This year we are centering our Advent Devotion on the Jesse Tree Symbols and Bible Stories. What is the Jesse Tree? The Jesse Tree is a way of preparing for Advent by journeying through the stories on Jesus’ family tree. The tradition of the Jesse Tree comes from Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of King David, the king of Israel who we trace Jesus’ lineage through.
Each day of Advent, there will be a Bible story about someone on Jesus’ family tree and an ornament symbolizing the story on the Jesse Tree. You can see these symbols on the ornaments that will be hung on our own Jesse Tree in worship. Through the Jesse Tree, we’ll see how God prepared for Jesus to be born through many generations.
In these pages you will find a devotion for each day of Advent. They do not have to be read the day listed but each week in worship you will see the ornamets for the week added to the Jesse Tree.
Like the Jesse Tree, the generations of SCAPC have come together to create the art and writings in these devotions. May the words, art, and heart you find in these pages inspire, encourage, and invite you into deeper faith this Advent season.
The First Sunday of Advent: November 30
Isaiah 11:1-2
Devotional by Ashlin Murphy
THE JESSE TREE
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord -Isaiah 11:1-2
Okay, I’ll be honest: I don’t know who Jesse is (and I don’t think I’m alone in that). I’m sure Chris and Sarah and Ashley will spell that out for us. But I do know and love ornaments. Decorating the tree is such a fun and cherished tradition because it takes me down memory lane – the Mickey ears from our trip to Disney World, the macaroni picture frames my brothers made in preschool, the ear of corn my friend gave me in memory of my grandfather. It’s wonderful to reflect on these blessings and use them to create a beautiful symbol for Jesus’ birth.
I wonder what ornaments would be on God’s tree. Our family has decorations that have been passed down for several generations, but for God, that is a lot of ground to cover! To cram the essential stories into 25 ornaments seems tricky – and I’m sure that’s the best we can do on Earth – but the truth is that God’s Christmas tree is probably bigger than the galaxy because each and every one of us would be represented. We are part of His story, and that’s why it’s so important that we take the time to glorify Him in ours. While we take a trip down His memory lane, I hope we all find glimpses of ourselves in His parables and teachings.
Symbol: Stump with Branch
by Lars Porterfield, age 3
Monday, December 1
Genesis 1:26-31
Devotional by Miriam Hollar:
CREATION OF HUMANS
Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness…
And God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” — Genesis 1:26, 31
Long before the shepherds heard the angels sing, before Mary held her child in a stable in Bethlehem, God spoke life into being. Out of love, humanity was formed—made in the image of our Creator, shaped to imagine, to create, to care, and to love.
When God looked upon all that was made—mountains and rivers, birds and stars, and humankind among them—God smiled and said, “It is very good.”
Advent calls us to remember that first joy, that moment of divine delight. The coming of Christ is not a new beginning, but the continuation of God’s promise—to dwell with us, to bring life where there is longing, and to restore all creation in love.
The child born in Bethlehem is the clearest reflection of God’s image—humble, gentle, and full of grace. In Jesus, we see what it means to live as God intended: open-hearted, generous, and kind.
We carry that holy likeness within us. Every person we meet has the same loving care of the Creator. This Advent, as we prepare for all the celebrations of the season, let us look for God’s image in one another, in creation, and in every act of kindness and love.
Symbol: Adam and Eve
by Kate Knight
Prayer:
Creator God, you made us in your image and called us good.
As we wait for Christ’s coming, shine your light within us again.
Help us to see your likeness in others and to share your love with all creation.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday, December 2
Genesis 3
Devotional by Judith Halverson
THE FALL
Stay away from that tree in the center of the Garden! It will be your downfall! This was the admonition made by God to Adam and Eve, God’s precious creation.
It was not a typical day in the Garden. There was a snake on the loose. In the ancient world, a snake was a symbol of wisdom, fertility, and immortality. This serpent enticed Eve by its claim of immortality. She would not die if she ate the fruit. Instead, whispered the crafty serpent, she would be as wise as God, knowing both good and evil. Adam and Eve succumbed to the serpent’s words. They were human after all.
This special tree bore fruit that was good for food, was a delight to the eyes, and “was to be desired to make one wise” (Gen. 3: 6). Why did God not want God’s creation to know good and evil? By eating the fruit, “the eyes of both were opened” (Gen. 3: 7) and Adam and Eve became aware of themselves as separate from God. It was the day of falling into becoming fully human by desiring to be as God.
The fall set in motion by Eve and Adam that day separated them from God, and they hid.
God walked in the Garden searching for Adam. Were they ashamed of their humanity and so they hid? Upon finding them, God challenged Adam and then Eve to tell God what had happened. But God knew. God created humans with free will and they ate the fruit from the tree. As a result of their desire, God sent them from the Garden. From that point on, humans, like Adam and Eve, would toil and hide from God.
Yet God keeps seeking his creation. God has not separated from us; we know in our baptism that we cannot be separated from God. It is we, as with Adam and Eve, who separate ourselves from God. This Advent, may we stop hiding and find our way back to the Garden, to God. God is waiting for our return.
