Twenty-fifth Day of Advent

 Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“I write this to you that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ the righteous One.”
I John 2:1

If anything can make us sing, “Joy to the World, the Lord has come!” this should be the verse! The baby Jesus is wonderful, and we enjoy the familiar scene of a manger lighted by His presence. We almost smell the hay. We imagine the wonder of the shepherds as they saw Him there, innocent and beautiful.

But if we step away from that manger for a minute, if we contemplate our own struggle to do the things we know are right and avoid those that we knew are wrong, the greatest picture we can imagine is of the grown-up, crucified, risen, and ascended Lord, the “one who speaks to the Father on our behalf” when we sin!

I think about this often. I try and try not to do the wrong things, not to think the wrong thoughts, not to judge another’s actions, and then I goof! Sometimes badly! I tell my Father that I am sorry, and I can just imagine Jesus sitting next to Him, listening to me once more confess how badly I have behaved, and I almost hear him say, “It’s all right, Father. I died for that.”

Now I can really sing, “Joy to the World!”

Father, Thank you for sending Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, that you came. Holy Spirit, come and help us glorify the Savior’s name. Amen. 

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

prepared for First United Methodist Church of Homosassa, Florida
Winter 2010
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator