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“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:3,5

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Are you excited to celebrate Christmas? Why? Maybe you love opening presents, giving gifts, or spending time with family. But before Christmas even gets here, do you like decorating your house or your bedroom with lights, trees, or ornaments?

Now imagine someone really important is coming to your house for Christmas—like Grandma or Grandpa. Would you want your room to be clean? (Probably!) Would you want the house to look nice and decorated? Of course!

For Christians, the time before Christmas is called Advent. Advent means “coming.” It’s the season when we get our hearts ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth. It also reminds us that Jesus is coming again someday as our King. Just like we get ready for Christmas by decorating our homes, we want to get ready to meet Jesus when he comes again.

Some people feel afraid when they think about Jesus coming back—because they don’t believe he’s their Savior. But you don’t have to be afraid! Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah told God’s people to “walk in the light of the Lord.” That’s how they could be ready to meet Jesus—and not be scared. And when you walk in Jesus’ light, you don’t have to be scared either.

So, what does it mean to “walk in the light”? It means believing in Jesus, trusting his Word, and letting his truth guide us. The Bible says sin is like darkness—it messes things up, hurts relationships, and makes life harder. Think about it: Has sin ever brought darkness into your life? Have your words or actions ever hurt someone else?

This week, when you see all the Christmas lights, remember that Jesus is the Light of the world. His Word shines into our hearts. As our King, he protects and takes care of us until we see him in heaven. As our Savior, he shines forgiveness into our lives, helping us love, forgive, and bring peace to others—just like Isaiah wrote about.

Thank you for being the Light of the world. Please forgive us when we sin and bring darkness into someone else’s life. Shine your truth into our hearts so we can love and forgive others, just like you love us. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

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