods to leave his
father's house and go to a land God would show him.
The Holy Spirit created faith in Abram, and he obeyed
God and went. The Lord promised to make him into a
great nation and bless every nation through his offspring.
Once again the promise of the Savior remained intact,
being passed down from generation to generation.

THE PRAYER: Lord God, Holy Father, by sheer grace
alone You called Abram to leave his home and follow
You. Give me such an obedient heart that I may leave
behind all temptations and sinful pursuits to love and
follow my Lord Jesus Christ. I pray in His Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries).

"MANKIND'S DESCENT"

(Day 10 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 6: 1-8. TEXT: The Lord was sorry that
He had made man on the earth ... but Noah found favor
in the eyes of the Lord (see Genesis 6:6, 8).

Adam and Eve passed their sinful nature on to their
children. It wasn't long before this nature bore its
poisonous fruit. When God rejected the sacrifice offered
by their firstborn son Cain and accepted his brother's,
Cain murdered Abel. Though God protected him from
retaliation, Cain turned his back on God
(see Genesis 4:16) and taught his descendants, the
Cainites, to do the same.

Eve gave birth to another son named Seth through
whose descendants God promised to send His Son.
Sadly, most of Seth's descendants turned away from
God too, choosing to marry the ungodly Cainite women,
who led them away from God. By chapter six we read,
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great
in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was
sorry that He had made man on the earth, and it
grieved Him to His heart" (Genesis 6:5-6).

God decided to blot out man from the face of the land,
along with all the birds and land animals. But God
remembered His promise to Adam and Eve, and
looked in mercy on one of Seth's descendants. By the
power of the Holy Spirit, Noah still trusted God's
promise. Noah found favor with God because of this
Spirit-given faith, and was instructed to build an ark to
save his household and enough animals to repopulate
the world after the flood.

God would keep His promise to save mankind through
a distant descendant of Noah-the Child of Christmas.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, our sinful nature is evil beyond our
recognition. Forgive us our sin and restore us through
Your Son Jesus. Amen.

THE DARKNESS HAS NOT OVERCOME IT

(Day 9 of Advent)

Scripture:


Read John 3:16-21.
TEXT: The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

When God created light on the first day He didn't
banish the darkness entirely. He established the
regular cycle of night and day, darkness and light.
This framework gave us time to work and play and
time to rest and sleep. But even in that time of
darkness God provided night lights by creating the
moon and stars on the fourth day.

When our first parents Adam and Eve disobeyed
God's command, a new kind of darkness came into
our world. It swept over God's creation like a raging
flood, swallowing up everything in its path. It
distorted our hearts and minds, corrupted our
desire and will, and made us God's enemies-
captives of death and hell.

But just as God did not leave the earth wrapped in
darkness, He did not abandon His creatures to sin's
darkness either. He sent His Son into the world to
overpower it. The spiritual darkness was not about
to go quietly. It stirred King Herod to try to slaughter
the young child among the young boys in Bethlehem.
Throughout the days of His public ministry, it tried to
silence Jesus through threats and persecution.
Finally, on the cross and in the sealed grave it
looked as though darkness had snuffed out the Light.
But on the third day Christ arose, shining His light
of victory over sin, Satan, death and hell forever.

This world still tries to snuff out the Light-to take
the Christ out of our Christmas. But Jesus remains
our Light, our Lord, our Savior, and the Mighty One
who will come to judge all.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for shining out through the
darkness of our world, even when it cost Your life.
Continue to shine in my heart, and vanquish the
darkness that still lingers there. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SHINE

Scripture:

Isaiah 2:1-5

2 In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
    will be the highest of all—
    the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
    and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
3 People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
    and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
    his word will go out from Jerusalem.
4 The Lord will mediate between nations
    and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
    and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
    nor train for war anymore.
5 Come, descendants of Jacob,
    let us walk in the light of the Lord!


Where's Gran?" I asked. "She went to church," Dad replied.
Church? On Christmas? We didn't attend church when I was
a child. I knew friends who did, and I'd even go on vacation
Bible school with one of them. But I didn't know people went
to church on Christmas day. I mean it was Christmas after all-
presence, food, and PJs all day.

