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Christmas Joy: An Advent Devotional

Christmas Joy: To the Reader

The days leading up to Christmas present us with an extraordinary opportunity for us to know more deeply Jesus the Christ, who called himself the way, the truth, and the life. On many occasions Jesus told his followers reasons why he came. Now ordinary people don’t talk that way. Even if we have a sense of purpose in life, we don’t talk about “coming into the world” for a specific mission. Jesus said he came to fulfill the Scriptures: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17) He said he came to preach and proclaim: “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” (Mark 1:30) He said he came to lead us out of darkness: “ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (John 12:46) Standing before Pontius Pilate Jesus said: “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37) He said that he came to give life: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) And as if all that were not enough, he said that he came in order to serve, and to sacrifice: “ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). There are many ways to contemplate the life-changing reality of the coming of the Son of God. In this devotional, we will consider 25 keywords or phrases associated with the birth of Jesus. We will think about joy, peace, Immanuel, shepherd, Magi, Mary, star, flesh, virgin, counselor, prince, manger, and more. God bless you as you draw closer to Christ this year. —Mel Lawrenz P.S. Interested in a physical copy of "Christmas Joy: A Devotional"? Stop by the Elmbrook Bookstore to pick up a copy!

Dec. 1: Joy

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” — Luke 2:10-11 Great joy? Is it almost too much to hope for? Where did all the Christmas joy go? How did things get so complicated? So rushed? So squeezed and cluttered? A nonstop buzz of Christmas lights and weary shoppers, boisterous television specials and pleading children. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose to step aside, step into a quieter moment, and read the angel’s words that came on the night that changed the world: “I bring you good news of great joy!” It was just another night of work in the field for the shepherds, with a chill in the air and the soft bleating of their flocks. Another night of work, a night like thousands of nights before—even thousands of years before when the shepherd David was still a boy and stood watch in those same fields. Life hadn’t changed in a millennium. But on this night, everything changed. When the angel appeared, bathed in a glorious light, these shepherd men and boys who were used to fending off wild beasts to protect their sheep were suddenly filled with terror. Were they convinced by the simple words: “I bring you good news of great joy”? Probably not. Joy would have to come later. They would need to see proof. That’s the way it works with joy. Real joy never originates from within; it must come from without. Searching for joy within you is like searching for the ocean within a droplet of water. Perhaps this is why so many of us have a difficult time finding joy at Christmas. Bite into a Christmas cookie and you might enjoy it. Open a shiny package and you might delight in what you find inside. But joy itself—true and pure—is so much more than enjoyment. Joy is the startling realization that God has claimed territory in this world. He has taken back what belongs to him. Every day we can remind ourselves of this revelation—reignite this joy again and again. Joy is a thirst that doesn’t want to be quenched; a hunger that knows it will go on and on. It’s a good thing to never get enough of God. This “great joy”—God come into the world—is great because it’s everywhere. A joy “that will be for all the people” is here. Now. Let us delight in this tremendous news today. Prayer for today: Dear God, turn my fear into great joy.

Dec. 2: Peace

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” — Luke 2:13-14 Peace is a noble aspiration at any time, in times of war or in times of harmony. When you find yourself at odds with someone, or when you’re feeling pretty good about your relationships. When you feel in harmony with God, or when you feel a discord. It is always important to pursue peace. Peace is so much more than the absence of conflict. Maybe you can lay your head on your pillow tonight and thank God that you experienced no conflict, but that is not the same thing as experiencing peace. If a husband and wife get tired of shouting at each other and both slip into an icy indifference, that is not peace. In Hebrew the word for “peace” is shalom, a well-wishing that says it all: May you be healthy, whole, and complete. May you know where you fit in the universe, and may you find tranquility there. Augustine said peace is “the tranquility of order.” When you know where you fit into God’s world—that you are higher than the animals, but less than God—that is the sense of order that brings tranquility. Therefore, we pray for peace at Christmas. We pray that others and ourselves will discover the Christmas shalom—the confidence that when God’s favor, his undeserved grace, rests on us, we will know a peace that goes beyond understanding. The peace gifted to us because Christ came into the world and put things in order, beginning with his birth and completed in his sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection. Prayer for today: Dear God, let your favor rest on me, and let me stand in the peace that Christ has made possible.

