READ
5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.
Haggai 2:5-9

REFLECT
The people in Haggai’s day were charged with rebuilding the temple. As they began their work, the new temple felt small and unimpressive compared to the glory they remembered. Into their discouragement, God reminded His people that His Spirit remained among them and He promised that the latter glory of the temple will be greater than the former and that in the temple, God would give peace.

At Advent, we see how this promise found its fulfillment in Jesus. Centuries later, Christ walked into that very temple. While He came humble, riding on a donkey’s colt, His presence brought a glory far greater than anything stone or silver could contain. In Him, God’s Spirit dwelt fully, and through His life, death, and resurrection, true peace with God was secured.

And the promise continues. Through Christ, God now makes His dwelling place in His people. Scripture tells us that we as believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit who strengthened Israel, who filled the temple with glory in Jesus’ day, now lives within us. Advent reminds us that God is still near, still working, still bringing peace—not just to places, but to people. As we wait for Christ’s return, we live as living temples, bearing His presence and peace to a weary world.

RESPOND
Take a moment and reflect on how amazing it is that you don’t have to go to a temple to find God’s presence because His Spirit dwells in you.
As a living temple of the Holy Spirit, what might it look like this week for you to bear Christ’s presence and peace to the people and spaces around you as you wait for His return?

READ
4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. 5 And he shall be their peace.
Micah 5:4-5a

REFLECT
Have you ever had a boss who saw you as a person, not just a role in the company? Or a teacher who cared not only about what you learned, but about who you were becoming? There is something deeply refreshing about leaders who genuinely care for those they lead. Sadly, Israel had rarely experienced that kind of leadership throughout much of its history. Instead, they were often ruled by selfish kings who promoted idolatry and injustice rather than faithfulness and compassion.

Yesterday, we reflected on God’s promise through the prophet Micah that a king would be born in Bethlehem. Today, we consider what kind of king He would be. This Promised One—whose origins are from ancient days and who would be born in the city of David—would be a shepherd king. Clothed with the strength and majesty of the Lord, He would faithfully guide his people. He would not rule for personal gain or power, but would provide safety, security, and peace. He would embody the care and faithfulness David ascribed to the Lord in Psalm 23.

Jesus identified Himself as the fulfillment of this promise, saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). As our Good Shepherd, Jesus leads us into abundant life—both now and for all eternity.

RESPOND

• How have you experienced the security and peace that comes from having Jesus as your shepherd?
• What does it look like for you to follow the guidance of the Good Shepherd this week?

READ
2But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. - Micah 5:2

REFLECT
Have you ever made careful plans just to see them fall apart? Perhaps you’ve had a flight cancelled due to bad weather, or missed a long-anticipated dinner because work runs late. Moments like these remind us how fragile and uncertain our plans can be.

Well, God’s plans are not like our plans. Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, God spoke through the prophet Micah. Though Israel would face judgment for its sin at the hands of Assyria, God promised hope beyond devastation. God would bring forth his ruler from the humble town of Bethlehem Ephrathah, the birthplace of King David. Moreover, this ruler’s coming forth was not only from Bethlehem, but also “from of old, from ancient days,” grounded in God’s long-established plan of redemption for fallen humanity.

Seven hundred years later, God’s promise was fulfilled. In a lowly manger in Bethlehem, Jesus was born — a son of David who would save God’s people from their sins. How wonderful and unshakeable are the plans of our God!

RESPOND

• Have you ever questioned if God is really in control? How does Jesus’s fulfilment of Micah’s prophecy reassure us that God is sovereign and faithful?
• Take a moment to reflect that King Jesus, God incarnate, was born in a manger in the quiet town of Bethlehem. What does the manner of Jesus’s birth show us about God’s heart?
• Jesus, the greater David, reigns over all today and forevermore. How does that truth empower us to live for him and like him?

READ
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Hosea 11:1

REFLECT
In this verse, God reminds Israel of one of the defining moments of their history. The exodus was not just a historical event; it was the moment Israel learned who their God was and what it meant to be His people. They were slaves in captivity, but God set them free and brought them to the Promised Land. The story was retold for generations because it shaped Israel’s identity.