Later the front door opened and Gran walked in. When I caught
her eye, she smiled at me, joy radiating from her face.

Isaiah is seeing the Lords Temple established as the highest
of mountains, exalted above the hills and all the nations
streaming to it (v.2). God intended Jerusalem to be a glorious
beacon calling all nations to him.

God calls us to live in such a way that others are drawn to him too.
The image of Gran walking in the door from church with that
glowing smile is still with me. She gave me a glimpse of Christ
that Christmas morning.

Prayer:
Father; let others see you in me. Amen

(The Covenant Home Alter, author Belinda Thee)

"PARADISE LOST"

(Day 8 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 3:1-19. TEXT: He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heal (see Genesis 3:15).

Adam and Eve adored God, loved each other, and
enjoyed perfect harmony with all God's creatures. God
set only one limit on them: He commanded them not to
eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil. Created in God's image they already knew all there
was to know about "good." Their loving Father wanted to
spare them from learning about evil.

Sadly, evil had already reared its ugly head in heaven.
One of God's holy angels turned against Him and led
many fellow angels to rise up in rebellion. Unable to
defeat God, Satan turned to destroy the humans God
loved. He took the form of a serpent and in great cunning
and deceit convinced Eve she would become like God if
she ate the forbidden fruit. Adam was there and saw
through the deceit. Unfortunately, instead of protecting
his beloved wife, he watched her eat; then he took the
fruit from her hand and ate it himself.

This simple act of disobedience shattered the perfect
peace of creation, filling it with famine and plague,
suffering, disease and death. At the same time it
plunged Adam and Eve and all of their descendants into
sin and death. Every day we see the fruits of their
disobedience: crime, violence and war.

God had every right and reason to condemn lost
mankind, wipe us off the face of His earth, and start
again. Instead, He came up with a rescue plan centered
on His Son becoming one of Adam and Eve's offspring: a
Man who would destroy Satan's work and remove the
curse on mankind.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, each of us deserves nothing but Your wrath
and punishment for our sinfulness. Yet in mercy You
planned to send Your own Son to save us. For His sake
forgive our sins, and fill us with Your perfect peace. In
Jesus' Name. Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"A PERFECT HOME FOR PERFECT PEOPLE"

(Day 7 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Genesis 2:4-23.

TEXT: The Lord God formed the man of dust from the
ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and the man became a living creature (Genesis 2:7).

Reflection:

"All things were made through Him, and without Him
nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3).
The Son of God rejoiced in the beautiful world that
was made through Him: the rugged mountains, green
hills and lush valleys, the gently flowing streams, the
winding rivers, the deep, blue lakes, and the spacious
oceans. He reveled in the amazing beauty of flowers,
plants and trees that spread through His forests and
meadows. He relished the birds soaring across the
skies, the fish teeming through the waters, and the
animals covering the land.

But to reach its full potential it needed humanity's
touch. So God formed Adam from the dust of the
earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
 Adam and Eve bore the image of God: perfect and
holy, gentle, loving and good. They were full of
creativity and passion, and they enjoyed a perfect
balance of emotional and mental health. They were
here to improve God's world-to tend and keep it, to
prune it, and make it more fruitful and beautiful.

God intended us to pass the days of our life in this
perfect paradise where sickness, suffering and death
were to be unknown. Sadly, because of their
disobedience that paradise was lost. But because of
the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
we can be confident this creation will be restored to
an eternal, perfect paradise when He returns on the
Last Day.

THE PRAYER:

Holy Lord, You created a paradise and the perfect
people to tend and keep it. Thank You for coming to
our fallen world to restore us by Your birth, death and
resurrection. Come quickly to restore us and Your
creation. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"OUR LIGHT"

(Day 6 of Advent)

Scripture:


Read John 12:35-36. TEXTS: The earth was without form
and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. ...
And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light
(see Genesis 1:2-3).

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men
(John 1:4).

