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Tag Archives: adventdevotional

Love That Chooses the Hard Way

23 Dec
Love That Chooses the Hard Way

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Matthew 1:18–21
Love That Chooses the Hard Way

Joseph doesn’t say much in the Christmas story, but his actions speak loudly. When he learns Mary is pregnant, his world shifts in an instant. Scripture tells us Joseph is a righteous man, and his first instinct is to do what is right and to do it kindly. He plans to dismiss Mary quietly, sparing her shame.

Many of us know what it feels like to stand at a crossroads like that. To be hurt, confused, or afraid, and still try to respond with integrity. To do the loving thing when it would be easier to walk away. Joseph’s love shows up not in grand words but in careful decisions and quiet courage.

Then God intervenes. In a dream, Joseph is invited to trust a bigger story than the one he can see. He does. He stays. He protects. He steps into a future he did not plan but chooses love anyway.

Advent reminds us that love is not always easy or clear. Sometimes love is choosing faith over fear, compassion over control, and trust over certainty. Joseph shows us love often begins with doing the next right thing, even when the path ahead is uncertain.

Prayer:
God of faithfulness, give us courage to choose love when the way forward is hard. Help us trust you when the story unfolds differently than we imagined. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 23, 2025 in Church, Community, Culture, Family, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology, Uncategorized

 

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Love That Came Anyway

22 Dec
Love That Came Anyway

Monday, December 22, 2025

1 John 4:9–10
Love That Came Anyway

As the year draws to a close, many of us look back. We remember moments of faithfulness and moments we wish we could redo. There were days we showed up fully and days we fell short. Some choices were life-giving; others shaped by fear, exhaustion, or uncertainty.

Scripture reminds us that God knows all of this—and still chose to send Jesus into the world.

God did not wait for humanity to get it right. God did not wait for us to be faithful, generous, or strong enough. Out of love, Christ was sent to help, heal, guide, and save us, right in the middle of our unfinished stories.

Advent invites us to hold our whole year before God: the good and the hard, the faithful and the messy. Love does not arrive as a reward. It comes as a gift. Jesus enters the world not because we are worthy but because God is loving.

As Christmas draws closer, receive this truth again: whatever this year has held for you, God has not given up. Love has come anyway.

Prayer:
God of mercy and love, receive all that this year has been. Thank you for sending Christ to meet us in our need, to guide us toward healing and hope. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2025 in Church, Community, Culture, Family, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology

 

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Love That Comes to Us

21 Dec
Love That Comes to Us

Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 21, 2025

Luke 1:39–45
Love That Comes to Us

Have you ever had an unexpected guest, someone you admired deeply, whose presence felt like a gift? Maybe you wondered, What did I do to deserve this? The house wasn’t ready, life wasn’t perfectly in order, but the moment still felt surprising and holy.

That must be how Elizabeth felt when Mary arrived at her door. This was no ordinary visit. Mary brought both uncertainty and promise, and Elizabeth, who knew what it was to wait, was suddenly filled with joy. Scripture tells us that the child in her womb leapt, and Elizabeth was filled with wonder. “Why has this happened to me,” she asks, “that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” Her question is not doubt, but awe.

Elizabeth sees grace when it appears. She does nothing to earn it. She simply receives it.

That is how God’s love works. Grace comes to us, often unexpectedly and rarely when we expect it. Advent reminds us that Christ does not wait for us to be ready or deserving. Christ comes to us. Love draws near. And something inside us stirs with joy.

Today, think about where grace might be surprising you. God may already be closer than you realize.

Prayer:
God of love and grace, open our hearts to receive your presence with gratitude and joy as we prepare for Christ’s coming. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 21, 2025 in Church, Community, Culture, Family, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology

 

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Joy on the Edge of Arrival

20 Dec
Joy on the Edge of Arrival

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Luke 1:46–49
Joy on the Edge of Arrival

Mary sings her song before the child is born. Her joy comes not from having all the answers, but from trusting what God has started. She rejoices, not because the path is simple, but because God keeps promises.