We understand the power of such moments. Every life and every nation has defining events. Turning points that deeply shape us. These events become landmarks we return to when we need to be reminded of who we are.

Yet Hosea’s words also reveal a deeper longing. Israel was called out of Egypt, but their hearts often wandered back into the bondage of sin. Matthew tells us that Hosea’s words find their fulfillment in Jesus. He, the true Son, would come up from Egypt and lead a greater exodus. In Christ, God does more than free a people from a place; He frees us from sin and death.
 
This is now the event that we are to remember and retell to those around us and to future generations. Remember today that Jesus has set you free and who you are in Him. Consider today who still needs to be set free and how you can share this good news with them.

RESPOND

• Consider how the saving work of God in Christ has shaped your identity and life. In what ways has Jesus brought freedom into your life?
• Recognize that God’s redemptive work is intended for all peoples, tongues, and nations. Prayerfully discern who in your relational, vocational, or communal contexts may need to hear the good news of freedom from the burdens they carry.

READ
Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
Daniel 9:24

REFLECT
We sing every Advent, “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.” It’s a song shaped by a longing for God to act mercifully and gently to rescue His people. That longing is exactly what we hear in Daniel 9. Israel is in exile, living with the consequences of their sin, wondering how long restoration will take. Into that moment, God gives Daniel a promise with remarkable clarity and assurance.

Daniel 9:24 outlines God’s redemptive plan: sin would be dealt with, guilt removed, righteousness established, and God’s saving purposes brought to completion. This promise looks forward to a time when transgression would be finished, atonement made, and everlasting righteousness brought in. In other words, God was promising not just political restoration, but spiritual renewal, something far deeper than a return from exile.

The New Testament shows us that this promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus. At His first coming, Jesus deals with sin through His death and resurrection. He makes atonement, brings forgiveness, and inaugurates the righteousness Daniel spoke of. Christmas marks the beginning of that fulfillment, the moment when God steps into history to accomplish what His people could never do for themselves.

And still, like Daniel, we wait. Sin has been defeated, yet its shadows linger. Righteousness has been inaugurated, yet not fully revealed. Advent teaches us to wait with hope, trusting the God who keeps His word. What Daniel longed for has begun in Christ, and one day it will be completed when Jesus returns and all things are made new.

Until that day, may we continue to sing, “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” He has come, and He will come again.

RESPOND

• Spend time in confession before God, bringing into the light the brokenness you recognize in your own heart and in the world around you.

• Take a moment Pastor David’s rendition of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” let the song guide your prayer, thanking God that He did not leave sin unanswered, but sent Jesus to make atonement, extend forgiveness, and begin the work of restoring all things (VIDEO LINK)

READ
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14

REFLECT
In the birth of Christ, this prophecy in Daniel began its fulfillment as the “son of man” was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that would not pass away and not be destroyed. However, that kingdom did not come in the triumphant power that other kingdoms have. Even in Jesus’ birth, he was not surrounded by the pomp and valor that accompanied the birth of an heir, the future hope of a nation. Instead, Jesus’ birth was humble, meek, and unimpressive.

Even now, it sometimes seems as if Jesus’ kingdom has not prevailed, and that his dominion has come and gone. The era of Christianity’s geopolitical dominance in the world is long gone. Injustice and wickedness continue to prevail. Like a far off cloud over the sea, or a partially covered ray of sun, the kingdom of God often feels distant and dim. When compared to the kingdoms of history past and present, Jesus’ kingdom will always fall short according to human standards.

But as distant or dim as his kingdom may seem, he is not without authority and dominion in the world. The one who was born to set captives free has continued to break the bonds of sin for the last 2,000 years. The one who was born to bring justice has broken into human history as his Church cares for the oppressed and upholds the dignity of all life. The one who was born to bring peace tears down walls of division and hostility as his followers embrace the love and forgiveness of their king.

Like a partially torn fence, Jesus’ kingdom has continued to break into the world, poking holes in this earthly kingdom’s defenses. But eventually, his kingdom will prevail at his return, and his dominion will be full and final. Just as our king came as an obscure child, so his kingdom will continue to break into human history through an obscure people, carrying out the powerful, ironic witness of our king’s meekness and humility.

RESPOND

• How does it feel like Jesus’ Kingdom is distant and dim in your life and surroundings?
• How have you seen Jesus’ Kingdom breaking through, even in small and distant ways?
• How can your life be a powerful witness of the inbreaking Kingdom of God today?

Written and picture by Dr. Clark Fobes

READ
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound
Isaiah 61:1

REFLECT
Yesterday we reflected on the darkness and brokenness of our world. Today, Isaiah 61:1 draws our attention to the many ways that brokenness touches our lives. The prophecy speaks of the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, and the bound. Can you relate to any of these descriptions? Do they bring someone to mind? If so, there is good news for you to know—and to share.

When Jesus began His public ministry, He stood in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth, opened the scroll of Isaiah, and read these very words. Then He proclaimed, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21). What a bold declaration! Jesus was claiming to be the Promised One. Throughout His life, He proved this claim true: with hands that healed, words that forgave, and a life given for sinners. The good news became flesh and walked among the poor, the brokenhearted, and the captive.

And yet, even as Jesus fulfilled this promise, the story is not complete. We know there are still broken hearts, chains that are seen and unseen, and weary souls longing for freedom. Advent invites us to live in this holy tension: rejoicing in what Christ has already done while longing for what He will one day fully accomplish. May we live as people who believe this good news and lovingly share it with the world around us.

RESPOND

• Consider how this promise is good news for you. How has Jesus bound you up when you were brokenhearted and set you free when you were captive?
• Who in your life needs to hear this good news? Begin to pray for them and ask God to give you opportunities to share this good news with them.

READ
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5

REFLECT
Christmas lights and fun activities are some of the most enjoyable parts of this season. Head to Union Square and you can appreciate beautiful Christmas decorations, sip on hot chocolate, and go ice skating. However, if you walk a few blocks away from Union Square, you will find yourself in darkness. This darkness comes not just from a lack of Christmas lights, but from the brokenness and pain in our world.
 
This is the juxtaposition of Christmas. During this time of year, we celebrate the fact that God came near to us as a baby born in Bethlehem, but we’re also reminded that this baby was born for a purpose. Jesus was born not only to come near to us, but to actually take our place in death and bear our griefs and sorrows.

Isaiah 53 is one of the clearest promises from the Old Testament of what the Promised One would experience on our behalf. The Suffering Savior would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. And by bearing our griefs and sorrows, He would bring salvation and healing to all who trust in Him.

So this Christmas, whether you are getting to enjoy the season, or you are face-to-face with the pain of living in a fallen world, remember the Savior who suffered so that we might have peace, died so that we might have life, and will one day return to fully heal this hurting world.

RESPOND
Reflect on the joy of Christmas and the pain in our world. Consider how Jesus, our Suffering Savior, offers hope and healing.

Take a moment to pray, asking God to lead you to share His love and compassion with those in darkness this season.

READ
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.
Isaiah 42:1-4

REFLECT
Each year our family hangs ornaments on the Christmas tree together. We put on a Christmas movie and relive the stories that each ornament tells. There are many ornaments that our kids are allowed to hang. And there are some ornaments that only mom and dad are allowed to hang. These ornaments are more fragile than the others and need to be handled and hung with care. However, even with these precautions, it’s still fairly common for us to have one broken ornament each Christmas.

This passage speaks about fragile things. A bruised reed will be crushed at the slightest touch. A smoldering wick will be extinguished by a gentle breeze. And yet, the promise of this passage is that the servant of the Lord is gentle enough to handle such fragile things. He is gracious and compassionate and He knows how to minister to the fragile.
And yet this gentle, humble servant is also a king who will establish justice on the earth. He is a ruler who will make all things right. This is the complexity and beauty of the Promised One. One who is strong enough to right every wrong and yet kind enough to deal delicately with those who are hurting. And it is the beautiful complexity that makes Him the only one who can save.

So let’s trust in this one who is gentle and lowly in heart. Let’s cast our burdens on Him because He alone is strong enough to bear them. Let’s come to Him and find rest for our souls (Matt. 11:28-30).

RESPOND
Where do you feel most fragile right now—emotionally, spiritually, or relationally—and how does Isaiah’s picture of Jesus as one who does not break a bruised reed invite you to bring that weakness honestly to Him?

How does knowing that Jesus is both gentle with the hurting and strong enough to establish justice shape the way you trust Him with your burdens and rest in His care this Advent?

READ
"5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For water break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;"
Isaiah 35:5-6

REFLECT
When you read those verses, did any stories about Jesus come to mind? Maybe Jesus healing the woman who touched the hem of his garment or the paralytic that was dropped down through the roof? What about Jesus healing the blind man with mud made from his spit or Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead? Tim Keller said, "We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. ... Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming."

In this chapter, Isaiah is describing our future home, one where we will trade our sorrows and pain for a joy that is unbreakable. One where the land will not decay or run dry. Jesus' earthly ministry was just a foretaste, a promise of what is to come. He came to begin the work of righting what was wronged by sin but we still long for the day of His return when all will be made new. John tells us that many other miracles were done in the presence of Jesus' disciples but these were "written so that we may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Trust in Jesus today to begin experiencing new life now, we do not have to wait and Isaiah is telling us that the story only gets better from here!

RESPOND
So how can we allow this future hope to anchor us in our current exile? Wait with courage. Isaiah 35:4, the verse before today's reading, says to remind those with an anxious heart that God will come to save them. What is making you anxious today? Do you trust He will bring you home singing? Ask God to help you believe that what He says is true and ask Him to help you trust Him enough to follow Him now.

READ
In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
Isaiah 11:10

REFLECT
 Today Isaiah shows us another angle of the same hope we read about yesterday, this time not a light breaking in, but a King rising up. Our verse follows Isaiah’s earlier description of a “shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Isa. 11:1), showing that from the seemingly cut-down Davidic line, God Himself would raise up a promised ruler. From Jesse’s line would come new life, one who would “reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom” (Isa. 9:7) and bring hope not only to Israel but to the nations.

The New Testament identifies Jesus as that promised shoot. Matthew begins his Gospel by calling Him “the son of David” (Matt. 1:1), firmly rooting Jesus in Isaiah’s prophecy. But what’s striking is the way He arrives, not with royal power or political force, but in a manger, in obscurity, with no earthly glory to attract the nations. And yet Isaiah says that this “root of Jesse” would become a signal for all peoples, a banner the nations would seek (Isa. 11:10). Paul quotes this verse in Romans 15:12 to show its fulfillment in the inclusion of the Gentiles, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”

Isaiah makes it clear, God’s Messiah isn’t just for one people but for all peoples. His rule is not imposed by conquest but the nations come because they see His righteousness, His faithfulness, and His glory. This is Advent hope: Jesus has come and He is still drawing the nations to Himself. And one day He will rule with perfect justice and peace over a restored world, just as God promised.

RESPOND
The nations come to Jesus because His glory draws them. Today, He uses the lives of His people to make that glory visible. Who in your life, friends, neighbors, or coworkers, needs to see the hope that Christ offers? How can your words, compassion, or hospitality point someone toward the root of Jesse who welcomes all who seek Him?

Think of a place, near or far, that God has placed on your heart. It could be an unreached people group you’ve learned about, a country in the news, somewhere you’ve traveled this year, or even a neighborhood in San Francisco you’ve walked through. Pray that the nations would seek the Messiah, that His glory would be known there, that the banner of Christ would be lifted among them, and that they would come to know His saving rule.

READ
1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Isaiah 9:1-2

REFLECT
Do you remember yesterday when we talked about the times of uncertainty and the feeling of being overwhelmed? Well that feeling was still in Israel just two chapters later in the book of Isaiah. These verses remind us that Isaiah’s hearers were sitting in deep darkness—darkness brought on by fear, suffering, and their own wandering from God. But in the midst of the darkness, God gave a promise that was so certain that Isaiah spoke of it as if it had already happened. God promised that a light would shine in the deep darkness and it would turn the land of gloom into a land that was glorious.