Prayer:
Creator God, we hide from You in so many ways. Through your Son and the gift of grace, you give us the path to turn back to you. Help us see your welcoming arms. Amen.
Symbol: Snake and Apple
by Mills Kehlenbach, 10th grade
Wednesday, December 3
Genesis 6:11-14; 7:17-8:3; 9:8-13
Devotional by Kate Brown, 12th grade
NOAH'S ARK
As I read the Scripture readings from Genesis 6:11-14; 7:17; 8:3; 9:8-13, I tried hard to analyze and discover the true meaning of the words. The first reading in Genesis 6:11-14 talked about corruption and how Noah was told by God to create the ark. God does this because he “saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.” This quote stuck with me as I read because it felt like a deeper meaning and a warning for all of humanity. I believe that God is trying to tell us that our corruption and sin will ultimately bring our downfall, and that God will save those who trust in him and His saving grace.
As I read the second reading, God brings about the great flood that covers the Earth and drowns all of creation; only Noah, his family, and the animals remained. “Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth.” As we reflect on the beginning of creation, we can recall that God brought about every being and living thing on the planet and called His creation, “good.” As God saw that evil was being infused into His beautiful creation, he knew that he would have to cleanse the Earth and bring humanity back from evil. Through the flood, we can reflect on baptism. In baptism, we are cleansed of our sin and brought into God’s kingdom. I like to think that God is “baptizing” His creation in order to cleanse and restore the world back to Him and His kingdom. God is not evil, and He does not kill his creation; rather, he saves his creation from destruction by cleansing the world with the floods. In simpler terms, He “washes away” the sins of the world.
In Genesis 3:8, God remembers Noah and the promise he makes to him and his family. God does not continue the flood, but instead, brings an end to the destroying waters. I believe that in this moment, God shows his faithfulness and mercy. A quote that stuck out to me in this verse was: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” I read the part that says “But God remembered…” and it moves me. This is because God remembers each of us and our souls by name. He does not forget the promise He has given to us to return to humanity and save us once more. As God remembers Noah, He is showing His true power over creation as a loving and compassionate Creator, who will never forget every last one of his creations. As He forms our souls, He is like a father who never forgets or abandons his children.
Symbol: Noah's Ark
by Mills Kehlenbach, 10th grade
Overall, after reading these beautiful verses, I reflected on how I could live them out. By understanding that God has warned us of evil spreading in the world, I will remember to keep God as my focus and source of strength. Not only this, but I will go out and perform more acts of charity by giving back to our community. By doing these actions, we can all work together to spread God’s compassion and love to others who need help. Just like Noah trusted in God to help him persevere, we should do the same. Although the road to heaven may be rocky, we should persevere through our acts of charity and our prayers, and may our faith be our key to entering God’s holy land.
Thursday, December 4
Genesis 12:1-7
Devotional by Aiden Morriss
THE PROMISED LAND
“I will bless you…so that you may become a blessing…in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed.” The Lord says this to us as well as Abram. That idea – that we are blessed such that we may become blessings – is a profound one, and worth remembering.
It is a good habit to practice gratitude. After a period of great unhappiness and dissatisfaction, I challenged myself with a requirement: think of one thing (minimum) that I was grateful for that day. I was somewhat proud of myself for the addition, though I’m sure many of you already included that in your prayer setlist. Reading and reflecting on this passage made me feel that I could go a step further, though. Perhaps it is not enough to only be grateful. I should then try to figure out how the gifts I have been given can spread and multiply. I am blessed…so that I may become a blessing…to at least some families of the Earth.
My suggestion, then, is to reflect not only on what gifts you have been given, but take intentional time to consider how you can spread God’s love through your word and deed using these great gifts. Today, after a long and frustrating work week, I am grateful for my coworkers and their kindness, patience, and good attitudes. How can I share these blessings? Perhaps I could do something kind for them, or make a concerted effort to mirror their admirable traits so that I can better be a well of support for them, as they have been for me.
Symbol: Tent and Camel
Gratitude Turkey with Thank-You to Sextons
by Gator Class (4-year-olds)
SCAPC Nursery School
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gifts you have given me and the blessings I have received. Help me, Lord, to multiply these gifts and, in so doing, spread your love through my word and deed. Help me to find ways to not only be blessed, but to be a blessing to all the families of the earth. Amen.
Friday, December 5
Genesis 15:1-6
Devotional by Ashley Brown
GOD'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM
I think sometimes we turn fear into a false god. It’s easy to succumb and even worship our fears, lifting them up above all else. Fears are real, and they are human. Society lifts up the proclaimed “fearless” … but who do we know who is truly fearless? Even Abraham had fears, as seen in this Bible passage of not having a “legitimate” child with his wife Sarah.
When I first read this passage, the thought that lingers is… what about Hagar’s fears? Hagar is Abraham’s slave, who carried his first-born son and heir Ishmael into the world. This passage cannot be read fully- without understanding the inequity and heartbreak that would come to powerless Ishmael and Hagar through the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham of Sarah’s pregnancy.
