Twelfth Day of Advent

 Thursday, December 10, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6-7

It’s comfortable to think of the baby Jesus, warm innocent, bright eyes looking into ours, lying in a manger or even in our arms, to think of doing things for a baby. But are we missing something in Isaiah’s wonderful prophecy of Christmas?

Isaiah says that He will be our “Wonderful Counselor.” Is He? Are we careful to seek His counsel even in the small things daily? Do we even seek His counsel in the big things? Do we seek His counsel regarding our lives, our work, the on-going work and ministry of our church, or do we go about all this devising our own plans for success? This baby is destined to be our Counselor! That’s God’s plan.

And He’s to be our Prince of Peace. Later Jesus said we’d always have wars, so that peace must not have been world peace. Was Isaiah referring to the peace that can dwell in our heart when we know Him, the peace Jesus spoke of in John 14 “that passes understanding?” Surely Isaiah meant the quiet calm that prevails in us even when all around is chaos, just because Jesus has been born in our hearts.

Father, Thank you for this wonderful baby who has become our Counselor and Peace. 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

 

Eleventh Day of Advent

 Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“Therefore, the Lord will give you a sing: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14 

Sometimes I am impatient with the people who seem oblivious of the fact that Jesus was an unusual baby. Babies are not born to virgins, and when that type of birth – never having happened before or since – occurs, wouldn’t you think that everyone would immediately suspect that this was a special baby?

But they didn’t then and don’t now. So they missed the most significant birth in the whole world.

And they also missed the importance of His name! All good Jews know Emmanuel means “God with us.” But they missed that clue as well! God had been revealing his presence for generations. He caused a cloud to settle over the children of Israel and a fire by night to lead them, just to say, “I am here.” Several times in the Old Testament he calls Himself Jehovah-Sehammah – “God who is here.” But they missed the message. Now Isaiah says the baby’s name is Emmanuel and they again miss that message. Not very observant!

But we must not criticize. We too miss Jesus saying, “I am here” because we are looking for the familiar, the usual! Jesus is so often in the unusual!

Father, Thank you for being here, for coming in unexpected ways. Help us to recognize you. 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

 

Tenth Day of Advent

 Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

Paul has been commissioned by God to present to us “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27 

The message that Paul says he has been commissioned to give us is staggering! Two things cause real pause because we immediately feel totally unable to live up to God’s expectations.

First he says that God’s message is to be delivered to the “saints,” and we quickly argue that we are not saints. That, however, is because we have distorted ideas of what a saint is! Saints are those who belong to Christ and in whom His Holy Spirit lives. So the message is for US, his saints, and we’d better listen.

The second challenge involves the “mystery.” Paul says that Christ in us must bring hope. We are to be purveyors of hope to the dying world around us! That is the mystery – Christ in us is the hope! That should not only stagger us but fill us with great joy at having such a privilege. In a hopeless world, we get to bring the message of hope! What an awesome gift this baby has brought to us!

Father, Thank you for entrusting us with this great gift! Thank you for letting us bring hope to the world for the sake of Jesus Christ. 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

 

Ninth Day of Advent

 

Monday, December 7, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. . . . There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called.”
Ephesians 4:3, 6

Isn’t it funny that no matter how old we get, Christmas influences our feelings! I know there are still some Scrooges around who “Bah humbug” Christmas, but in general we get warm fuzzy feelings as the holiday approaches. People smile more, they put their dollars in a red kettle for people they don’t even know; they decorate trees with dolls for little girls whose eyes they’ll not see sparkle when they get them; they buy turkeys for families around whose tables they will not sit. 

The baby Jesus’ birthday – not even Jesus, just his birthday – makes us gentler, more patient, even kinder. Paul’s words remind us that Christians are part of a body and should function in a kind of unity, but Christmas tends to even change our attitude and actions toward those that are just part of the human race – not even art of the Body of Christ -- people whom we may be totally unaware of the rest of the year! A little baby changes how we treat each other.

Father, Humility and patience with others are such lovely characteristics. Help us to exhibit them all year, not just at Christmas when we think of Jesus. 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

Eighth Day of Advent

 Sunday, December 6, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

 

“Now to Him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him….”
Romans 16:25-26 

Do we consider that we are “established” by a “mystery?” Down through the ages, God has been promising through the prophets that He was going to send the Messiah, an event so shrouded in mystery that no one really comprehended what the Messiah would be like! Today that mystery prevails, and often without understanding we are established in it.

As I write, I am sitting in a cardiac care waiting room, and next to me a family waits for news of a loved one. As each additional family member joins the clan, I hear them say that they are trusting Jesus as a precious life hangs in the balance. They join hands and pray to the Lord whose birthday we will soon celebrate. In the hour or so that I have waited here, I’ve seen how strong this family is because they are “established” in the “mystery” of who their Lord is! They cry a little but they are not tears of despair.

Paul wrote of this mystery in the first century. The people near me are still trusting that Mystery.

Father, We continue to praise you for your Holy Presence in a baby, even though we don’t fully understand. 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

 

 

Seventh Day of Advent

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth . . . yet for us there is one God, the Father from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ."
I Corinthians 8:5-6a

Knowing who one’s god is has a huge impact on how that person lives, on what he focuses his attention. A young friend brought his new, bright red Corvette to show me. He said he wanted to take good care of it, so he parked a long way away from crowds. If he couldn’t he’d shop at another mall or eat at a different restaurant. Protecting his prize against dings!

Later when I saw him at a restaurant I commented that I had not seen his car outside. He explained that he had sold the car. “It was all I thought about,” he said. “It had become my god!”

Paul reminds us that there are indeed other gods, and we must carefully choose the one whom we will serve. Unexpected things grab our attention and easily become too important. We must serve only One God. God came as a baby, but in that tiny infant dwelt the Triune God, the same one who warned that we should “have no other god” before Him! He doesn’t look very “godlike” in our little creches, but we know He is indeed the great I AM.

Father, Forgive us that we often focus our love and commitment on someone or something other than you! Help us to recognize you, even as a baby. 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

 

 

 

Sixth Day of Advent 2020

Friday, December 4, 2020

Tell Me About the Christmas Baby:
An Advent Devotional Guide

“And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment – to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."
Ephesians 1:9-10

Just when I think things can get no worse, I pick up the morning paper and find that another group is trying to establish a “new world order,” a uniting of all the countries of the world under one leader with one language and one monetary system! I usually smile indulgently, wishing I could tell them that they are wasting their time. Oh, it is going to happen, but they won’t bring it to pass.

Jesus came the first time as an infant, but he promises to return as the world’s “one head” – when, we don’t know. Every generation has anticipated that return since Jesus went back to heaven. In some wonderful, mysterious way, when all is just right, Paul says in Ephesians, Jesus is coming again.

The first time he came innocently as an infant, and most didn’t recognize him, though he’d told them over and over. This time he’ll come as ruler over all! Most were surprised the first time. Will we be the second?

Father, Cause us to look with anticipation to your second coming, to relish the idea of your kingdom, to be ready to meet you when you arrive without fear and with joy. 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