Matthew tells us that when Jesus came He fulfilled this promise (Matt. 4:12-17). Similarly, John tells us that Jesus is the light of the world who shines in the darkness and the darkness can’t overcome it (John 1:4-5). Christmas means that light has pierced through the darkness. That all people, living in spiritual darkness, separated from God, on them a light has dawned. Now we as followers of Jesus can walk in the light.

But there is still a lot of darkness in our world. Creation is still broken and still awaits Jesus to return and make all things new. And hear what the Bible says about what will happen at Jesus’ second advent. “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” (Rev. 21:23-25) No more night. No more darkness at all.

Jesus’ first coming brought light into the darkness and His second coming will remove the darkness completely.

RESPOND
Take a few moments to listen to this song and thank God for Jesus, the Light of the World.

READ
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

REFLECT
Have you ever felt like everything was unraveling and you didn’t know what the future would hold? That was the feeling in Israel when God gave this promise through Isaiah. As the people faced national fear and spiritual uncertainty, God spoke this word through His prophet to assure His people that He had not abandoned them. He would come near. He would be with them.

About 700 years later, God fulfilled this promise when a virgin named Mary gave birth to a son (Matt. 1:23). In Jesus, God drew close—not as a distant ruler, but as a child who would grow up among ordinary people, feeling the weight of ordinary struggles. In Jesus, we see a God who walks the same roads we walk, who knows the complexity of being human, and who meets us with compassion rather than condemnation.

And the promise of Immanuel didn’t end at Bethlehem or even at Jesus’ ascension. Jesus said when He went away that He would send the Spirit to not only be God with us, but God in us. The Holy Spirit is present in our joys and our disappointments, in our questions and uncertainties, and in the quiet corners of our lives where we’re not sure anyone else sees. He strengthens, comforts, convicts, and guides.

This Advent, remember: you are not alone. The God who came near has stayed near. He is with you today.

RESPOND
* Where in your life right now do you most need to remember that God has not abandoned you, but is present with you through His Spirit?

* Take a moment and ask God to help you sense His nearness in the places where you feel uncertain or overwhelmed. Invite the Holy Spirit to comfort, convict, and guide you as you walk through this season.

READ
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! 2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old.
Psalm 78:1-2

REFLECT
On this tenth day of Advent, we reflect on the invitation to listen to God’s teachings, as expressed in Psalm 78. Matthew tells us that Jesus, our Revealing Teacher, fulfills this promise through His use of parables (Matthew 13:34-35), which reveal profound truths about God's nature.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) serves as a wonderful example of this fulfillment. In this story, both the younger and older sons exemplify lostness—each in their own way. The younger son, reckless and wayward, represents a physical and spiritual distance from the father. In contrast, the older son, who stays home, embodies a different form of estrangement that is marked by resentment and self-righteousness. Through this parable, Jesus reveals a Father overflowing with love and forgiveness, eager to restore not just the wayward son, but also to extend grace to the son who feels entitled.

As we walk through this season of Advent, let us open our hearts to Jesus’ teachings. May the parables of our Revealing Teacher lead us to embrace His love and follow Him.

RESPOND
Take a few moments to read the Parable of the Prodigal Son or one of the parables found in Matthew 13. Allow Jesus, the Revealing Teacher, to teach you. How can you apply the truths from the parable in your own life?

READ
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7  Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.
Psalm 40:6-8

REFLECT
These verses remind us that true worship is far more than rituals offered from a distance. God desires hearts that delight in His will—lives shaped by obedience, trust, and surrender. David’s words, “Behold, I have come… I delight to do Your will,” point beyond themselves to One who would fulfill them perfectly.

The author of Hebrews, in verses 5-10 of chapter 10, tells us that Jesus came into the world embodying these very words. Unlike us, He did not merely attempt obedience—He delighted in it. In His life, Jesus fulfilled every purpose of the Father with joy. In His death, He offered the perfect sacrifice that no offering or ritual could ever accomplish. And in His resurrection, He completed the will of God in a way that brings new life to all who trust in Him.