There is a particular kind of joy that comes when we are close, close to a long-awaited moment, close to an answered prayer, close to something new taking shape. Advent holds us in that space. We are not yet at Christmas, but we can feel it approaching. Joy gathers there, at the edge of arrival.

This joy is often quiet and steady. It shows up in final preparations, in small acts of care, in the ordinary faithfulness of showing up one more time. It reminds us that God does not wait for perfect conditions to draw near.

As this Advent week comes to an end, pause for a moment. Take a breath. Notice the joy that is already here, even before everything is finished. God is closer than we think.

Prayer:
God of promise, steady our hearts as we wait. Help us rejoice in what you are already bringing to life among us. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2025 in Church, Community, Culture, Economics, Family, Life, Media, Philosophy, Postcolonial, Postmodern, Religion, Spirituality, Student life, Theology

 

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Joy Meant to Be Shared

19 Dec
Joy Meant to Be Shared

Friday, December 19, 2025

Luke 2:17–18
Joy Meant to Be Shared

After seeing the child lying in the manger, the shepherds did not keep the experience to themselves. Luke tells us they made the news known, and all who heard it were stunned. Joy, once found, naturally moved outward.

That is often how joy works. It grows when it is shared, in a story told, a word of encouragement offered, a moment of hope spoken aloud. Joy doesn’t demand perfection or certainty. It simply asks us to bear witness to what we have seen and experienced.

This season reminds us that sharing joy doesn’t require something grand. Sometimes it looks like checking in on someone, offering a kind word, or showing up when it would be easier not to. These small acts become echoes of the shepherds’ proclamation, spreading wonder in quiet, faithful ways.

Perhaps today, think of how joy might be asking to move through you. Who needs to hear a word of hope? Where might your presence be a sign that God is near?

Prayer:
God of good news, help us share the joy you have placed in our hearts. Use our words and actions to bring hope and joy to others. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 19, 2025 in Church, Community, Family, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology

 

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Joy That Lingers

18 Dec
Joy That Lingers

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Luke 2:19
Joy That Lingers

After the shepherds arrived in Bethlehem and shared what they had seen and heard, the scene quieted. Luke tells us that Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. Joy did not rush past her. It stayed. It settled. It lingered.

Not all joy is loud or immediate. Some joy takes time to sink in. It shows up after the moment has passed when we replay a conversation, remember a shared smile, or sit quietly with what God has revealed. Advent invites us into that kind of joy, the kind that doesn’t demand a response right away, but gently reshapes us from the inside.

We live in a world that moves quickly, where joy can feel fleeting or easily interrupted. Yet Mary reminds us that joy can be held, reflected upon, and carried forward. It can sustain us long after the moment itself has ended.

Today, notice where joy may be lingering for you. It might be found in a memory, a word spoken earlier this week, or a quiet sense of peace you can’t fully explain. Hold it gently. Treasure it. God is still at work.

Prayer:
God who dwells among us, help us notice and hold the joy you place in our hearts. Teach us to treasure your presence as we wait for Christ’s coming. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2025 in Church, Culture, Family, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology

 

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Joy on the Way

17 Dec
Joy on the Way

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Luke 2:15–16
Joy on the Way

After the angels left, the shepherds didn’t stay where they were. They looked at one another and said, “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” Joy moved them. Not with all the answers or a detailed plan, but with trust and urgency.

That’s often how joy works in our lives, too. It doesn’t wait until everything is clear or settled. It nudges us forward toward connection, toward compassion, toward showing up even when we feel tired or unsure. One step leads to another, and suddenly we find ourselves closer to hope than we expected.

Advent joy is not about standing still. It is about moving toward what God is doing, even when the path is dimly lit. The shepherds went just as they were, carrying wonder, questions, and hope in equal measure. And God met them there.

Today, consider where joy might be inviting you to take a step. It may be small. It may feel ordinary. But God is already ahead of you, waiting.

Prayer:
God who calls us forward, give us the courage to move toward the joy you offer. Guide our steps as we follow your light. Amen.

 
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Posted by on December 17, 2025 in Church, Community, Life, Religion, Spirituality, Theology

 

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