SCRIPTURELUKE 1:46-49And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name." One of my favourite TV shows is The West Wing. In one episode, a character named Leo tells the story of a man who fel...  Read More

SCRIPTUREMATTHEW 1:21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. By this point in Advent, expectations are reaching an explosive point in many homes. Excitement is building as certain family members watch the calendar with feverish intensity. We just can't wait for Christmas to finally arrive! The waiting seems to have gone...  Read More

SCRIPTUREMATTHEW 1:22-23All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). When our family moved house, we had to repeat the single most challenging building project of my entire life—our son's bed. This monstrosity had left me exhausted, sore, and frustrated whe...  Read More

SCRIPTUREMATTHEW 1:18-19This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah cam about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. Children are often wonderful teachers,...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 2:15-20When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all w...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 2:28-32Simeon took [the child Jesus] in his arms and praised God, saying:"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." People of a certain generation reading this devotional may be ...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 2:13-14Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." December 25, 1914, is perhaps one of the most famous Christmas Days in history. Known as the "Christmas truce," soldiers all along the Western Front of World War I climbed out of their trenche...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 2:6-7While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 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. Perhaps my favourite image of the birth of our Lord is a painting by Gari Melchers named The Nativity. The reason I find it so beautiful is that it is profoundly, uncomf...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 1:38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her. How do you manage in a crisis? When the bottom seems to be falling out of your world, when you feel like your whole life has caught on fire, how do you handle it? Some of us may panic—it's all overwhelming and feels like far, far too much for us to cope. Others may go into busin...  Read More

SCRIPTUREMATTHEW 1:18This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. The Christian band Casting Crowns has a song named "Dream for You." The second verse imagines God speaking to Mary: "Hey Mary, I've heard you've been dreaming, making plans for your big ...  Read More

SCRIPTURELUKE 2:4-7So 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in c...  Read More

SCRIPTUREMATTHEW 1:20But 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 Spirit." The Shawshank Redemption tells the story of a brutal New England prison, but it is ultimately a story about hope. An inmate named Red tells his friends that ...  Read More