But this psalm also pulls our hearts forward. The One who delighted perfectly in God’s will at His first coming will return to finish what He began. In His second advent, Jesus will bring God’s will to completion—renewing creation, restoring justice, and making all things new.
As we wait, we are invited to echo His words: “I delight to do Your will.” Advent is our reminder that obedience is not a burden but a response to the Savior who obeyed perfectly in our place—and who will return to make our obedience complete.

RESPOND

• How does remembering Jesus’ obedience in His life, death, and resurrection reshape the way you approach daily decisions and desires?

• Pray that God would deepen your hope in Christ’s return and empower you to live with joyful faithfulness as you wait for His will to be fully fulfilled.

READ
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
Psalm 8:4-6

REFLECT
During Advent we remember the astonishing truth that Jesus, the eternal Son of God, willingly stepped down into our world. Psalm 8 speaks of humanity as being made “a little lower than the angels,” crowned with glory and honor, and entrusted with dominion over God’s creation. But you might remember that last Sunday we studied Genesis 3, which shows us how we have fallen from that calling. Sin has bent our hearts, fractured our world, and dimmed the glory we were meant to bear.

But this psalm also prepares us for the miracle of the incarnation. Hebrews 2 tells us that Jesus Himself became “a little lower than the angels”—not because He lacked glory, but because we did. The One who spoke the stars into place chose to enter a manger, to take on our frailty, to feel hunger, exhaustion, and sorrow. Ultimately, He was born so that he might taste death on our behalf. He stepped into the fullness of our humanity so that He might restore the fullness of our dignity.

In Jesus, we see humanity as it was always meant to be: obedient, humble, radiant with the Father’s glory. And through His life, death, and resurrection, He lifts us back into our true calling. Today let us remember that the Promised One came down to raise us up.

RESPOND

• Consider the humility of David to ask the question that he does in verse 4. Are you humble enough to be amazed by God’s love for you?

• Jesus came down to raise us up and restore us. What would it look like for you to follow His example and sacrificially love others and treat them like they are made in the image of God?

READ
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
2 Samuel 7:12-13

REFLECT
In this passage God gives David a promise of establishing the throne of his kingdom forever.

Yesterday we looked at Jesus as the perfect high priest, but we also reflected on the hundreds of years the Israelites depended on weak, sinful, and temporary priests. In the same way, God’s promise of establishing a perfect and eternal throne would take many generations to fulfill.

God did raise up David’s son Solomon as king of Israel, but he fell short of being a perfect and eternal king. Along with His promise of establishing an eternal throne through David’s line, God said, “When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men.” (2 Samuel 7:14) This proved true not only in Solomon’s failures but also in the many kings who followed. God disciplined Israel and Judah through foreign rulers, exile into Babylon, and the destruction of the temple Solomon built.

RESPOND
How do we view God and His promises when things don’t seem to be going according to plan? When our lives, our country, and our world feel far from being ruled by a perfect and eternal King?

We look to Christ, who said He “conquered and sat down with [His] Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21). Christ came hundreds of years after David as the promised descendant of the royal line. He lived a sinless life, died an undeserving death, and now sits on the eternal throne of His everlasting kingdom.

As we wait for His return, we have a hope fulfilled that the Israelites longed for:

a perfect King who gave up His throne to be a ransom for His people.

Christ is the true and better King.
If we surrender our lives to Him, He promises that we will rule with Him in His kingdom forever. Let that be your hope today.

Artwork By Georgia Davis

READ
35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever.
1 Samuel 2:35

REFLECT
In 1 Samuel 2:35, God promises to “raise up a faithful priest” who will do what is in His heart and mind. Israel first heard these words during a season marked by failed spiritual leadership. Eli’s sons had abused their priestly role, and the people longed for someone who would truly represent them before God. This promise was a flicker of hope, but its fulfillment would take generations. God’s people waited hundreds of years before Jesus came as the perfect and faithful High Priest.