Not mentioned in this passage- but holy all the same, is later in the text, after Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac is born, Abraham and Sarah exile Hagar and the former-heir Ishmael into the wilderness to die. God does not let this happen. He provides them with water and a life of their own, and a new lineage to come from Ishmael that Islam now traces its roots to. Both Ishmael and Isaac are seen as honored sons of Abraham. God did good.
We cannot let our own fears cause others pain, nor let fear blind us to the worries of our neighbor. Our God is big, bold, and loving. As Christians, we are tasked to love over our fear. To trust in God and to model the Christian way- witnessing those who are fearful and seeing them as our brothers and sisters all the same.
Symbol: Starry Sky
"Starry Night"
by Laurel Rowland, Age 7
Saturday, December 6
Genesis 37:1-36
Devotional by Nell Lanier
JOSEPH
What young boy wouldn’t want to have a superhero included in his heritage? Jesus was blessed with many, and Joseph certainly is one of them. He was thrown into a pit and left to die by his jealous brothers, sold into slavery, taken to Egypt, and imprisoned there where he became an interpreter of dreams. This gift allowed him to eventually become Pharaoh’s second in command, and he was instrumental in saving the Egyptians from famine. Quite the story! The best part is in the end when he forgives his brothers and is reunited with his aging father.
Even though I have no star-studded members of my family background, I grew up surrounded by a large, loving, extended family. Christmas has long been a poignant time for me as I remember my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles—all now gone to join the “great cloud of witnesses.” However they have left me with a warm feeling of security and protection plus many happy memories of Christmas seasons spent together. Above all, they lived their faith and left it deeply embedded in me.
Perhaps you too have love-filled memories of those who have helped you on your path. May I suggest you sit with them a while in gratitude.
*Fun fact: I could only find a reference to “coat of many colors” in the King James Version. The newer versions mention “a long coat with flowing sleeves.” I guess we have Andrew Lloyd Weber and Dolly Parton to thank for reviving the coat of many colors!
Symbol: Joseph's Coat of Many Colors
by Sylvie DiSalvo, age 5
Sunday, December 7
Deuteronomy 5:1-22
Devotional by Ashley Brown
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
“ If you stand for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?” Says Lin-Manuel Miranda during the hit production of Hamilton, as he challenges his adversary on his lack of principle. It resonates deeply with me as I read the Ten Commandments that both Jews and Christians are taught to follow as a sign of our commitment to the faith. The Ten Commandments serve as a moral compass for us, guarding us from temptation and wrongdoing. When we ignore the commandments, we are at risk of falling into and for anything, ensnaring our spirits into webs of sin.
Having a modus operandi as followers of Christ matters. When Moses began teaching the Israelites these precious commandments, it was the first time in biblical scripture in which the rules were clearly spelled out. Later, Jesus adds to these ten with, “Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, and love thy neighbor as thyself.” What are your moral convictions? What do you stand for as a Christian? What code of conduct does your family follow in times of tension or stress? Perhaps, typing out the Ten Commandments and placing them somewhere you see every day may keep hearts engaged and minds refreshed. Following these lessons from God are an exercise in evangelism, showing grace and humility to those who have yet to encounter Christ. The song, “You Shall Know We are Christians by Our Love,” echoes in my ear as I say this, and I marvel at how easy love gets lost in the fray of society.
Who are you? What are the Christian values you stand for? How can you stand for your values as a disciple of Christ in a way that testifies to his unbound love and enduring grace for each of us?
Symbol: Tablets
by Ashley Brown
Monday, December 8
Joshua 2:1-21
Devotional by Julie Nice
RAHAB
From Advent through Epiphany and beyond in the Bible, we are constantly reminded of the universal impact of the coming of Jesus with a barrage of stories of foreigners, outsiders, the marginalized, and the people usually considered the lowest rungs of society– many of them on the move across international borders. The Three Magi from the East and the Holy Family escaping to Egypt are prime examples.
So should we be at all surprised that one of the key Old Testament stories in the Jesse Tree is that of international intrigue? Rahab’s hiding of the spies helped Joshua win the battle for the Israelites, and then she and her family joined their community, marginalized no more.
Who are the marginalized in our community right now? People born in other countries, or whose parents were, especially those our church members have encountered on their mission trips to the Texas border? What about people who are disabled, either from birth or by later injury or illness, such as the people I met at a fundraiser for the Magnolia School a few weeks ago? What about people who follow a religion that is foreign to my experience of mainstream Protestantism? Or whose choice of political leaders does not match mine?