Reflection:

We're walking down the sidewalk on a dark and dreary
December night. We tighten our collars and lean into
the blustery wind as the cold bites our cheeks. Then
someone throws a switch. In the twinkling of an eye
the darkness is shattered by thousands of brilliant
Christmas lights that warm our hearts and fill us
with childlike joy.

At the very beginning the world was shrouded in
deep darkness. Then the Word spoke, "Let there be
light." Instantly, beautiful light burst forth over the
newly formed earth and the darkness was gone.

On the sixth day God placed our first parents in a
beautiful, abundant paradise. But Adam and Eve
plunged our world into the darkness of sin, guilt
and misery by eating the fruit God had forbidden.
As their children we are all born in the darkness of
sin. We grope our way blindly through this life
unable to find our own way back to God. 

But God did not leave us in darkness. The Word
who first spoke and scattered the darkness comes
to shine His light into our hearts. He shows us
God's love and forgiveness, and promises us all
the joys and delights of the eternal paradise He
won for us by His perfect life, death and
resurrection. He is our light shining through the
darkness and in the shadow of our death.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for lighting my darkness,
forgiving my sins, and promising me eternal life
in Your presence. Scatter the darkness that still
clings to me, and cheer me with Your light.
Amen

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"IN HIM WAS LIFE"

(Day 5 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Psalm 104:24-35.
TEXT: In Him was life (see John 1:4).

Reflection:

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is our Christmas
tree. While every other tree in the wood stands bare and
dead, our pines and spruces still look green and full of life.
But once we cut down one of those trees and bring it into
our house it's only a matter of time before it dries up and
its needles start to fall. Even if we were to leave it in the
ground it would still grow old, turn brown, and die, after
enough years passed.

Every creature on earth is like that. Life is a gift we
receive from God. We require food and drink to sustain
that life, but no matter how hard we try, after enough years
we grow old and frail, and eventually die.

Not so for the Baby in the Christmas manger. John tells
us, "In Him was life"-the immortal life of God Himself.
This separates Him from His creatures. He alone
possesses life as an element of His being. Not a single
one of us creatures can claim this. Not long before
Jesus went to the cross for us He said, "I lay down My
life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me,
but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to
lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again"
(see John 10:17-18).

That's what makes Christmas such a joyous season:
the mighty, living Word came to restore life to us in the
midst of death and suffering. Through His own death
and resurrection He has conquered death and gives us
life unending.

THE PRAYER:

Thank You for giving me life and sustaining that life in
this world, O God. Receive my praises for Your Son
who laid down His life that I might live eternally with
You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

"HAND-MADE"

(Day 4 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Colossians 1:11-20.
All things were made through Him, and without
Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:3).

Reflection:

Do you want to give a really special, memorable gift this
Christmas? Don't buy something from the store; make
it yourself. Your time, care and attention will show how
important you consider that person. Of course, it helps
if you have some skill or talent in making things.

John's Christmas account carries us back to the very
beginning of Genesis, to a formless and empty earth.
Over the next six days God goes to work carefully
arranging it. He establishes the regular cycle of night
and day; He separates the dry land from the waters;
He sets the sun, moon and stars in place; He produces
trees and vegetation; He creates all kinds of living
creatures to fill the skies, waters and land. And finally
He forms mankind from the dust of the earth.

And where is the Son of God in all of this? John tells us
He is at the Father's side, making all things through His
powerful Word. Read through Genesis 1 again and see
how many times Moses wrote, "And God said ...." This
is the Word, the Second Person of the Trinity. John tells
us, "All things were made through Him." To eliminate any
misconception he adds, "and without Him was not
anything made that was made."

Everything you can see bears His fingerprint, including
your own body, mind and spirit. Each person, each
creature, each blade of grass owes its existence to the
Word. It was He who humbled Himself on that first
Christmas to become part of His creation and be laid in
a manger-a feeding trough for the animals He had created
long before.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, truly I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Thank You for providing my needs and watching over my life.
Draw me closer to You in the weeks leading up to this
Christmas. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

WHAT WAS BEFORE THE BEGINNING?