Dec. 3: Angel

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” — Matthew 1:20-21 Angel: 1. A spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God. (Oxford English Dictionary) What did Mary see when the angel Gabriel appeared to her? What kind of being came with foreknowledge of a supernatural conception and with words that would change her identity forever? “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). How would the shepherds have described the angel with the glory of the Lord shining about? How could they en-capsulate “a great company of the heavenly host” (Luke 2:13) whose voices poured out a sudden tidal wave of sound, a booming chorus? “Glory to God in the highest!” (Luke 2:14). How would Joseph describe his own encounter with the angel? Or what would Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, say about his angelic messenger? In the days leading up to the birth of Jesus, supernatural appearances and utterances were occurring like they never had before—an electric buzz of heaven’s voices among us. The real meaning of angel is simply “messen-ger.” This reminds us that Christmas is about a message. It is a gospel—good news. The best news. And paving the way were powerful spiritu-al messengers whose very presence struck fear and awe into people. (No pudgy-winged cherubs here!) Their mission and their message transformed humankind—and we have never been the same. This year, any one of us can probably think of a dozen cases in which we’d like to hear a personal message from God. We’ve already received that message, however, and it is individually suited to each of us because it was sent to all of us. As the angel said to Joseph: “[Jesus] will save his people from their sins.” The angel’s message from that cold night continues to ring through the atmosphere. Centuries later, it is still as true as it was in its first utterance. In this mortal world that is at once full of wonders, yet seized by sin and darkness, we have been saved. Prayer for today: Lord, thank you for your message of hope and renewal, for your Son. Let my heart receive this message anew every day, and may my eyes be opened to your con-tinued presence in this world.

Dec. 4: Virgin

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” — Luke 1:26-31 Can any of us fathom the immense amount of faith Mary was called upon to have? She was young. She was a virgin. She was probably expecting to lead no more than an ordinary life in a no-name Galilean town. Then the message came from heaven. To be visited by an angel would be miraculous in itself. But the words! Those powerful, surreal words: “The Lord is with you” (v. 28). Certainly that is true for all of us, generally speaking; but in this case the emphasis was: The Lord is with you, Mary. The Creator of the universe has handpicked “you who are highly favored.” As with Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Ruth, and David, God chose Mary to be his instrument, to do his work in the world. A high favor indeed. “You will be with child,” in a way that no woman before or since has been with child. A virgin, and yet with child. It is a difficult concept for us to grasp. Within Mary, God did something unique, which isn’t too hard for him to do, but it’s often very complicated for us to understand. Is it too hard for the Creator of the universe to cause a woman to have, by an act of creation, a complete zygote that would become an embryo, which would become a fetus, which would become a newborn baby? No. The virginal conception is only impossible to believe if you think the Creator can’t do anything just once. But who can make up such a rule for God? Mary is a pivotal figure worth consideration this Christmas season. She stands at the crossroads between the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New. The channel for the old prophecies to be fulfilled, and the new salvation given—the womb that carried the heavens’ Prince, the woman who had faith enough to bring to term our Liberator from death. She was asked to believe something that many of us struggle to even imagine. From that frightful day when she was face to face with a strange messenger, to the cold night in the stable, to the mournful day her son was mounted on a cross—Mary’s entire life witnessed and nurtured Jesus’ message. Stop and ask yourself: If Mary were here today, how would she celebrate Christmas? When you find yourself feeling lost or in des-pair, know that you have the same capacity for the extraordinary faith that Mary did. She was human, as you and I are. Ask yourself, How might I fortify my faith every day? Who else inspires me with their extraordinary faith? Will I be prepared when a time comes for me to have great faith? Prayer for today: Lord, help me to trust you in the choices you make. Help me to have even a measure of the faith that Mary had. Lord, do whatever you choose to do in my life. Let me grow stronger every day in the assurance of your message and your grace.