Hebrews 4:14–16 shows us that Jesus is the complete and final fulfillment of this promise. He is the great High Priest who has passed through the heavens and now stands before God on our behalf. As the faithful priest, He brings about the reconciliation of alienated people to God through His sacrificial death. Unlike the priests of the Old Testament, who were weak, sinful, and temporary, Jesus is the Son of God, faithful, sinless, and with an indestructible life. Because of His finished work and ongoing intercession, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that our faithful priest perfectly intercedes for us before God.

RESPOND
In what areas of your life do you most need to remember that Jesus, your faithful priest, invites you to draw near to the throne of grace with confidence?
What does it look like for you to wait faithfully, like Israel waited, trusting that your faithful priest is working on your behalf even when you can’t see it?

READ
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
Exodus 12:5-7

REFLECT
Yesterday we saw that Jesus is the Lion of Judah. Today we want to consider the fact that he is also the Lamb of God. These two contrasting images show us the beauty and complexity of The Promised One. He is both a reigning king and a suffering servant.

Hundreds of years before Jesus came, the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. God heard the cries of His people and was going to set them free. After nine plagues were sent through the land, the final plague would come as the angel of death would pass through the land and claim the lives of the firstborn in each family. However, if the people of God would sacrifice a lamb without blemish and spread its blood over the doorposts of their house, death would pass over them and their children would be saved.

The New Testament tells us that Jesus is the true and better Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). He was sinless, without any spot or blemish, and He was sacrificed to save us from death. Our hope of salvation rests not in our own works, but in the blood of the Lamb.

Take just a few minutes to watch the video below to hear how the blood of the Lamb assures of our salvation and silences the accuser.
CLICK LINK FOR VIDEO

RESPOND

• Why is it good news that our hope is not in the strength of our faith, but in the object of our faith? How can this good news encourage you today?
• Where do you feel like the accuser most attacks you? Are there certain ways that the enemy seeks to make you feel shameful or guilty? Go to the Lord and thank Him for the blood of the Lamb that silences the accuser.

READ
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. Gen. 49:10

REFLECT
As Jacob neared death, he pronounced a prophetic blessing over all his sons (Gen. 49:1-27).  Today we consider Jacob’s prophetic blessing over his son, Judah. The scepter referenced in today’s verse is a symbol of kingship and authority. Sure, there were several kings in Judah’s family line (Matt.1:1-17), but there were limits to the reign of most of these kings as they were unable to reign forever.

As we remember and celebrate the birth of Christ during the Advent season, we rejoice over the Judahite King who would fulfill the promise made in Gen. 49:10.  Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, God’s kingdom was established as he defeated sin, death, and his enemies and currently reigns on his throne as King forever. This gracious King invites us into his kingdom, that we might be rescued from sin and find refuge in him.

It’s important to remember that the Lion of Judah who has conquered his enemies and is seated on his throne is also the Lamb who was slain for our sin. He is worthy of our trust. As we await his return, let us walk with obedient hearts as we entrust our lives to the one who condescended and died on a cross for our sin, that we might have eternal life in him and dwell with him forever.
 
RESPOND
* Judah was not the most obedient of Jacob’s children, however Jesus comes from the lineage of Judah. This is a great reminder that even now, God’s grace extends to the disobedient and to unexpected recipients. Is there someone in your life that you consider to be outside of God’s reach, or someone who might consider himself/herself unworthy of God’s grace? Take some time to pray for this person today.

READ
And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. - Gen. 17:7

REFLECT
Yesterday we reflected on God’s promise to bless every family through Abraham. Today we look at another promise God made—one just as astonishing and just as essential for Advent hope. In today’s verse, God promises to establish an everlasting covenant.

In this covenant, God was binding Himself to His people with unwavering commitment. This commitment was seen on display in Genesis 15 as God’s presence passed through the sacrificed animals. And at the heart of this commitment is an amazing promise: I will be your God. God promised to be the God of Abraham and his offspring not for a moment, not for a season, but forever. God promised Abraham—and all who belong to him by faith—a relationship marked by permanence, protection, and presence.

