The psalmist describes waiting for the Lord “more than watchmen wait for the morning.” This waiting is like when I was a kid staring at the clock, waiting for Christmas morning. I couldn’t take the waiting. The anticipation was electric!
Advent is about leaning into that expectancy, knowing God is on His way. Just like the sunrise is certain, so is God’s faithfulness. This season, wait actively—pray, hope, and trust that He will meet you right where you are, right when you need Him to be there.
Reflection: What are you most eager to see God do in your life?
Application: Don’t just wait—watch! God’s best surprises often arrive when we least expect them.
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the waiting. The cookies need baking, the decorations need hanging, and those shipping delays—ugh! Similarly, God’s timing often feels slow, but Peter reminds us: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise.”
I’m not the most patient person in the world. Actually I’m not very patient at all. But Advent is a great reminder that even though we have to wait, God’s “slow” is never late. Advent is about trusting God’s timing. Just as Jesus came at the perfect moment in history, God’s promises to you are always on schedule.
Reflection: Where in your life do you need to trust God’s timing?
Application: This Advent, rest in the truth that God is never in a rush or ever late, but He’s always right on time.
Mary’s song, known by many as the Magnificat, is a joyful shout of hope! Imagine a teenager singing her heart out because she was chosen for an extraordinary role. This song is filled with praise as she praises God for lifting up the humble and keeping His promises.
Her song is like a favorite Christmas carol you can’t stop singing—it overflows with gratitude and awe. Mary’s song reminds us that God often doesn’t work through the mighty. He regularly chooses the unexpected to fulfill His plans.
Reflection: What are you singing about this season? Is your heart full of gratitude like Mary’s?
Application: Celebrate that God can use even you for His amazing purposes.
Imagine the darkest night you’ve ever experienced. The sun has set. The moon isn’t shining. The stars are mysteriously absent. Now picture a sunrise bursting across the horizon, chasing away every shadow. Not just any sunrise either. This is the fastest, most complete sunrise you can imagine. Dark to full sunshine in the blink of an eye. That’s what Isaiah describes when he says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Jesus is that light!
Isaiah prophesied about a child born to bring peace, justice, and righteousness to the world. And boy did they need it! Israel had fallen into the hands of foreign nations over and over again. They went their own way, walking away from God’s command, only to find themselves in a pile of…well you know. This wasn’t just good news for Israel—it’s for everyone!
The promise of light breaking into the darkness was for all people, not just those who were part of Israel. The season of Advent reminds us that Jesus’ love shines far beyond our little corner of the world. It shines through us into every relationship we have.
Reflection: How can you be a “light” to those around you this Advent season?
Application: Let’s reflect Christ’s light through acts of kindness, making the world a little brighter.
The very first Christmas promise wasn’t made to Mary or Joseph—it was whispered in Eden’s garden! Right after Adam and Eve ate that one fruit they were told not to eat, God declared war on the serpent, saying the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. That promise planted a seed of hope in the darkest moment of history.
Advent is a time of waiting. It’s like waiting for Christmas morning as a kid. You know the presents are there, but you have to wait to unwrap them! God’s promise of a Savior was the ultimate gift, wrapped in prophecy and fulfilled in Jesus. This season, remember that the Savior’s arrival was promised long before Bethlehem, showing us God’s perfect plan, perfect time and perfectly executed rescue.
Reflection: What “wrapped up” promises of God are you waiting to see fulfilled in your life?
Application: Trust that God always keeps His promises, even when the wait feels long.
The holiday season naturally stirs feelings of gratitude. We count our blessings around the Thanksgiving table, reflect on the year during Advent, and celebrate the greatest gift of all—Jesus—on Christmas Day. But what if our gratitude didn’t stop at words? What if it sparked something deeper?
Gratitude and generosity are like two sides of the same coin. When we truly recognize the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives, the natural response is a desire to share those blessings with others. It’s a theme woven throughout Scripture: “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8). God’s gifts are never meant to stop with us. Instead, they’re meant to flow through us, blessing others in the process.