Dec. 5: Shepherd

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. — Luke 2:8 It may seem like a stretch of the imagination, but try it anyway: If you were God and could announce the arrival of the Savior of humanity, would you send your messengers to some shepherds out in the fields as they whiled away their nighttime watch? Why not send angels to an assembly of the religious council in Jerusalem instead? Why not send them to the megalomaniac King Herod? Or how about Caesar? Wouldn’t that be a night of work—blowing open the doorways of society and changing everything with a few simple words? Yet God chose the shepherds. Rough characters at that time, shepherds were laborers who performed the tedious tasks that many others were unwilling to do. They appeared ragged, smelled of the flocks, and were used to sleeping on the cold, hard ground. Often the Bible tells us about extraordinary shepherds. A millennia earlier, David, the “shepherd king” of Israel, had cared for his people just as he’d cared for the sheep when he was a boy shepherd in the fields outside of Bethlehem. David could write the incredible words of Psalm 23 because he knew what it meant to be a good shepherd, and he knew that God was his good shepherd. David tells us, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters” (vv. 1-2). And that’s not all. The Lord guides (v. 3). He protects with his rod and staff (v. 4). Jesus, the descendant of David, came to earth to be the good shepherd. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said he knows us as his sheep, and we are to know him (10:14-15). He promised to defend us from wolves and not run away. But most importantly, he said the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. So consider this: On the night that Jesus’ life began in this world, an inexorable process was set in motion—leading to the day when he would lay down his life for the world. All of this in the fashion of a truly good shepherd. So an angelic visitation to shepherds in Bethlehem—men who understood feeding and guiding and saving—was the best way for chapter one to begin. Prayer for today: The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me be-side quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

Dec. 6: Joseph

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. — Matthew 1:18-19 We know so little about Joseph. He is only mentioned in the birth and childhood stories of Jesus. He was named after an ancient patriarch who used his success in Egypt to save his family and a future nation. Joseph was a carpenter who lived in the town of Nazareth. His ancestors were from Bethlehem. So when a Roman ruler, Caesar Augustus, wanted to take a census, Joseph had to go back to Bethlehem even though his wife was well along in her pregnancy. The most important thing we know about Joseph is that when the time called for it, he displayed great faith and grace. He found out that the woman to whom he was engaged to be married was pregnant. While Mary had the benefit of an angel to explain her unique conception, Joseph had not been visited yet. All he had was Mary’s word. So what was that conversation like? No, she hadn’t slept with another man. Yes, she was pregnant. And yes, a spiritual being had told her she would conceive by a unique act of God. And as if that weren’t enough—the child in her womb would be the Savior of the world. Why did Joseph believe her? Why did he change his first plans to quietly divorce her so as not to expose her to public shame? (Engagements were so serious back then that to break one off amounted to getting a divorce.) If you were in his shoes, would you have believed Mary? Here is something for all of us to think about at Christmas. Think of Joseph. Think of him looking into Mary’s eyes, hearing her account, knowing in his heart of hearts it’s true, and having the courage to act on that faith even though he may have had doubts. As nonsensical as it seemed, he believed it. As much as the idea of a virginal conception violates both logic and science (even the rudimentary science of a millennia ago), Joseph knew it was possible with God. As risky as it was to stay with Mary and be branded by others as the hapless dupe of an immoral woman, Joseph decided to take that leap of faith. That is true faith. It wasn’t just that he trusted Mary. Joseph trusted God—that God could, that God might, that God would. Prayer for today: God, give me Joseph’s courage and iron-strong faith. Give me faith to believe that, at the birth of Jesus, you really did enter this world—my world—and you’re still working powerfully in it.

