2020 Advent Devotional

Friday, December 25, 2020 Merry Christmas! Angels announce with shouts of mirth, him who brings new life to earth. People, look east and sing today; Love, - the Lord, is on the way.  UMH, 202 Sunrise announces every new day:  new beginnings, new hopes,...

Thursday, December 24, 2020 …and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them….“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his...

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. Isaiah 11:6 “The Peaceable Kingdom” by Edward Hicks image from...

Tuesday,  December 22, 2020  But after he had considered this, 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...

Monday, December 21, 2020 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.   Luke 1:30-31 “The Annunciation” by Carl Blouch image from...

Fourth Week of Advent, Sunday, December 20, 2020 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...

Saturday, December 19, 2020 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. John 1:9 At first glance, this photo could suggest that I was on a conference call conducting a presentation and accidentally stepped on a LEGO left behind...

Friday, December 18, 2020  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:21 Life is unexpected.  When the lights go out, where do you turn for...

Thursday, December 17, 2020 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 ON WHOM LIGHT SHINES When I read this verse, I think of Handel’s “Messiah,” which draws on this verse and...

Wednesday, December 16, 2020 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Matthew 2:9-10...

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?  Psalm 8:3-4 PEACE ON EARTH This time of year...

Monday, December 14, 2020 Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?Job 38:33 STARGAZERS In today’s scripture, God and Job are having a conversation.  We remember Job – a good man who was visited, seemingly unfairly, by...

Third Week of Advent, Sunday, December 13, 2020 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. Genesis 1:16 “Moonlight” by Winslow Homer as found on a store print....

Saturday, December 12, 2020 …down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations....

Friday, December 11, 2020  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38 “There is so much to do! What can I do? I am just one...

Thursday, December 10, 2020 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26 I know this verse is about shedding the emotion of...

Wednesday, December 9, 2020 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. Psalm 147:8 Our photograph speaks to us of the vastness of the ocean, the blackness of storm clouds filling the sky, and the...

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the...

Monday, December 7, 2020 …then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied....

Second Week of Advent, Sunday, December 6, 2020 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” Genesis 1:29 This verse could be the vegetarian creed....

Saturday, December 5, 2020 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2 One of Trinity’s missions is to...

Friday, December 4, 2020 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to...

Thursday, December 3, 2020 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them....

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.Luke 19:5-6 Advent is a time for feeling a...

Tuesday,  December 1, 2020 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world...  And everyone went to their own town to register.Luke 2:1&3 “The Census at Bethlehem” by Pieter Bruegel  image...