Consider the story of the early church in Acts 2. These believers were so overwhelmed by God’s goodness that they shared everything they had, ensuring no one among them was in need. Their generosity was a direct outpouring of their gratitude for the new life they had found in Jesus. It wasn’t forced or begrudging—it was a joyful overflow.
This kind of generosity can feel countercultural in a season often marked by consumerism and stress. Advertisements and sales constantly urge us to focus on what we can get, not what we can give. But as followers of Jesus, we’re called to live differently. The holiday season is a perfect time to step off the treadmill of self-focus and ask, How can I use what God has given me to bless someone else?
Generosity doesn’t have to mean writing a big check or making grand gestures. Sometimes, the most impactful acts of generosity are the small, intentional ones. It could be baking cookies for a neighbor, leaving an encouraging note for a co-worker, or volunteering at a local shelter. It might look like paying for someone’s coffee in the drive-thru or giving a little extra in your church’s offering.
But generosity isn’t limited to finances or material things. It includes your time, your energy, and your relationships. Think about the single mom who needs help watching her kids or the elderly neighbor who would love a visit. Sometimes, the greatest gift you can give is to simply show up for someone who feels forgotten.
Here’s the challenge: This holiday season, find one way to be intentionally generous. Maybe it’s adopting a family in need, starting a new family tradition of volunteering, or simply looking for everyday opportunities to give. Whatever you choose, let it be something that stretches you just a little—something that turns gratitude into action.
But don’t stop there.
As you practice generosity during the holidays, ask God to help you make it a year-round habit. Generosity, like gratitude, grows with practice. Over time, it becomes less of an obligation and more of a joy-filled way of life.
Jesus is the ultimate example of generosity. He gave not out of obligation, but out of love—a love so great that He gave His very life for us. As we reflect on His gift this season, let it inspire us to be His hands and feet in the world.
Imagine how different this holiday season could feel—not hollow or stressful, but filled with purpose and joy. And imagine how different our world could look if more of us lived lives marked by gratitude and generosity. And it all starts with small, faithful steps.
Will you take the challenge? This year, let your gratitude inspire generosity. And watch how God uses it to bless others—and transform your own heart in the process.
The holiday season is supposed to be a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. But for many, it can feel painfully hollow. The festive decorations, cheerful music, and laughter of others can highlight what’s missing in your own life—a loved one who isn’t there, a relationship that’s fractured, or a dream that remains unfulfilled. Instead of joy, there’s a deep ache that whispers, “Everyone else is happy except me.”
If that’s you, know this: you are not alone.
The Bible is full of people who faced that “hollow” seasons of life. Take David, for example. His psalms are a raw mix of lament and praise. In Psalm 42, he writes, “My tears have been my food day and night… Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” David knew what it felt like to live in the tension of longing for God’s joy while experiencing deep sorrow. Yet even in his pain, he declared, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him.”
This is the power of gratitude in the hard seasons. It doesn’t erase the pain or deny the struggle. Instead, it shifts our focus from what’s missing to the One who remains faithful. When we choose to give thanks—not for the pain, but in the midst of it—we open our hearts to God’s presence. And His presence changes everything.
You might be wondering, How can I possibly give thanks when everything feels so broken? Start small. Gratitude doesn’t have to be loud or elaborate. It can be as simple as whispering, “Thank You, God, for carrying me through today.” Or noticing the beauty of a sunrise, the warmth of a cup of coffee, or the kindness of a friend. These small acts of gratitude build a bridge between the hollow places in your heart and the fullness of God’s love.
Jesus understands the hollowness of brokenness better than anyone. He left the glory of heaven to walk this earth, experiencing rejection, loss, and suffering. He wept at Lazarus’s tomb, even though He knew He was about to raise him from the dead. He felt the weight of abandonment on the cross. Yet He gave thanks, even on the night He was betrayed, breaking bread and pouring out wine as reminders of the sacrifice He was about to make.
This holiday season, you may not feel like celebrating. That’s okay. God doesn’t ask for perfect joy or forced smiles. He simply invites you to come as you are—to bring Him your emptiness, your pain, and your questions. In return, He promises to fill you with His peace, the kind that doesn’t depend on circumstances.