Dec. 7: Kingdom

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” — Luke 1:32-33 Christmas represents a beginning that makes sense only if we comprehend the end. The beginning is a child—a humble birth in an earthy stable. But the end... The end is an explosion of divine glory bright enough for the whole world to see—like the birth of a new star. The end is a kingdom. Jesus came to forward the kingdom of God, to open people’s eyes to the power of God, to make it the central reality of their lives. “His kingdom will never end.” Now contrast Jesus’ approach with King Herod’s, a man who sought to protect his kingdom by trying to eliminate any potential rival to his throne. What Herod didn’t understand was that by killing all of the baby boys in Bethlehem, he was not protecting his kingdom but showing its weakness and fearfulness. In the wake of God’s kingdom and power, all human power is simply water dribbling through cupped hands, no matter how steadfast the grasp. The kingdom of Christ is different; it will never end. There is no rival to his authority, though unbelievers will always abound. There is no one sitting at the right hand of God except Christ. No other authority was present when the earth was created, nor will there be one when the final judgment comes. Christmas is a celebration of the coming of a kingdom. Powerful. Life-changing. Overwhelming. Don’t ever think that Christmas is a way for us to wrap up God in a package, put a bow on it, and keep the whole thing under our control. It’s not a way for us to avoid God except during those extra-special religious seasons. The first Christmas was the arrival of a King. Rulers from the east knew it, so they came to present him with gifts. King Herod knew it, which is why he ordered all the baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed. It is the Battle of Bethlehem, the beginning of a war in which the King of kings is intent on taking back territory that belonged to him all along, and sweeping people like us into a new benevolent kingdom. Prayer for today: Dear God, help me to live these days with a knowledge that you are reigning in this broken world as King. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Dec. 8: Manger

She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. — Luke 2:7 Where is a baby first placed after he or she emerges from the mother’s womb? Today, we use hyper-sterilized blankets and sanitized cribs. A Plexiglas dome, if necessary. All precautions are taken to minimize the number of germs the child may come in contact with. But Mary laid Jesus in a feeding trough for animals. The Good Shepherd took refuge that night in the sheep’s manger; and when the shepherds came to see what had been announced to them, how stunned they must have been. Of course, this would not have been Mary and Joseph’s first choice. They would have preferred a modest room at a local inn, had there been any vacancies. If it all took place today, maybe a red neon light would have flashed a big NO that created a ghastly pool of light on the asphalt parking lot. There are times when no is the hardest thing we have to hear. Yet Jesus has seen and continues to see the no sign from the very human race he had a hand in creating. Many people don’t even want to consider him. Even in the life of a faithful believer, there is so much inside of us that wants to say to him, Stay out of that part of my life. Keep that door closed. No, you may not spend the night. So instead, Jesus stays where he can. A feeding trough will do. He’s not protected from the world, but lying in it. Prayer for today: Lord, make way in my heart and mind for you today. Unlock every door. Open the most valued places. Don’t let me try to exclude you from any part of my life.

Dec. 9: Jesus

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. — Matthew 1:21 Sometimes a name is just a name, and sometimes a name captures someone perfectly. The ancients inclined to choose names carefully, so as to make a lifelong statement about a person’s identity. “Jesus” is a name so familiar to us today that we easily forget it was a name with extraordinary significance. The name an angel announced should be given to Mary and Joseph’s new child. And what a name! “Jesus” means “the Lord saves.” He does indeed. “Call him Jesus,” the angel said, “because he will save his people from their sins.” None of us can save ourselves anymore than a person sinking in a rowboat can save himself by pulling up on the side of the boat. We need a savior, and not just a theoretical savior, but one who really has the power of God to separate us from the tyranny and the guilt of sin. But there wouldn’t have been a saving sacrifice if there hadn’t been an incarnation. Bethlehem was the start of the mission. We don’t need to wait until Good Friday and Easter Sunday to celebrate the Savior. The saving started at the birth of Jesus. Mary and Joseph could not have understood all of this, of course. They were obedient and named the newborn Jesus, “the Lord saves,” but how and when the Lord would save them was still a mystery to them. Not so for us. This side of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we know the extent of the saving love of God. Prayer for today: Lord, make me more aware of my sins today and help me know that they shrink before the powerful person of Jesus.