O come, Desire of nations bind
All people in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife, and discord cease;
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Symbol: Red Rope
Friendship bracelet by Katie Brendler
Tuesday, December 9
Ruth 2:1 - 4:12
Devotional by Sarah Chancellor-Watson
RUTH AND BOAZ
The story of Ruth and Boaz is not one that we often read or study, so to help familiarize us with the story here is a short summary: The story begins with a man from Bethlehem, Elimelech, and his wife Naomi and their two sons. Following a famine they leave Bethlehem and settle in the foreign territory of Moab. There, the sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Their story turns tragic when Elimelech and his sons die. Leaving Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth destitute with little options but to return to the protection of whatever family they have. Orpah reluctantly leaves Noami to return to her home, but Ruth cannot part from her beloved mother-in-law. They return to Bethlehem seeking shelter within Naomi’s people. Boaz, distantly related, sees the foreign woman, Ruth, gleaning the grains from the fields left behind by the harvesters, and is moved with compassion by her loyalty and hard work and her perseverance in the face of her tragedy. He orders his workers to leave her alone, to let her drink from their water, and to even drop a few extra sheaves for her to pick up. He took care of her, helped provide for her needs, and did so in a way that respected her and preserved her dignity. Boaz marries Ruth, after making sure to follow the law properly, bringing her and Noami into the full protection and care of his household. “The Good Guy and The Foreigner” – two ancestors on Jesus’ family tree who remind us that love is thicker than blood, and that at the heart of following the Law is caring for the stranger, the widow, and the orphan.
Prayer: Holy God, even in the midst of tragedy and loss, you are at work for our flourishing and salvation. Help us recognize those in need, not as strangers to whom we owe nothing, but as siblings in the great human family. Amen.
Symbol: Grain
by Camille Rault, age 3
Wednesday, December 10
1 Samuel 16:1-15
Devotional by Libbie Reiss
GOD CHOOSES DAVID TO BE KING
God chooses David to become king after King Saul, as He tells Samuel, the prophet, because David is the one of Jesse’s sons most suitable to become a king. God has made it clear that Saul’s sons will not succeed him because of the atrocities Saul has committed during his reign. God tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint David over Jesse’s other sons for many unknown reasons but superficially he seems to be the simplest, most innocent of Jesse’s sons, as he is a shepherd in the fields tending the sheep. God also notes that despite the noted strength and beauty of Jesse’s other sons, outward appearance should never be used to judge anyone. God looks at the heart and felt that David was right for the job! We often use this as an example today when we say, “don’t judge the book by looking at its cover.”
Why does God choose one of Jesse’s sons for Samuel to anoint as the future king? At the time in which the book of Samuel was written, there was no mention of the Jesse Tree specifically. It was first brought to light in Isaiah 11:1 where we read that “In that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.” The root of Jesse represents the forthcoming Messiah.
Since we believe that Jesus is from the Davidic line, which is mentioned when God chooses David from Jesse’s son, we understand the root to refer to the beginning and future growth. The root is where life continues to grow after the seed is planted. David, as illustrated in many parts of the Old Testament, is one of the most influential people in the Bible. Even in the New Testament, Matthew 1 :1-17 and Luke 3:23-38, there is reference to this genealogy which begins in the early part of the Old Testament. As my children would say, “it is complicated” and it is, but we do believe that this is the geneology of Jesus. From the root of the Jesse Tree to the Messiah and eternal life for us, this is what is important to hold onto.
Symbol: Crown
by Alice Granade, age 9
Thursday, December 11
2 Samuel 5:1-5
Devotional by Della Tasker
DAVID THE SHEPHERD KING
It is at the most crucial (if not most random) times in our lives that we are asked to be leaders. This may be in the church, at school, at work, or even in our personal relationships, such as when a friend looks to us for advice or strength. The only way we are asked to be leaders, however, is when we prove ourselves worthy to those needing guidance. We can do this through our words, but it is through our actions that the people around us find that courage and reliability. This is what the tribes of Israel find in David through his efforts in the battles against the Philistines, and it is because of those efforts as well as God’s own acknowledgement of David that they pronounce him their leader and protector. God deems him Israel’s shepherd, and just as a shepherd herds and guides his sheep, David provides authority and security to his people. Samuel 5:1-5 uses the shepherd’s crook as a symbol for David’s ability not only to rule his people but to defend them from future attacks as well. That tells us that David did not stop working once he was appointed ruler. He continuously strived to be the leader that his people considered him to be, ensuring the prosperity of Israel, his sheep.
Symbol: Sheep/Shepherd's Crook
by Challenger Class, 4th-5th Graders
So when we think back on times when we have been asked to take up leadership roles by those around us, not only must we look at what actions we took leading up to this acknowledgement, but at what actions we took afterwards and continue to take. How are you being a leader right now? Who looks to you for guidance today, tomorrow, next week, next year, in 5 or 10 years? It is a little daunting to think that our actions are always being watched, yes, but there is no better feeling than when those around us recognize us as their shepherd, worthy of guiding and protecting them well into the future.