Your holidays may not look the way you hoped. They may still feel hollow in some ways. But as you make space for gratitude, even in the smallest moments, you’ll find that God’s love fills the emptiness with hope. And hope is the light that guides us through the darkest seasons.
Twas the night before Christmas, when Mary and Jo In a manger were resting for their baby to show A stable was where they would make up their beds And straw was the pillow they’d use for their heads.
The evening was ending, the time was at hand A baby named Jesus was born in that land. She wrapped him up tight and swaddled him close With this child came God’s love, and a heavenly dose!
And when he was born heaven opened its light And shined on some shepherds in a field that dark night. They fell to the ground and were filled with great fear, But the angel spoke quickly, “Do not shed one tear.”
I bring you good news of great joy on this night A child has been born to take all your fright. Yes a son has been born and Christ is his name, More angels then showed to sing of his fame.
O Glory and Honor Yes praise to the King O Glory and Honor Let your peace here reign. He came down from heaven He came down for all, To die for you, Rise for you Saving you all!
We all know the story, we’ve heard it before, How he died and he rose to open heaven’s door. A cross and some thorns were the gifts that we gave, His life for ours, it’s us he did save.
And now, in our churches, we gather and sing, All honor and glory to this child, our king. For he is our hope and our peace and our light Yes he is God’s love that came Christmas night.
Now off to your homes, go forth with God’s blessing. The Father and Spirit and Son you surrounding. May God bless you this night, as he shows you his love. Merry Christmas to you, may you know God’s Great Love!
Our final stop on this Advent journey is most certainly an unexpected place. Before we can really understand the events of the next couple of days, we need to see their unexpected end. We take it for granted mostly because we know the end of the story, but hit the pause button today and think about this one.
Jesus was the long expected child to be born. John 1 tells us that He was born to be a light in the darkest place imaginable. He would bring peace to a people who knew no such peace. He would instill joy in the hearts of all who would know him.
Imagine the look on Mary’s face when she held him that first time. The shock that Joseph experienced when he heard his tiny cry. Then fast forward just 33 years.
The same face that smiled as she held her first child now has a hard time seeing anything through the tears on her face. The light that came into the world for a moment is overshadowed by darkness once again. The peace that rang through the hillside at the birth of this baby, has quickly turned to shouts of death and murder. The life that came in a manger would now be laid bare on the cross.
This is the story of Advent. It’s the story of Jesus. It’s the story of why he came the way he came. None of it matters if this is missing. The unexpected end would bring an unexpected result…his death would mean our life. If his life meant our peace and joy in this life, his death would amplify that peace and expound on that joy. His unexpected end means our unexpected beginning!
An unexpected word as we sit just days before Christmas is the word sacrifice. We don’t think of sacrifice during a season of light and joy and peace and hope and love. Sacrifice is for other holidays. It’s for other times of year. We talk about sacrifice during Lent and the time when Jesus died on the cross, but during Advent it’s not really even on the radar. But that’s what this time of year really should be for all of us who are in Christ Jesus.
In Isaiah 9:1-7, Isaiah continues to paint the picture of the coming King. He would be powerful and mighty. He would reign not with fist and weapon but with dignity and honor and power. He doesn’t need an army to fight for him or swords to vanquish his enemy. He wins by sacrifice. And because of His sacrifice we are called to sacrifice as well.
That whole Jesus as King imagery really destroys the innocent, meek baby in the manger. Doesn’t it? We see him laying there with a blanket wrapped around him. Maybe he’s smiling. Maybe he’s sucking his thumb. Cute and cuddly. But Isaiah says we are to pledge our allegiance to Him. We’re to get rid of all things that are not Him from our lives so that we can focus on Him.
As we near the day of His birth consider what kings you’ve brought into your life. There are traditions that often overrule the real meaning of Christmas. We sit around our trees on Christmas morning instead of standing around his altar. We bow to our packages instead of bowing before his throne. This advent take time to reflect on the unexpected response God commands from us.
Leave the kingdoms of this world behind and revel in the wonder of the Jesus’ Kingdom.