Dec. 10: Christ

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. — Luke 2:11 Some people think “Christ” is Jesus’ last name—Jesus Christ, like Joe Johnson or Audrey Smith. If you’ve thought that, don’t feel bad. It is just further evidence that over the centuries our understanding of Jesus as the Christ has become so solid in our thinking that we don’t think of “Jesus” without “Christ.” Jesus is his name; Christ is his title. Among all of the titles he bears—Son of God, Son of Man, Good Shepherd, Alpha and Omega—it all begins in the gospel story with this one incredible announcement: “He is Christ the Lord.” The word is Christos in Greek, and thus it’s Christ in English. And it’s Messiah in Hebrew, which means “Anointed One.” But what is the meaning of “Anointed One”? In the Old Testament, three kinds of people were anointed: kings, priests, and prophets. So when we hear “Christ,” we should think of Jesus in each of those three roles. He is a king who rules in people’s lives not just because they are in his realm, but also because he is in their hearts. He is a priest who stands between God and humanity—one who sacrifices, one who intercedes, the mediator, the bridge. And he is a prophet too. Prophets brought the words of God to the people, but the Messiah is the Word of God to the people. In those days when the heavy hand of Caesar Augustus dominated the Holy Land, people were looking for the Anointed One to come. They were hoping for a large army, not a multitude of the heavenly host. They anticipated a bigger and better David, not the obscure rabbi who always seemed like an outsider when he visited Jerusalem. They probably expected an orator, but they did not expect the speeches of this Messiah to leave people speechless. The very best things God does in our lives usually come as a surprise to us. So wouldn’t it be surprising if we, who think we know so much about Jesus, would be startled to see him in a whole new way? We picture him in a Nativity set or as the subject of praise in hymns. We picture him in art, in stories. We experience him while reading the Bible, or while listening to a Sunday sermon. But we often fail to picture him as the living, breathing manifestation of God on earth. This, the angel said, was “good news of great joy.” What could be better than God existing in the midst of our lives? Prayer for today: Christ, you are the King above all other kings, the high priest who made the ultimate sacrifice, the prophet who had the last word. Let me be astonished this Christmas by knowing more fully than ever before that you really have come and changed this world, and you are still here.

Dec. 11: Bethlehem

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. — Luke 2:4 Bethlehem was like any other town in the hills of Judea. And yet it was the birthplace of the greatest king of Israel, David, and one thousand years later, the Messiah. How does such an honor come to the ordinary? Were the people of this town particularly worthy? Was there some great strategic advantage to where it lay? Were the people of Bethlehem politically savvy, having a long history of producing great leaders? Not at all. The little town of Bethlehem was in the shadow of great Jerusalem just six miles to the north. Even the meaning of Bethlehem, “house of bread,” is unremarkable. But hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Micah predicted the destiny of an unremarkable, small place: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Mic. 5:2). The townspeople of Bethlehem were surely proud to be the “Town of David” and the home of King David’s famous grandmother, Ruth. Proud also, to be the location of the tomb of Rachel, Jacob's beloved wife. Yet, they must have wondered what Micah’s prophecy really meant. When would another prophet like Samuel come to town and anoint a new king, just as he had done with the boy David? But it didn’t happen that way. On an ordinary day, while men plied their trades and women baked bread and children played in the streets, a traveling couple from Nazareth arrived looking for a room. They received no special treatment. No one offered them a room. Ordinary people were having an ordinary response to an ordinary looking couple. Honor comes to the ordinary because of God’s choice, whether it is God’s choice to use a town, or a nation, or even a single man or woman, boy or girl. So if this is shaping up to be an ordinary day for you—be prepared. That’s the stage on which the acts of God are played. Prayer for today: Dear God, it so easy for us to assume that nothing exciting will happen with the ordinary. Help us this Christmas to see the amazing things you do when you choose to use the ordinary.