Friday, December 12
1 Kings 5:5; 1 Kings 6
Devotional by Chris Currie
SOLOMON BUILDS GOD'S TEMPLE
Christianity has never been a spiritual faith alone, but a concrete faith, too. In other words, buildings matter. We don’t just worship in tents and tabernacles in the fields, but we build temples, sanctuary, and houses of worship. It is not that God can only be found in the inner sanctum or the holy of holies, but that people of faith have always sought to honor God with our most beautiful expressions of art, architecture, music, and buildings. Fresh off consultations about insurance policies and stewardship campaigns, it is no small sacrifice to care of our SCAPC building and also no small labor of love, between committees, sextons, staff, and volunteers who all have a role to play. I’ve always wondered what it would have been like to a stone mason in the 13th century, working on a massive cathedral that would not be completed in my lifetime, my children’s lifetime, or my children’s children’s lifetime. Still, those masons and artisans and workers made a contribution to the whole and played their role to the best of their ability, we trust. This Advent, as we await Christ’s coming, may we remember the incompleteness of our labors, but also the joy of being part of something and building toward something the fullness of which we may not be able to see into. Bishop Ken Untener’s prayer in honor of Oscar Romero reminds us that ‘we accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything.’ All we can do is ‘plant the seeds that one day will grow, water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.’ Amen.
Symbol: Temple
"SCAPC" by Steven Blackmon
Saturday, December 13
Esther 4
Devotional by Benjamin Morrison
ESTHER SAVES HER PEOPLE
The story of Esther is one of patience, courage, and God’s providence.
When tasked by her cousin to plead with the King, Esther tells Mordecai to have the Jews of the kingdom fast and pray for three days. Even with danger looming, Esther knows she must wait for the right moment to present herself to the King.
At first, Esther is hesitant to intervene, reminding Mordecai of the laws governing who may approach the King. But Mordecai urges her to see that she has come into her royal position for just such a moment as this. God’s providence has led her to be Queen—the one who can save her people. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, is the ultimate embodiment of God’s providence, born in Bethlehem to be the Savior of us all.
“And if I perish, I perish,” Esther says when she bravely agrees to go before the King and plead for mercy. She is willing to risk her life to save her people. As Christians, we know that Jesus would give His own life so that He might redeem us all.
We will likely never face a situation quite like Esther’s, but as we prepare our hearts for the birth of Christ, I challenge you to keep your eyes open to the moments when God has placed you in the right place at the right time to be a helper to your fellow human beings. It may seem small, but that does not make it any less an act of God’s providence in your life.
Prayer: Dear Lord, as we await the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ, help us to remember the courage of Esther. Open our eyes to the moments when your providence places us where we can be of service to others. Amen.
Symbol: Scepter
by Frances Rault, age 6
Sunday, December 14
Isaiah 9:2-7
Devotional by Harriet Riley
ISAIAH'S PROPHECY OF A SAVIOR
Christmas can be a tough time for many of us. Remembering departed loved ones, broken promises, and happier times can make the holiday a time filled with dread.
But reading these verses in Isaiah reminds us of the great hope of Christmas. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in deep darkness, a light has dawned.
These opening words of Isaiah 9 are often read on Christmas Eve, when candles flicker against the night, and we remember again that God’s light still breaks into the world.
Isaiah doesn’t deny the darkness. He names it honestly. The people are walking in it. But he also insists that the story doesn’t end there. A light has dawned - not because the people found a way out, but because God entered in.
We can always find the light of grace in any situation. When life feels out of control, the headlines are overwhelming, and anxiety takes over, we can seek grace and aim for love. Isaiah says God has increased our joy.
The passage goes on to share the promise of Christ’s birth: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. The hope of the world arrives not as a conqueror but as a child. The image of the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace coming as an innocent baby just fills my heart with joy.
So, when we light candles this Advent, we are joining Isaiah’s defiant hope. We are saying that darkness will not have the final word. A child is born. A light has dawned. And the weary and waiting world will be made new.
Symbol: Sun
Quilt block by Lynn Stock
Prayer: Let us pray: Come, Lord Jesus. Shine your light again, in us and through us. Amen.
Monday, December 15
Isaiah 11:6-9
Devotional by Chris Currie
ISAIAH'S PROPHECY OF THE 2ND COMING
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
Now that we are situated right across the street from the Skeleton House in October, the first days of early November are honestly a little sad. No more foot traffic and people of all ages and backgrounds taking in the latest edition of Berger Halloween creativity. One figure/legend from Halloween that I am grateful is not situated across the street is the vampire. Vampires are the worst; they suck the life out of us; they prey upon our healthy bodies; they get stronger as they make us weaker and vulnerable. They profit by dividing us and keeping us from living together in harmony. This vision from Isaiah is the opposite of a vampire vision of community. It is a vision where the weak and the vulnerable sit at table with the strong and powerful, all creation brought together on God’s holy mountain, where lion and lamb dwell together. Without that vision and hope, it is easy to fall prey to the notion that the only reality is vampire reality, everyone for his or herself, kill or be killed, living life in survival mode, and trying to avoid getting vampired. The reality of Jesus Christ prevents us from living our lives and reducing our world to a vampire reality, even when we are on the side of loss and suffering and misfortune. Even then, we are transformed by this vision of a new heaven and new earth where all of God’s good creation flourishes together, not by taking advantage of one another or sucking the life out of one another. In these days of Advent, may we look to the child who is constantly at work among us, making that Isaiah 11 reality our reality. Amen.
