We worship the God of the universe, the One who spoke the finely tuned galaxies into existence. He is the God of the Christmas star, the God of the virgin birth, the God of heavenly armies. We must always hold His majesty and deity at the forefront of our minds. And yet Jesus put on… Continue reading Day 25: Adoration

We've talked about the yearning of God's people for the birth of the Messiah. At long last the eternal, all-sufficient King became a baby to be held by human hands, so that we might be held fast by Him eternally. But we are still waiting for something. This song reminds us that God's people -… Continue reading Day 24: Second Advent

Where is Jesus Christ today? At Christmas we celebrate that he descended to earth and was born a human baby. We get a glimpse of his position in heaven from the heralding of the angelic host, the shepherd's worship, and the wise men's visit. We see his divinity in his death, an unsurpassed display of… Continue reading Day 23: Enthroned

Who is Jesus? His God-ness was not diminished by his humanity. He is in very nature God, which means he reigns supreme. He is glorified and seated on his throne in heaven. It's true that despite his rights as a king, he took on human flesh and offered himself as a sacrifice, and in doing… Continue reading Day 22: Reigning

Charles Wesley's famous Christmas hymn "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" ends with a verse that describes Christ as "Second Adam". Here is the verse in entirety: Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,Stamp Thine image in its place:Second Adam from above,Reinstate us in Thy love.Let us Thee, though lost, regain,Thee, the Life, the inner man:Oh, to all Thyself… Continue reading Day 21: Second Adam

The good news of Christmas has not truly hit home for us if we refuse to announce it. Jesus is a light in the darkness for us. He is God's image revealed. He is the fullness of grace and truth. Yes, he was born a human man and walked among us. He performed the mundane… Continue reading Day 20: Good News

Fellow Christians, let us reassure ourselves that we participate in the exultation of a people who are no longer accursed. We may face many trials - we may even suffer profoundly in this life. But we are no longer languishing in darkness. We are a people whose Savior has come. The light of the world… Continue reading Day 19: Uncursed

There is an important line in the famous carol "What Child is This?" that says, "Good Christians, fear, for sinners here; the silent Word is pleading." In some versions it is directly followed by, "Nails, spear shall pierce him through; the cross he'll bear for me, for you." The Christ child came to us in… Continue reading Day 18: Interceding

Christmas is the celebration of One who would swing open heaven's door to all who would trust in him. We are meant to greet the anniversary of the Messiah's birth with our whole being - and this bubbles out into song. It's one reason why we hear carols playing everywhere we go in the month… Continue reading Day 17: Opened

My plea to you, readers, is to really listen to the Christmas hymns playing everywhere all the time throughout December. They are not just for the happy and unburdened. They are for the weary and the lonely. They are for the weak and the anxious. They are for those who are afraid, broken, depressed, and… Continue reading Day 16: Peace

Another favorite Christmas poem-turned-carol of mine is "In the Bleak Midwinter" by Christina Rossetti. Her poetry captures the seeming incongruity of the God who cannot be contained - the God who reigns supreme on the throne - and the helpless, wriggling, (and hungry!) human babe. Using imagery from Revelation, she recognizes the important connection drawn… Continue reading Day 15: Dwelling

I know a little about what it's like to give birth in a time of upheaval, and in an unfamiliar place. Our third child was born in Ireland just a few short months after we had moved there to be missionaries. I remember often humming Silent Night, first curled around his brand new, scrunched up… Continue reading Day 14: Redeeming Grace

Mary sings a beautiful song of praise in Luke chapter one upon seeing her cousin, Elizabeth, and in response to her visit from the angel Gabriel and her conception of Jesus. I think it is quite clear that Mary understood the magnitude of her pregnancy. I'm always amazed by her words in Luke 1:46-55. Her… Continue reading Day 13: Blessed

From the account in Matthew, we know that a great star, visible from a faraway eastern land, rose and beckoned to those who would see its importance. Like a beacon, it led the wise men from the east to the precise house where young Jesus lived. A star that gives directions - can this be… Continue reading Day 12: Star

Friends, my prayer is that despite life's trials, the good news of the gospel cheers your heart during this Advent season. We have a beautiful example from the shepherds of the Christmas story. Surely, once they recovered from the shock of an angelic encounter, they must have been leaping around and heartily embracing each other… Continue reading Day 11: Shepherds

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas story is the angels who heralded Christ's birth. They did not make their announcement to those who had influence or power, but to a band of lowly shepherds on the night shift. First a single angel appeared, terrifying those men. Imagine the intense joy in that angel's… Continue reading Day 10: Herald

Christmas is a wonderful mix of holy and humble. The long-awaited Messiah was conceived in the womb of a young unwed mother. The angels appeared in bright and fearsome array to simple shepherds. The wise men brought precious gifts to the Christ child, whose first bed was a livestock trough. God chose to reveal his… Continue reading Day 9: Humility

A favorite poem-turned-carol of mine is "Once in Royal David's City" by Cecil Frances Alexander. It is the kind of song that delights a child, yet it hits a rich theological note. Like all the best Christmas hymns, it tells of the Lord of all, who deigned to become the most vulnerable of creatures -… Continue reading Day 8: Lowly

Today we acknowledge the worship due to the great and mighty Holy One, the Lord of hosts. We know from Scripture that our God is a living God. Perhaps this was made most evident to us in the incarnation: he was seen, heard, and felt. He broke bread, taught, and healed. And it is this… Continue reading Day 7: Power

Scripture speaks of a divine glory revealed to Moses, a communion between him and the holy God that no other could share or tolerate. The people required even the face of Moses to be veiled in their midst after he had been with the Lord. When God descended to Mt. Sinai above their camp, they… Continue reading Day 6: Veiled

It's no accident that almost every hymn we sing this time of year touches on incarnation. It is the very foundation of our Christian faith. There is a sentence from "O Holy Night" that thrills my soul whenever I hear it: "Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till He appeared and the… Continue reading Day 5: Born

Understanding the true nature and worth of Jesus is the key to understanding the significance of Christmas. He was born into this world, became fully human, and lived as a man among men. Yet unlike all other human beings, his existence did not begin at conception, rather he is eternally begotten of the Father. This… Continue reading Day 4: Begotten

We must consider the perfect timing of the birth of Jesus. During Roman occupation, a census was ordered. Joseph and Mary needed to return to their ancestral home: the city of David. This registry was happening at the worst time to travel - when Mary was very pregnant. And lo and behold, Emmanuel was born… Continue reading Day 3: Timing

Throughout the Old Testament God's prophets predict, the stories foreshadow, and his people wait. What are they waiting for? A Messiah - a future, Savior-King who would reign forever. It's not hard to decipher what it is exactly that we need saving from: exile, slavery to sin, strife with each other, and the shadow of… Continue reading Day 2: Yearning

There was a tremendous buildup to the birth of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament, as God continually promised a Savior from the family of David in Scripture. From Abraham to Judah to Boaz to Jesse to David to both Mary and Joseph, we trace that straight and undeniable lineage. But the exact manner in… Continue reading Day 1: Foretold

Welcome, friends! December 2022 is upon us, and another advent season has arrived. Once again, I'll be sharing a daily series of short devotionals with accompanying Christmas hymns over the next few weeks. One of my favorite memories from childhood is coming home just after dusk from a day of December shopping to see an… Continue reading The Gift that Keeps Giving: 2022 Advent Devotional (Introduction)