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

This particular Name of the Messiah is couched in a prophetic passage from God through the prophet, Isaiah. And not only is He our Wonderful Counselor, but our Mighty God, our Everlasting Father, and our Prince of Peace. He comforts and guides us with His Spirit. He demonstrates His might when He emerges from the tomb, victorious over death. He was, and is, and is to come; He leads His people with an Everlasting love as a father leads his children. His counsel, might, and care bring peace to our hearts…and not the peace people like to talk about during this season. The Peace that He brings is the kind that will remain and even grow in difficult times; it saturates the heart with the assurance of His love in spite of the darkness of the world and our own sinful nature. It changes and covers and blesses.

Devotion contributed by Heidi Goehman & Sarah Baughman.

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1

The same Word spoken at Creation, the same Word spoken through prophets of old, this Word has come to dwell among us. He is God’s Word of love and mercy to a broken world. And not merely to the world, as we might send a text, email, or even letter, but the Word of love in our world. His name, whispered into our hearts broken by sin, brings grace and healing. When we speak His name aloud, we invite more grace into our day. Praise the Word of Life! Where can you speak of Him today?

Devotion contributed by Heidi Goehman & Sarah Baughman.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6

In John 14:6, Jesus responds to the question of a man named Thomas, but really we all have been in that place, asking the same question – “How can we know the way?” How often in life do you wonder which way to turn, which way to walk, or even where to ask the questions? Every time we ask, Jesus willingly answers our questions in His Word. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He is the Way means He is the Answer to every question, every road we need to walk, and every fork in that road. Jesus, today we ask You to Show us the Way. Show us Yourself, dear Savior.

Devotion contributed by Heidi Goehman & Sarah Baughman.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
John 11:25

Death stands in strong opposition to the Life that God created in the beginning. When sin came, death was not far behind as the consequence.  However, Jesus is stronger than Death. He swallows it up and brings Life – life as new as a tiny Baby and eternal as God Himself – to a world held captive to sin and death. And at the end of time, we will witness with the whole world, the resurrection of all the dead at His second coming. We praise Him who is our Resurrection and Life!

Devotion contributed by Heidi Goehman & Sarah Baughman.