December 8th: John the Baptist
“‘And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before to Lord to prepare the way for him…’” [Luke 1:76]
“‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down to untie. I will baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’” [Mark 1:7-8]
The birth of John the Baptist is entwined with the birth of Jesus, just as their ministries would be. John the Baptist would prepare the way for Jesus and even baptize Him. Then John’s followers would become Jesus’ followers. How counter-cultural, to work for the sole purpose of paving the path for someone greater to surpass you. But this is the upside-down Kingdom of God. And John will spend his entire life obediently dedicated to ushering it in.
Lord, in John we see yet another humble servant who is willing and obedient. He spent his life lifting up someone other than himself. Help us to see this world through the same lens, looking for people we can encourage and lift up, bringing glory to your name. Amen.
December 9th: Zechariah’s Song
“…because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” [Luke 1:78-79]
If you are in a place of darkness this holiday season, facing trials that seem insurmountable, take comfort that John and Jesus were born to shine light into that very darkness. These words from Zechariah’s song show us that what people call “the reason for the season” is for hope and peace, pure hope and peace from heaven, to break through in the lives of every person. God sent his Son because of you. So no matter what you are feeling, no matter how low, know that nothing, no circumstances can separate you from the love of Christ. The joy and hope expressed in Zechariah’s song is a gift for you.
Lord, help us to receive the peace and hope you offer us through Jesus. Help us also to be sensitive to people who are experiencing emotional pain and trials that make this holiday season especially difficult. We pray blessings over them. Be near to them and surround them with people who can be your hands and feet, delivering care and comfort. Amen.
December 10th: Caesar Augustus
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.” [Luke 2:1-3]
I sometimes forget that the birth of Jesus happened amidst the normal circumstances of life and politics. While Jesus is positioning himself in the most humble of places–as a baby–Caesar is counting people to see how big his empire is, what taxes he can collect. This juxtaposition is yet another example of the upside-down Kingdom of God. Even Jesus’ followers would expect Jesus to follow the expected path to power—to overthrow the current government and rule in the worldly sense. But when asked in Matthew 22 if it is right to pay taxes, Jesus says to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. He taught his followers that the things of this world do not have value in the Kingdom of God, where the currency is grace, peace, love.
Lord, help us to live and love well in this world while keeping our true investments and hopeful eyes trained on your Kingdom. And show us how to reflect its light to others. Amen.
December 11th: The Journey
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” [Luke 2: 4-5]
I cannot imagine this 90-mile journey as a pregnant woman in this time period. The birth of Jesus was imminent and Mary willingly steps out with so many unknowns ahead of her. No birth plan, no doctor. When I was pregnant for the first time, I knew, as an anxious person, I would have periods of sheer fear of the unknown. I named my son Caleb Joshua before he was even born, after listening to a sermon about the two spies who believed God despite the giants they faced. I think God knew I would need a steady reminder of his promises—before I gave birth. I needed them for the journey. As I faced the bumps, complications, and unexpected twists and turns. I can only imagine that on this long journey, with no cell phones, no music, impending danger from thieves and wild animals, that Mary and Joseph did the same. That in the quiet spaces they pondered the promises that they received from God through Gabriel about the birth of Jesus.
Lord, thank you for your promises. The ones that are absolutes that we can stand on no matter what. That you love us. That you are with us, no matter what we face. That nothing can separate us from you and your love. That you work things for our ultimate good. Help us to carry your promises on each of our journeys and take the time to remind ourselves of who you are. Because what we think about along the way shapes our ability to handle trials that life throws our way. Amen.
December 12th: Bethlehem
“‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.'” [Micah 5:2]
As the story of Jesus unfolds, we see connections to prophecy made in the Old Testament. We see here that Bethlehem had been part of God’s plan. The census led Mary and Joseph to what is also called the City of David. It is where David was born and from the lineage of David came the Savior of the world–Jesus. In my life I tend to have a “from this moment forward’ perspective. Where am I now, where do I want to be? But when I take the time to look back over my life, I see God’s influence and direction goes back much further. Just as the coming of Jesus and details of his birth were predicted in the Old Testament, I see evidence of God knowing my path and directing me from early on. As a teenager I babysat and worked with kids with a variety of special needs, eventually became a teacher and had students with autism in my Grade 1 classes, then I ended up with a son diagnosed with autism, who, for a variety of reasons, I had to home school during the pandemic for part of his Grade 1 year. Experiences from my past wove together to provide me with all I needed to care for my son in some pretty extreme circumstances. It is comforting that there is nothing new or surprising for God. That His scope and vision stretches for infinity from past, present, and on to the future.
Lord, help us rest knowing you are working all details for our good. That you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. You do what you say you are going to do. We can trust you at your word. Replace our fears of the future with peace and faith as we continue down life’s path. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
December 13th: Stable?
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” [Luke 2: 6-7]
I read an interesting article that argued that Jesus was actually born in a crowded part of a home as opposed to the detached, quiet stable we are used to seeing in Nativity scenes. There was a quote from Kenneth E. Bailey’s book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes from an early researcher:
“Anyone who has lodged with Palestinian peasants knows that notwithstanding their hospitality the lack of privacy is unspeakably painful…I myself often fled to the open country simply in order to be able to think.”
As an introvert, I prefer the traditional stable concept, but this revised concept makes sense to me. Think about the ministry of Jesus…he was surrounded by throngs of people and had to make a point, repeatedly, to step away from the crowd to have quiet time with God, quiet time to pray. He balanced compassion for the crowd with self-care. Which actually is a healthy model for us all during the holiday season.
Lord, help us to seek quiet space with you, away from the throngs of people and what feels sometimes like chaos. Help us to then bring your perfect peace with us when you call us back into the fray–to show love to everyone around us. Amen.
Article: “Once More: Jesus was not born in a stable” December 3, 2018 by Ian Paul at psephizo.com
December 14th: Shepherds
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said them,’…Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you…'” [Luke 2: 8-10a,11]
God came to the shepherds, at their place of work, to bring them the good news. Sometimes I have God cordoned off, separated out from what I consider the mundane parts of my life…running errands, folding laundry, grocery shopping. But in one of the most popular stories from the Bible, a host of angels show up right in the mundane, in what was considered back then as the lowly profession of shepherding. This part of the Christmas Story should have us as Christians constantly on the lookout for the extraordinary. Because God moves and works without boundaries. He showed up for me with good news in the midst of the unhealthiest work environment I have ever experienced. I made it through the day reading verses from the Bible at lunch. As a result, I was able to keep my cool in situations that led to health problems for my co-workers (ulcers, nervous breakdowns, etc). I had people coming to me, asking me how I was able to cope so well, and they started asking me questions about my faith. Which led to a spreading of the good news in an unlikely place. God shows up wherever people are. And we can reflect Him to others in even the most difficult and dark situations.
Lord, we thank you for your omnipresence today and for your light that shines even brighter the greater the darkness, Help us to carry you with us to help reach people with your light and hope no matter where our day takes us. Amen.