(Day 3 of Advent)

Scripture:

Read Psalm 139. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God (John 1:1-2)

Reflection:

If you didn't buy all your Christmas presents on Black
Friday, you might want to start thinking about what
you're going to put under the tree. Have you ever taken
a short cut and just went out and bought the first thing
you saw? How did it feel sitting around the tree at
Christmas and watching your loved one open that
present, knowing you could have done better? Now is
the time to start thinking about those special people
God has brought into our lives, and what they mean
to us.

The same is true of the Christmas Child. To grasp the
full significance of His birth, we need to think about who
He is. John begins his account of Jesus' birth at the
exact same moment Moses began the Book of Genesis,
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

The Word who would be conceived and born of the Virgin
Mary was right there sharing an intimate, eternal fellowship
and communion with God His Father. But before we can
jump to the false conclusion there must be two Gods, John
immediately sets us straight, "And the Word was God.
" There is only one God, but He exists in three Persons,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Long before Jesus was born a human baby and laid in
Bethlehem's manger, He already existed as the Second
Person of the Holy Trinity. No, Christmas isn't about any
ordinary child. It's about God's one and only Son becoming
one of us. What Christmas gift could be more special than
that?

THE PRAYER:

Holy Father, the Baby born at Christmas was no ordinary
child. He was Your own, eternal Son. Give me faith and
confidence to know He is with me always. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.   

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

IN THE BEGINNING

(Day 2 of Advent)

Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word
(see John 1:1)

Reflection:

Before we jump into the hustle and bustle of preparing for
Christmas of 2013, it is important to journey back in time
to that first Christmas. John does just that in his Gospel.
But he doesn't stop at the manger in Bethlehem. He
goes back beyond the moment Joseph discovers his
betrothed wife Mary is pregnant. He doesn't even stop
when the angel first appears to the Virgin Mary. John
keeps going backward in time, carrying us back all the
way to the start of the Old Testament.

John starts his account of the first Christmas with
"In the beginning"-the precise moment God creates
the heavens and the earth. The earth lies before us
formless and void, covered with seas and wrapped
in darkness. John writes "In the beginning was the Word "

Notice John did not write, "In the beginning is the Word.
" At the beginning of the creation of the heaven and
earth, the Word already was. Mary's Son, the Word that
would become flesh that first Christmas morn, existed
long before. He existed before the world was created.

Before we dive into all our Christmas preparations,
before we start wondering if it's worth all the time and
work, let's remember we are not merely celebrating
the birth of one more famous human baby. We are
preparing to celebrate the human birth of the timeless
and eternal Word of God, who was there at His Father's
side before God created the heavens and the earth.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING

The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us (see John 1:14)

Reflection:

As this Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close you
might want to start thinking about Christmas,
especially if you haven't given it a thought before!
This year Thanksgiving is as late as it gets. That
leaves us only three and a half weeks to buy those
presents, put up the decorations, send out the
invitations, mail out the greeting cards, bake all the
cookies, and do all the other Christmas preparations
you have to this year. Where should you start?

I would suggest we take a moment to remember
what all the fuss is about. Before we jump into all the
holiday preparations, let's stop, turn around, and take
a look behind us-way back to the very first Christmas.
Three books of the Bible do that for us: Matthew,
Luke and John. Each describes Jesus' birth from a
slightly different perspective.

Matthew shows us Christmas from the viewpoint of
Joseph the carpenter-Mary's husband and Jesus'
foster father. He discovers his betrothed wife is
pregnant, considers divorcing her, then takes her as
his wife after receiving an angelic message in his
dreams. Luke shows us Christmas from Mary's point
of view. She is visited by the angel Gabriel who
announces God has chosen her to be the mother of
His Son. Then she travels with her husband to
Bethlehem where she gives birth to her firstborn Son.

This Christmas season we will study John's account
of the first Christmas. John will not look at Christmas
through the eyes of Joseph or Mary. Instead, he will
have us look directly into the eyes of the Baby Jesus,
so we can clearly see the reason for this season-and
all the preparations we make.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)