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An Advent Devotional Study from Caring.
Christmastime can carry many mixed emotions—and lots of stress. But this year will be different.
Reserve five minutes a day to read the daily devotional entry in this series and journey through the Christmas season with peace, perspective and hope.
This “Hope and a Future: Advent Devotional Study” will guide you through the month of December to ponder afresh the story of the Bible with Jesus’ birth as the focus. Find daily a reflection, highlighted Scripture, meaningful questions and a prompt for prayer.
Connect with God this Christmas season and experience hope for the future.
December 1: Come, oh Come Immanuel
Take a deep breath. Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts through today’s reflection.
What do you long for this Christmas?
Christmas is so much more than chocolate calendars. This season is more than Christmas movies, baking gingerbread or “just making it through the holidays.”
Our hearts long for things not packaged in red and green paper. This Christmas, I long to see my parents again; they passed away years ago. I long for healing for a friend with cancer and a job for another friend who’s looked—for months.
As we ache with longings, we can remember that the years before Jesus’ Advent, Israelites longed for their Savior to come. They lived in oppression by the Romans and held onto the hope that someday—maybe soon—the King promised to David would come to their rescue.
In fact, Advent means “to come to.” It’s the season including the four Sundays (and weekdays) that lead up to Christmas—when we intentionally focus on remembering the longings of Israel and the coming of Jesus.
Before Jesus arrived, some offered Israel clues about how and when their Messiah might come, including the prophet, Isaiah. He wrote about a future time when God would be born of a virgin to dwell among humanity—God in heaven would become God-with-us (Immanuel).
God with us.
Friend, God is with you this Christmas season by his Spirit. As you express the longings of your heart to him, he listens. Invite him into your moments and your thoughts this season. He came close in Jesus so we can come close to him, always.
Read: Hear from God
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Is. 7:14).
Reflect: Focus on God
Immanuel means “God with us.” In what areas of your life have you been keeping God at a distance? Invite him in.
Pray: Talk to God
Talk to God about your reflection above or anything else on your mind. There is no one right way to pray. Simply talk to God, who loves you and is ready for you to come.
If you would like to follow a sample prayer, here is one you can use:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one and only true God, I worship you. Thank you for the hope I have in you. Please forgive me for the ways I keep you at a distance in my life. Come, Lord. Come into every thought, every moment, every desire. I want all of me to be with you. Thank you, God. Amen.
Do Good:
- Looking for a meaningful way to prepare your family for Christmas? Try our new, classic downloadable Advent Paper Chain. For 25 days, reflect on the love we receive from God and give to others during the holiday season.
- Join us in making a difference with The Salvation Army this season and help families in your community during the holidays and beyond.
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