Symbol: Wolf and Lamb
by Amelia Smith, age 6
Tuesday, December 16
Jonah 3:1-5
Devotional by Samuel Centeno
JONAH AND THE WHALE
The story of Jonah is well known as one of the most recognizable narratives in the Western world. Jonah, the disobedient prophet who attempts to escape God’s command, gets swallowed by a large fish where he spends three days and three nights, praying, until God commands the big fish to vomit him on dry land.
I have often held up the story as a mirror to my own experience. With time, it has flowed from a story about the consequences of disobedience to an archetypal image of the journey God leads humanity through. Often, I have found myself faced with the consequences of the actions of myself and others. It is painful to wrestle with the reality of the world we live in, where it is not uncommon, like Jonah, to be plunged to the depths of the chaotic waters of the sea.
In the story, God sends the big fish, who brings Jonah low, very low to the “roots of the mountains”. It is a confusing thought that God would allow the suffering of his children, to allow them to be brought low to the depths of existence, injustice, and pain. Yet, it is there where rebirth exists. In my experience of little more than two dozen years, I have seen the pattern of death and rebirth, sinking and rising, repeating. In the story, after being brought to the very depths of the world, Jonah ends his prayer in the belly of the fish with a hopeful interjection: “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” The Lord, then, promptly commands the fish to rise again and bring Jonah to solid ground.
Symbol: WHALE
by Laeyrd Rich, 10th Grade
Death, hopelessness, and despair will come, because God allows them to come, but the rebirth also is bound to come, because God Himself makes it come.
This Advent season of hope, remind yourself of Jonah’s archetypal journey. In life, we will sometimes sink, but God is Himself in the depths, and from the depths, brings us back to solid ground.
Wednesday, December 17
Daniel 6
Devotional by Pierce Young
DANIEL AND THE LION'S DEN
“Lion cut or lamb cut?” This was the question our new groomer – who was 15 minutes late and arrived after my Zoom call began – asked recently as I handed over my doodle, Fin. I don’t recall my answer; I was in “Zoom mode”, frustrated by her tardiness and had never heard of either. It’s just a haircut, what could go wrong?
I did not recognize my own dog when I arrived to retrieve him. At the dog park the next day, friends informed me (once they finished laughing) that Fin had in fact gotten a lion cut. Now lions are back on my radar, still menacing, in Daniel 6.
This chapter follows Daniel as he serves King Darius. Daniel distinguished himself amongst the administrators who served the king as a man of “excellent spirit”. As his star ascended, others grew jealous and hatched a plan to ruin Daniel. The only fault they could find in Daniel was his steadfast devotion to the living God. So, they exploited his faith by convincing the king to establish an ordinance against worshipping any God other than King Darius himself. Daniel continued to worship God and the administrators turned him over to the king. King Darius reluctantly executed the punishment. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den.
We know what happens next. Daniel survives the night in the lion’s den, emerging unscathed. King Darius recognizes immediately that it was the power of Daniel’s faith that protected him from the lions. The protective power of Daniel’s faith is unquestionable.
Symbol: Lion
by Pierce Jonassen
His commitment to prayer, his integrity and honesty, his conscientiousness in performing his duties for the King, all these characteristics are molded and strengthened in a life of faithful service to God. Regardless of what he faced, Daniel never stopped believing in God and never stopped practicing his faith. I aspire to cultivate my own faith with the effort and energy that Daniel invested in his own. Lion cut not required!
Thursday, December 18
Micah 5:1-5
Devotional by Chris Currie
PROPHECY OF A SAVIOR BORN IN BETHLEHEM
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. -Micah 5:2
For about 100 years, King’s College Cambridge University has hosted a Lessons and Carols service on Christmas Eve that is broadcast around the world. In fact, since it begins usually about mid-morning central time, I am sometimes able to tune in. For the last 100 years at every service, the worship has begun the exact same way, with the singing of the hymn: Once in Royal David’s City, ‘stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed.’ In the reading about Bethlehem from Micah, the prophet specifically states that from ‘one of the little clans of Judah shall come forth one who is to rule Israel.’ Throughout the scriptures, but beginning with the Hebrew scriptures, God is constantly choosing the youngest, the least likely, the least powerful, the smallest, the almost invisible, to be the one chosen to bear God’s blessings and to bless the whole world. It is no wonder that JRR Tolkien saw a kinship between Israel and his beloved hobbits. God is unafraid to become something small. Not me. I want recognition. I want credit. I want exaltation. I want adoration. But there is a tendency in the living God to forfeit all those things we think will give us fulfillment and to just humbly put himself forward without much fanfare or triumphant proceedings. From Bethlehem to Nazareth to mangers and cattle stalls, God enters into our world at the margins, at the edge of town, in the poverty of a peasant family, and transforms the whole world from there. Amen.
