Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 16 Monday, December 18 1 Kings 18:1-18; Psalm 125; Ephesians 6:10-17 We recognize the season of Advent as being a season of anticipation and preparation for what God is doing and the miraculous event that is the birth of Jesus. So, we prepare. We clean and decorate our homes for guests; we attend special advent services at […] Gardner-Webb University | December 18, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 15 Sunday, December 17 Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; John 1:6-8, 19-28 Isaiah speaks about making right that which is not good, about turning negative into positive, and about creating that good that can repair much. It is about comfort and joy and the promise “to comfort all who mourn” (61:2). It brings to mind an incident that […] Gardner-Webb University | December 17, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 14 Saturday, December 16 Habakkuk 3:13-19; Matthew 21:28-32 In this time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth we read the words in Matthew’s Gospel about two sons. The father tells the older boy to go into the vineyard and work but the boy answers, “No.” Later, however, he changes his mind and goes. The […] Gardner-Webb University | December 16, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 13 Friday, December 15 Habakkuk 3:2-6; Philippians 3:12-16 Trouble! Trouble! Trouble! Seemingly, everywhere there is trouble! What are we to do? Daily, we are bombarded with disasters and potential disasters of every kind. We are challenged by natural disasters such as heat waves, severe flooding, severe droughts, destructive tornadoes, and raging forest fires. We are challenged by […] Gardner-Webb University | December 15, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 12 Thursday, December 14 Psalm 126; Habakkuk 2:1-5; Philippians 3:7-11 What does Advent mean to you? Is it a time we focus only on the birth of Jesus? Or can it be a time of celebrating the entire life of Jesus and all that he sacrificed for you and me? Jesus was obedient to the Father; he […] Gardner-Webb University | December 14, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 11 Wednesday, December 13 Malachi 2:10-3:1; Luke 1:5-17 It is around this time of year that one question is asked by family, friends, even strangers alike. It comes up in conversations from those who know us well or at the register from a chatty clerk. The question I often hear this time of year is, “Are […] Gardner-Webb University | December 13, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 10 Tuesday, December 12 Isaiah 4:2-6; Acts 11:1-18 It takes a lot of boldness to condone the casting out of a people-group based on differences such as ethnicity, religious views, or even belief systems, but it takes an even greater degree of faith and tenacity to stand up for this people-group and share the good news […] Gardner-Webb University | December 12, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 9 Monday, December 11 Psalm 27; Isaiah 26:7-15; Acts 2:37-42 The opening words of Psalm 27 set the tone for our Advent reflection. The psalmist declares that the Lord is his light and salvation. Amid darkness and fear, we find our hope in God, the source of our salvation, the reason that we wait, the reason […] Gardner-Webb University | December 11, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 8 Sunday, December 10 Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8; 2 Peter 3:8-15a Have you ever lost your voice? Last year, my two young boys had a cold and had to stay home from school for a few days. They recovered and returned to school, but they left a present for me as their mother: a cold that […] Gardner-Webb University | December 10, 2023
Post 2023 Advent Devotion: Day 7 Saturday, December 9 Ezekiel 36:24-28; Mark 11:27-33 The gift of being made new through suffering. In Mark 11:27-33, when you read about the chief priests and teachers questioning Jesus’ authority, many of our first thoughts are about how naïve these chief priests must have been. We, knowing that Jesus is Lord, tend to believe that […] Gardner-Webb University | December 9, 2023
