Welcome to our 2023 Advent Devotional!
Daily readings and reflections will be sent by email as we journey together this season. The first devotional will be sent tomorrow, November 27. Today you are receiving an introduction, with a guide on how to walk through the daily devotions.
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Blessings & Merry Christmas!
Introduction
The word advent describes something that has arrived - it is here now! In Christian circles the word refers to the four weeks of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas. After the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke the Gospels leap ahead to narrate the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which we will reflect on as we enter a new year.
The advent reflections focus primarily on the people involved in the Christmas story, with some comment on the role of God and angels in that story. Our main purpose is to look through the eyes of different people who hoped for, experienced, even resisted, and responded to the birth of Jesus. Hopefully this will inspire, challenge and guide our own devotion to Jesus and determination to follow him in discipleship. The biblical account of Jesus’ coming into this world is filled with mystery, excitement, wonder, joy, adoration, intrigue, worship, and above all, hope. As we ponder the remarkable events associated with his coming, and how people experienced it, may we too be drawn into wonder, amazement, adoration and worship of our wonderful Lord Jesus! May it also lead to new beginnings in following Jesus as we reflect on what follows his birth, and what is deeply significant for us as we enter a new year.
Note that in this year’s calendar the first six readings are described as Pre-Advent reflections.
Enjoy the journey with Bible in hand and prayer on your lips as you reflect on the coming of Jesus into the world and its significance for your life. Imagine yourself present with the various people involved in the events and imitate their faith and obedience. May we all welcome the Savior of the world and truly experience Emmanuel, God with us on the way.
Dr Erwin Penner
Each devotional is structured in three parts to provide consistency of presentation, and make it easy to follow and respond:
Read
Key Scripture passages will be suggested, and hopefully read prayerfully, to provide the basis for reflection and consideration of the thoughts that follow. It is important to listen to God first, as found in his Word, before focusing on human comments. So please read and ponder the Scriptures as you listen for the voice of God. I have quoted from the ESV.
Reflect
The thoughts I provide are an effort to pull together main ideas from the biblical texts for our learning and spiritual growth. Hopefully they will prompt serious consideration and reflection to help us increase in faith and obedience to Christ. The suggestions on how these thoughts might apply in our personal and corporate lives are but the beginning of what, hopefully, the readers will continue to explore for themselves. If these reflections are read together with others in your family or with friends, then discuss them and seek further application to our life together as a Christian community.
Respond
The responses are mostly structured as prayers, excerpted and adapted from Scripture. However, readers are encouraged to add to the prayers whatever is pertinent to their own lives, and respond to the challenge of the Scripture passages.
It may be helpful to approach these reflections with a fourfold prayer to our Lord based on the 139th Psalm.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
(1) Teach me: so I may learn something new or fresh from your Word.
(2) Try me: so I can forsake wrong and correct my ways.
(3) Train me: so I can follow your guidance in my life.
(4) Transform me: so I will clearly reflect your image into the world.