Symbol: City of Bethlehem
by Candy Cranch, M.Ed., NBCT
Friday, December 19
Luke 1:5-25
Devotional by Karen Donaldson
ELIZABETH AND ZECHARIAH
This scripture foreshadows the birth of John the Baptist. A few more verses in, we will see that there is a familial connection between Elizabeth, from the house of Aaron and Mary. Zachariah is a Levite and Joseph descends from David. It is possible that the ladies are cousins through their mothers.
But let’s pause and reflect on what is going on with Zachariah and Elizabeth. They have been praying for years for a son. In those days it was considered shameful to be in a barren marriage. Were they not worthy of an heir? Was God punishing them? What was their sin? In all respects, they were righteous, so who in their community would dare shame them? Zachariah receives the answer to their prayer while alone during a most solemn ritual. His doubt rendered him mute. Was this a punishment? At his age, had he exited the temple and declared what had transpired, who would have believed him? And then Elizabeth who is overjoyed in receiving God’s blessing on her remains quiet about her condition.
There’s a lot more to unpack here than the angelic announcement of the birth of a baby. What do you think about Zachariah’s doubt? Do you think the silence was in fact punishment? Or did God silence his voice to quiet his heart and mind to better hear him? Elizabeth waits until about the time that she would be showing to reveal her condition. Was she afraid to accept this good news too soon? Did she too doubt? Did she want visible proof for those who had held her in disgrace? What do you think about God’s timing in answering their longstanding prayer?
Does hearing this story again make you think about how you pray; and God’s response?
1 John 5:14 says: “And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
Symbol: Praying Hands
by Leon Hinson
Prayer: Lord God, hear our prayers, even the ones that are repetitive, trite or seem impossible. Forgive us when we doubt. Lead us with compassion when we encounter someone carrying shame. And, quiet our hearts so that we may hear you and the Good News. Amen.
Saturday, December 20
Matthew 3:1-6
Devotional by Bria Rault
JOHN THE BAPTIST
So much of our lives are spent in anticipation. Once the baby is walking, the playground will be so much fun. Once the kids are grown, travel will be so much easier. A huge chunk of my energy as a mom is spent in this dance of anticipation and preparation—that next meal to prep, next batch of dirty dishes to clear away, ensuring the bag is packed with diapers and snacks. It’s second nature to anticipate and prepare for nearly every aspect of life with young children.
With all the preparation that falls on our plates as parents, I find preparing for major holidays to be a prep that I genuinely find enjoyable. The Advent season has so many opportunities for us to enjoy time together as a family. Although many activities don’t center on Jesus, they still serve to prepare our hearts for Jesus’s birth. Semi-torturing our children to meet with Santa for a photo and gift request has virtually nothing to do with Jesus himself, but it has somehow become solidified in our family’s Advent preparations just as much as the Christmas Eve worship service.
John the Baptist, Jesus’s cousin, spent his life in preparation also. He didn’t know that Jesus was the Messiah he preached about, but he knew the “kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John understood his purpose in life was to prepare people for the coming of Christ by helping to change the hearts of his community and to baptize those believers, including baptizing Jesus. Without John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus, people likely would not have been as open minded to accepting Jesus as God’s beloved son.
Symbol: Baptism Shell
by Emilia Keene, age 6
Lord, please be near us during this Advent season. Open wide our hearts and stuff them full of reminders of you and your coming Son. Show us in our Advent preparations that our joy this season, and always, comes from you. Amen.
Sunday, December 21
Luke 1:26-38
Devotional by April Weiser
GOD CHOOSES MARY
Worry…… Fear…... JOY !!!
These have all been felt by parents from the dawn of time. Motherhood for many women is an amazing, life changing experience accompanied by a wide range of emotions. Excitement in discovering the news when it has been hoped and prayed for, worry about the health and the birth of the child, immense swelling of the heart full of love for the child, and so much more over the years as they grow into the people God created them to be. For those surprised by the condition they find themselves in, a whole host of other feelings are sure to surge through those mothers as well. The journey of parenthood has its challenges but what a gift it is.
Contemplating upon our own relationships with parenthood, we imagine the experience of young Mary in her teenage years, never having married or known a husband in the way the others who enter motherhood have. While certainly a moment of tremendous awe in the presence of the angel Gabriel, she must have also felt some trepidation over this monumental request from the Almighty. What would it mean to be found pregnant and unwed in my community? Would Joseph still accept me as a wife? Who am I to raise the son of God? Am I capable of bringing this child into the world and raising him well enough to become the greatest gift God has ever created? Despite all these worries and questions, she chose to trust the angel before her and accept the miracle being offered to the world through her. We have the benefit of reflecting on her role so long ago and know she did indeed do her job well!
Symbol: Virgin Mary
by April Weiser
Prayer: May we all be open to receiving the blessings and challenges offered to us by the great I Am.
Monday, December 22
Matthew 1:18-25
Devotional by Stan L'Hoste
ANGEL APPEARS TO JOSEPH
A Father’s Inspired Choice
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes; art is knowing which ones to keep.” - Scott Adams
The quote resonates as I reflect on Christ’s incarnation and the way Joseph responded to the news that his bride-to-be was pregnant by the Holy Spirit with a Son whom he would raise, but who would also be his Lord.
