Advent Devotional 2021
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“How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.” Luke 13:34b
God sends messengers and, not only do the people refuse to listen, but they stone them to death. He sends prophets to warn the people and the people kill them.
Now finally, God sends His Son and they conspire against Him and execute him in the most cruel and horrific way possible.
And yet His son Jesus, knowing what terrible torture awaits Him, longs to gather them together like a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings. And they Won’t. Let. Him.
The consequences are severe. “Your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’
This saying comes from Psalm 118, a psalm of thanksgiving. It may be familiar to you as it begins: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Verses 22-24 say “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
The people rejected Jesus, but he became the cornerstone, the strong foundation.
When Jesus wants to gather you under His protection, will you let Him? Will you respond with thanksgiving? Will you respond as the Psalmist (verses 28-29)? “You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Kari S.
Now finally, God sends His Son and they conspire against Him and execute him in the most cruel and horrific way possible.
And yet His son Jesus, knowing what terrible torture awaits Him, longs to gather them together like a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings. And they Won’t. Let. Him.
The consequences are severe. “Your house is abandoned. And you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’
This saying comes from Psalm 118, a psalm of thanksgiving. It may be familiar to you as it begins: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Verses 22-24 say “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”
The people rejected Jesus, but he became the cornerstone, the strong foundation.
When Jesus wants to gather you under His protection, will you let Him? Will you respond with thanksgiving? Will you respond as the Psalmist (verses 28-29)? “You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
Kari S.
Prayer focus: Identify 5 areas in your life that you can thank God for today
Community prayer focus: Centenary Preschool
Community prayer focus: Centenary Preschool
Favorite Christmas Tradition
Every year since we moved to Modesto in 1988, we attended the 7PM Christmas Eve Service. Once our granddaughter, Liberty arrived in 2011, we switched to the Children’s 5:30 service and she attended with our daughter, Heather and husband, Jeremiah. As Liberty grew old enough to hold her own candle, it was such a blessing to see the expression on her face as she stared at her candle which would illuminate her tiny face. As time went on, our daughter and Jeremiah were able to adopt and add four more children to the family and like Liberty, they were fascinated with the candlelight. 2020 was a unique and sad year for most of us and we wondered how we could keep the candlelight tradition with no Children’s service. We could not meet in person and as we recall, the church had to close for some time. Since we always meet at our daughter’s home on Christmas Eve, I came up with an idea. Liberty learned to play Silent Night on her piano, the children held battery operated candles, and our daughters, husbands, and us held real candles as we all sang Silent Night. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we were determined not to let the darkness steal our Light and our joy, which is Christ Jesus.
Sandra H.
Every year since we moved to Modesto in 1988, we attended the 7PM Christmas Eve Service. Once our granddaughter, Liberty arrived in 2011, we switched to the Children’s 5:30 service and she attended with our daughter, Heather and husband, Jeremiah. As Liberty grew old enough to hold her own candle, it was such a blessing to see the expression on her face as she stared at her candle which would illuminate her tiny face. As time went on, our daughter and Jeremiah were able to adopt and add four more children to the family and like Liberty, they were fascinated with the candlelight. 2020 was a unique and sad year for most of us and we wondered how we could keep the candlelight tradition with no Children’s service. We could not meet in person and as we recall, the church had to close for some time. Since we always meet at our daughter’s home on Christmas Eve, I came up with an idea. Liberty learned to play Silent Night on her piano, the children held battery operated candles, and our daughters, husbands, and us held real candles as we all sang Silent Night. Even in the midst of a pandemic, we were determined not to let the darkness steal our Light and our joy, which is Christ Jesus.
Sandra H.
