Daily Read

Psalm 94 (NIV)

Yesterday we read from the book of Habakkuk, and we gave ourselves permission to grieve, permission to complain to God, to ask, “Lord, do you care?”

In contrast, the writer of Psalm 94 looks to God as the one who disciplines, who deals with evil and faithfully defends and helps those who belong to him. At the end of 2020, we are in mourning. But as much as we need the freedom to cry, we need to know that we can also hope. We need to know that God will make things right. We need to allow God to bear both our grief and the responsibility to make things right.

Today’s passage is long, so we’ll just read it once. Feel free to rewind and listen a second time if you want. And as you listen, ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to the words of the psalmist and your ears to his voice.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage resonate with you or call you into deeper faith?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

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Habakkuk 1:1-4 (NIV)

Our culture delights in Christmastime. We love the magic of lights and decorations, good food, presents under the tree, and feel-good holiday films. And of course these things have their place. But even in the best years, we know that regardless of all the trappings . . . pain, loss and conflict are still present—even highlighted in stark contrast to the experience we work so hard to create.

As we walk together through Advent, we’re building a new frame around our understanding of the season. And as the first week of Advent drew us into a deeper longing for the new heavens and the new earth, as we remembered the way things were meant to be and looked forward to the peace, safety and joy of God’s eternal future, the second week of Advent allows and even calls us into lament. We long for our ultimate future, but it’s definitely not here yet. And this year more than most, we are tired. We need something more substantial than wrapping paper and tinsel. And we need permission to grieve.

This week we will be wading into the dark waters of lament. If you feel like you’re already drowning, the invitation is to hold fast to your Father. Allow the strength of his grasp to increase your faith. And If you have a hard time engaging lament, the invitation is the same. Hold fast to your Father. He knows your grief, your sadness, and the fear you might have in entering into them.

Today’s passage shows us that our God is fully capable of bearing our questions, our frustrations, and our complaints—even complaints against him. The prophet Habakkuk is really different from the other Old Testament Prophets. Instead of calling Israel out on some sin or injustice or speaking to the people on God’s behalf, Habakkuk speaks in poems of lament addressed to God himself. His struggle is to believe that God is good in the midst of such a broken world. Can you relate?

As you listen, try to notice the feelings that come up in you. Do you feel free to question God or express anger towards him? Do you feel guilty or ashamed to even consider feeling that way? Where is your heart?

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Advent gives us permission to be sad and to ask, “How Long, Lord?” Is there a particular place in your life, a person or experience that is breaking your heart today? Try to bring that to the Lord in honesty.

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

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Luke 21:25-36 (NIV)

Passages like the one you’ll hear today are often puzzling to modern ears. It’s easy for us to miss what the language is referring to since we’re not familiar with the cultural context. This passage talks about everything from the sun, moon and stars to roaring seas to fig trees. What are we supposed to make of that? Some people read this passage and hear it referring to the end of the age and the second coming of Jesus. Others hear Jesus referring to the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. We’re more convinced by the latter, but whatever the case, this passage has Jesus communicating to his disciples about what to do when their world gets turned upside down.

Try not to get caught up on the imagery itself. Rather focus on what the imagery is trying to convey. For instance we aren’t bothered by someone saying that 2020 has felt like getting hit by a train. We get it! We know they don’t mean it literally, but we also don’t diminish the turmoil that they refer to. Jesus knows that these disciples are going to see something they could never imagine… and when they see it, he’s calling them to remember… he’s calling them to hope.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

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Revelation 22:1-5 (NIV)

We began this Advent with a reading from the Genesis chapter two. We were reminded of creation and the wholeness of the garden… When God’s space and our space was one… when we had access to the tree of life…  where there was no shame. Today we look forward to a city, but it is a kind of garden-city. It’s like the one in Genesis with its flowing rivers, the tree of life, but now marked by the partnership between image bearers and our  Creator. Where we were exiled, we are now welcomed as citizens. Where there was a curse there is a blessing, where there was pain, now there is healing, and where there was darkness now shines a glorious light. It’s a picture of the end of the story yes, but it is also very much a new beginning. It’s a New Creation.

This Advent as we long for new creation, we do so with tears blurring our vision. And through our vision is obscured, our hope is still before us. Jesus is bringing New Creation.

As you listen to the passage the first time, try to picture yourself in the scene. What would you see? Smell? Hear? Feel?

Listen now to Revelation 22:1-5.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

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Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

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Revelation 21:1-8

Earlier this week we looked backwards at Isaiah and joined in the longing of Israel for God to come and make things right. Today we look ahead, to the day when King Jesus comes again to rule and reign in fullness. The ultimate future hope of  Jews and Christians from the beginning has been one of a real world where no evil can survive. It’s a world where every need is met. Where there's no reason to be sad, angry, frustrated or afraid. It’s a world where finally heaven and earth will be totally and forever joined together, where God’s presence will be at home, and so will we. If 2020 has taught us nothing else, it’s that the future we hope for is not here yet… so we long for it this advent.

So as you listen to the passage read twice, take note of what you experience—what your emotions or thoughts are raised? How might the Spirit want to encourage you today?

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

Bible Project: Revelation >>

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Isaiah 11:1-10 (NIV)

There’s a word that we taught our kids this year, after discussing why the feral cat we feed killed one of our backyard chipmunks: ENMITY. In our world animals seem always on the lookout for someone trying to get them. People too—we hold tightly to our hatred for people who think differently from us, live differently, or vote differently. . . And we imagine that it’s us vs. them.

Today’s passage gives us a glimpse of the day when enmity will no longer be part of our experience. All will be right and just. Trust and vulnerability will abound. And we will have a ruler who is wise, powerful, loving and good.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

Bible Project Video: Isaiah>>

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Psalm 122 (NIV)

Our passage today is one of the Songs of Ascent—a psalm sung by the Jews as they made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It’s a call to worship, a call to pray for peace, security, and prospering for the city. We have the added benefit of reading psalms like this through the lens of passages like Isaiah 2, from yesterday, with the world’s ultimate restoration in mind. As we remember the words from Isaiah, we long for the day when swords will be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, we look forward to the garden and the city— free from violence, pain, shame and evil.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

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Isaiah 2:1-5 (NIV)

Today’s passage comes from the book of Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet to the Israelites at a time when the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria and the southern kingdom of Judah was headed towards exile in Babylon. God was handing them over to their desires to worship other gods by means of allowing foreign nations to conquer them, but Isaiah not only prophesied judgment, he also foretold restoration and called people to remember who their God was and hold fast to him. The God who is wisdom itself and whose ultimate future for the world he made is one of peace, wholeness and love.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

Bible Project Video: Isaiah >>

IVP Advent Selections >>

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Genesis 2:4-25 (NIV)

Because it’s a long passage, I’ll just read it once. So feel free to pause, go back, and listen again if you’d like.

Before we hear it, take a minute to present yourself to God. Invite his Spirit to speak to you, and quiet yourself to listen.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What did you hear in the passage? Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you?

2. Did anything in this passage give you reason to hope?

3. Take some time today to sit with the words of this passage. If there is something specific God has spoken to you, take some time to process that alone or with a friend.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

Bible Project Video:  Genesis 1-11 >>

IVP Advent Selections >>

----------CONNECT----------

Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>

Bobby serves as the VP of Graduate and Faculty Ministries with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

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Bobby's Books

- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents - Isabel Wilkerson

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----------GO DEEPER----------

Living The Christian Year by Bobby Gross >>

Bible Project: Advent Series >>

Bible Project Video:  Genesis 1-11 >>

IVP Advent Selections >>

----------CONNECT----------

Find an InterVarsity Chapter >>