Dec. 12: Immanuel

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us.” — Matthew 1:22-23 My wife and I seriously lost track of our daughter only once. We were walking through a crowded tourist town, and the streets were lined with shops. It was evening and the crowds were dense. Suddenly, I noticed that neither my wife nor I had our eight-year-old daughter by the hand. We spun around but were unable to spot her. With candy stores beckoning children indoors, and winding side streets all around, she could be anywhere. After a few minutes of running around, I somehow spotted her far way on a side street. The look on her face was unforgettable: “Where were you?” she asked, but her eyes said, Thank God you are with me now. I am never going to leave your side again. “With us.” There is hardly a more central promise that God has ever made to human beings. The alternative is just too horrifying to imagine. If God has abandoned us and that is why so many bad things happen in life, then what does that say about God? What does it say about our destiny? If God oscillates in and out of our lives, willing to be with us only as long as we don’t get too obnoxious, coming and going like a father who grows lax in his responsibility—where does that leave us? If God cannot be with us, then we would have to conclude that we will never reap the benefits of divine presence, and words like grace, mercy, love, and truth have no meaning. Jesus was born but he was also sent, and Immanuel was one of his names. Immanuel: “with us [is] God.” “God with us.” His body is among us, his message from the heavens. He turned life upside down with the divine truths he presented. But he also left people with the sense that they’d never been closer to God than when they were with him. We don’t need to stay lost. God is not indifferent to our condition. And he came to us in the most radical way, by taking our flesh, our humanity, on himself. Prayer for today: Dear Lord, I need to know you are with us. Help me this Christmas to know, more than I’ve ever known before, that you have come and that we can always live in the conscious enjoyment of your presence.

Dec. 13: Soul

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” — Luke 1:46-47 One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to live with a shrunken understanding of God, a shrunken soul. This is the perfect reason to take Christmas seriously, as it is our best hope for our minds and hearts to be enlarged with God’s greatness. Mary’s response to the message that she would bear the Savior was a remarkable song of praise, sometimes known as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). It begins, “My soul glorifies the Lord,” which means that because God’s announcement opened her heart to him in a way that she couldn’t have imagined, her soul was beginning to grasp the bigness of God. I remember the first time I looked through a telescope at the open sky on a cold winter evening. When I pointed it at the half-lit moon, I was stunned as mountains and plains came into focus—unlike the images in the picture books I was used to. This was the real thing in real time. And now this ethereal bright disk hanging in the night sky was a real place to me. The telescope magnified its reality. The moon didn’t increase, but my comprehension of it did. Sometimes human beings look at God as if he were a distant point of light. But when we take his Word into consideration, and if we accept it by faith, our perspective changes drastically. We see that we are living in a greater reality, with a greater God than we had imagined, and with greater possibilities in our future. Mary knew her life would never be the same—and not just her life, but also the lives of countless others—because of what God was going to do. This stretched her soul, and it can stretch ours as well. Prayer for today: Lord, this Christmas, please give me a larger vision of who you are. May you be magnified in my soul, and may others see that you are the focus of my celebration.

Dec. 14: Counselor

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 “What is the baby’s name?” The people in Bethlehem who heard about a baby being born in a stable must have stopped by to talk to Mary or Joseph. And the new parents voiced the name they had not chosen for their son: Jesus. But hundreds of years earlier, other names had already been announced for the Anointed One. Among them, Isaiah spoke of one who would be called Wonderful Counselor. What was a “counselor” in biblical times? It was one of the roles of a king or other high official, and their task was to be wise and judicious in the face of the most difficult questions, the most complicated negotiations, and the most intractable problems. The counsel of the king was supreme, but it was not infallible. We all know there is good counsel and there is poor counsel. The one born of a virgin would be called Wonderful Counselor. Now that is something different. The Hebrew word for wonderful means something out of the ordinary, clearly different, beyond human explanation. It is the knowledge described in Psalm 139:1-6, O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. When we contemplate the Nativity of Jesus, we cannot help but be full of wonder. This is how God came to us, and it is wonderful because Jesus gives us an unclouded vision of what our lives are supposed to be—good counsel. He instructed us with words of wisdom. He exemplified for us what it looks like to lead a life devoted to the Father. Yet, how often do we really heed this treasured counsel? How might we live more consciously in light of the example he set forth? Prayer for today: Lord, I need your counsel in every area of my life. As I think about my family, friends, work, and decisions—I know I need to be smart. So please help me listen to you this Christmas as the only One who is the Wonderful Counselor.

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