It makes me think of my own father. He was an artist, and in college he attempted to cast an aluminum sculpture using a mold he had made of a simple female form. When he poured the molten aluminum, the mold failed as molten aluminum escaped his expectations, eventually hardening into what felt like a mistake. But, in time, he recognized beauty in what he hadn’t intended. He mounted the broken cast on a carved and stained wooden base and kept it for the rest of his life. After his passing, it came to me. As I look at it now, it not only reminds me of that story, but also of how the person he was mirrored his own accidental artwork: Broken and imperfect but uniquely and unexpectedly valuable.
I imagine Joseph standing in the same panic as the mold of his life cracked open. This unexpected moment wasn’t unplanned or accidental, but it must have felt like molten metal spilling through every expectation he had for his marriage, reputation, and future. Confusion, fear, betrayal, shock: every question happening at once.
But then Matthew tells us: “As he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear…’” (Matthew 1:20)
The incarnation was no mistake. But Joseph’s willingness to receive it was as beautiful as any artwork and, in more ways than one, inspired. His courage to stand inside a story he didn’t design and surrogate a child who was also God of the universe is an act that transcends obedience and becomes a divine masterpiece. When I look at my father’s broken cast, I see echoes of that same beauty: something formed where control gave way, something meaningful created out of what looked like failure. And in Joseph’s story, I see how God often reveals His glory not in the lives we plan, but in the ones remolded by His hand.
Symbol: Angel of the Lord
by Stan L'Hoste's father's broken cast
Tuesday, December 23
Luke 2:1-5
Devotional by Gillian Egan
MARY & JOSEPH GO TO BETHLEHEM
And then Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem. Tradition has them taking this 90-mile trip on a donkey, whose plodding pace likely took a full week. Imagine Jesus, curled in his warm amniotic darkness, rocking with each step. Beneath his mother’s heart, he hears muffled sounds - the donkey’s bray, its clip-clop steps, a sheep’s baa; and “two voices talking: / His mother’s alto and his father’s tenor / Aligned in conversation.” (from Thirty-Six Weeks, by Emily Grosholz (1991)
Shortly he will emerge in a barn and he will belong to the world, but just now he is still Mary’s alone. He kicks, she yawns, surveys the hard-packed, dusty road. Over the days and days they pass wild mustard, silver olive trees, thistles and feathery tamarisk, broad-leafed figs, the dark evergreen carob. The soil is red, growing redder as they climb toward Bethlehem, the trees thinning, replaced by low brush and wild herbs. Despite her heavy burden they must travel for the imposed census/tax (the gospel writers are not consistent on which, and historians insist it could have been neither). So it goes for a mother who lives in the grinding world, ancient and modern alike. “[A]ll the world must be taxed” says Rome, and Mary and Joseph go, (though one can’t help but think Caesar Augustus might have made exceptions). Jesus necessarily comes along - Mary is still “his roof, his walls, his musty cellar [ ]/ sun and rain combined in one warm season underneath my heart.” (Grosholz).
Mary’s future is one we can dread, all the grief to come. A precocious and incautious child, a charismatic and peripatetic young adult, and then cutting his lifeless body from the cross. But we will not penetrate her blessed ignorance tonight. There is the quiet, long road, the donkey’s bristly hair beneath her thigh and Joseph’s dark hand on her waist, their murmured conversation while the infant Savior hears the muted sound of their “Two distant voices, singing beyond the pillars / Of his archaic Mediterranean, / Reminding him to dream / The emerald outness of a brave new world.”
Symbol: Sandals
"Making Arrangements", oil on panel 24x24"
by Saskia Ozols
Wednesday, December 24
Luke 2:6-21
Devotional by Chris Currie
JESUS IS BORN
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. - Luke 2:20
Why Shepherds? They were day laborers. A bit rough around the edges. Not all that aspirational. And not that special. Why would God consider them the right type of human beings with whom to share the good news of great joy that a Savior of all the world would be born to them and to all the world? Christmas is for all of us, but it is important to remember that it is especially for those who may be rough around the edges, a hot mess, those struggling to keep hope alive. When I was in college, an auto-mechanic in my home church explained that he was called by God to have a Christmas lunch at the church on Christmas day for all the people in the church and larger community who had no Christmas meal or no one with whom to share a meal together. He donated a ham and turkey and invited others to bring a side dish. Some people from the church came who otherwise would be having Christmas alone. Others came and were shocked that people outside the community or just passing through were also in attendance. Plenty came who were rough around the edges, inside and out. But it many ways, that Christmas meal many years and churches ago was a vivid reminder of what the good news of the gospel does to us. It rearranges our table fellowship, includes the lonely, the forgotten, the day laborers, those just passing through, and you and me, too. May your Christmas tables always be blessed in such ways, and may there always be room for those of us who are a little rough around the edges. Amen.
