2025 Advent Devotion: Day 15

Monday, December 15

Psalm 42; Isaiah 29:17-24; Acts 5:12-16

When I was growing up, my mom used to say, “Christians don’t tell lies. They sing them.” When we sing “In Christ Alone,” “Standing on the Promises,” or “Victory in Jesus,” do we really believe with conviction what we’re singing? Imagine singing something like Psalm 42 that acknowledges despair but turns to God for hope:

“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,
my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11).

I recently had the unique experience of teaching U.S. History at a Christian international school in Prague. In a class of teenagers from around the world, there were only two Americans. One afternoon, we were discussing the U.S. Constitution and the amendments. Naturally, the lively discussion over some amendments helped the students understand how polarizing politics can be. But what struck me was when one of these students who is chronically online asked, “Why are Christians so angry on Twitter all the time?”

Is rage really the best we have to offer? Have we given in to despair and hopelessness that we no longer believe in a Christ who is the Prince of Peace? My student’s question was like the band MEGADETH yelling, “Peace sells, but who’s buying?” all over again. It reminded me that our witness isn’t credible in this world if the name of Jesus cannot unite us. Sometimes, in our rage and anger about what is happening to this world, we take it on ourselves to fix the world ourselves (and shape it in our image) instead of trusting God to establish His Kingdom in His time and in His way.

The passages for our readings today offer a different vision of the world. One in which God offers hope in place of despair, restoration after destruction, and healing of our brokenness. The power of the Christmas story is in our belief that this newborn King is establishing a Kingdom where people of all stripes can become citizens if we trust in and submit to Him.

The next time we sing, “Joy to the World,” remember it wasn’t originally written as a Christmas song. It was a poem about the second coming of our King, Jesus Christ. He is a King who offers peace, restoration, and healing, a King who has broken down the barriers of hostility between Jew and Gentile and has made them one (Ephesians 2). Do we still really believe this?



Granville Kris Casiño
Pastor, International Baptist Church of Prague