When Jesus came to earth, He came to be Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23). He came as the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to be the God of His people. And He came to fulfill every requirement of the covenant on our behalf. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He secured a bond with God that cannot be broken. Because of Jesus, God’s “everlasting covenant” extends to us today—an unshakable promise that He will be our God and that we will be His people forever.

RESPOND

• When do you feel most distant from God? How can remembering that God has come near to us in Jesus comfort you in those moments?
• Our hope is not in our ability to hold onto God, but His commitment to hold onto us. Consider this great reality as you listen to this song.

READ
I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Genesis 12:3

REFLECT
Christmas is often a time when families feel especially blessed. We gather around tables, share meals, exchange gifts, and create memories that warm our hearts. Even in imperfect circumstances, there is something about this season that draws families together and reminds us of the goodness of God’s provision. But the deeper blessing of Christmas reaches far beyond the warmth of family traditions—it reaches back to a promise God made long before the first Christmas.

When God declared to Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” He was promising that His grace would be spread to every nation on earth. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. In His first coming, He became the true Son of Abraham, the One through whom God’s blessing arrived in full. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He brought forgiveness to sinners, peace to the weary, and hope for every family that looks to Him in faith.

As we look forward to Jesus’ second advent, we anticipate a day when “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” will gather around the throne in worship of Jesus (Rev. 7:9-12). We anticipate a day when we will gather around a great table as the family of God (Rev. 19:6-9). As we wait for this day, be encouraged. In Jesus, God has already brought His blessing into your family, and one day He will bring it to perfection.

Read
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. - Gen. 3:15

Reflect
Here we are. The third chapter of the Bible and sin has just fractured God’s good design. Adam and Eve fell for the enemy’s temptation and every aspect of creation was going to feel the consequences. However, even as God speaks of the effects of sin, He also offers the first promise of Advent—the first whisper of a Deliverer who would enter our broken world to undo the serpent’s work.

Jesus fulfilled this promise in His first coming. Though the serpent struck His heel at the cross, Christ rose in victory, crushing Satan’s head and breaking the power of sin and death. In Him, we already taste the restoration God promised long ago. Every forgiveness received, every sin defeated, every fear quieted is evidence that the long-awaited Snake Crusher has come.

Yet Advent also reminds us that we still await the ultimate fulfillment of this promise. We still feel the serpent’s presence in our temptations, sorrows, and suffering. But Scripture assures us that the One who came will come again. When Jesus returns, He will complete the victory He inaugurated—silencing the serpent forever, healing creation, and making all things new.

As we wait, we do so with confidence. The God who kept His first promise in Bethlehem will surely keep His final promise at His return.

Advent season is meant to be all about waiting. Children understand this. The month of December often feels like the longest wait of a child’s life. Each day tends to drag on as they eagerly anticipate Christmas morning. But many times adults can forget this. This season is so filled with parties, performances, buying gifts, travel, and many other things that the month is usually gone before we know it.

This Advent season, we hope to help you recapture the spirit of waiting. We will spend this month studying promises of the messiah from the Old Testament. As we do this, we will be reminded that the people of God received these promises hundreds and even thousands of years before Jesus came. That’s a long time to wait. But in God’s perfect timing, Jesus, the Promised One, came and fulfilled all of these promises.

But studying these promises also reminds us that we still await the second advent of Jesus. This season helps us long for His return when He will bring the ultimate fulfillment of all of God’s promises. And we can wait well because of all of the promises that He fulfilled in His first coming.

Each morning you will receive a brief devotional that invites you to read a passage of Scripture, reflect on the promise that was given and how Jesus fulfilled that promise, and respond in faith. We hope that you will take just a few minutes each day, either alone or with friends and family, to read, reflect, and respond.

As we has been done in the last couple Advent seasons, we will be sending out daily Advent devotionals and other related content starting on November 30 til December 25. There will be several options (Newsletter mailing list, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Youtube) to receive this content and the blog component of our website and app will also be an avenue for communications.

Check on the blog page and tab on our website and app starting on November 30 to read our daily advent devotionals. Links to videos and other media will be attached to these daily devotionals.