And 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.”

Devotion based on Luke 1:46-49

“She picked me because she knows I’m the best!” says the little girl to her classmates after being selected by the teacher for a particular task. As much as we recoil at the scene, it strikes uncomfortably close to home for us. We all want to believe that we’re the best and the brightest. And there is a part of us that wants others to think we are the best and brightest, too. Those of us who are Christians are even tempted to think that we are Christians because God thinks we’re better than others around us.

If anyone in the history of this world might have had a right to think she was something special, it was Jesus’ mother, Mary. She was chosen, after all, to give birth to the Savior of the world. So, you might have expected Mary to stick her nose in the air and say, “He picked me because he knows I’m the best!” But she didn’t. In her great song of praise, Mary says the opposite. God chose her not because she was better than everyone else but because “…of the humble state of his servant.” Mary knew she didn’t deserve this great honor any more than any of her fellow sinful human beings deserved it. Rather than pointing out her own greatness, Mary pointed out God’s greatness. She sang, “The Mighty One has done great things for me.”

May we, like Mary, resist the temptation to think too highly of ourselves. Let us instead direct our praise to the Mighty One who has done great things for us.

Prayer:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Devotion based on Philippians 4:6

Don’t worry! That’s what God says in his Word for us today. But we wonder how we can put aside all our worry, every instant of our anxiety. There are so many dangers that surround us, so many things that stress us out, and so many people who are hurting, and some are very dear to us. Not to worry seems impossible.

It is impossible to stop worrying if our attention is riveted on the problems and predicaments of life. But a wonder of God’s love for us is that he teaches us how much greater he is than the worrisome circumstances we face daily. He assures us that he is in control of all things. He is the Almighty, all-knowing God who knows our every need and can fulfill all of them.

He took away our greatest worry; he freed us from the damnation we deserved as sinners. And he lavished his love on us by giving us life with him that will last forever. So, our heavenly Father, who loved us so much to send Jesus to be our Savior, promises to provide for our life and protect us from danger.

Thankful for his saving love, we can turn from our inclination to worry and turn to him with our concerns and burdens. We can confidently address him in prayer, knowing that he listens and will answer according to our best interests. Since God has secured our eternity through Jesus, we know that according to his love, he will care for us now and always.

So, indeed, there is no reason to worry and every reason to pray.

Prayer:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Devotion based on Philippians 4:4-7

“There’s no place like home for the holidays!” That’s what one classic Christmas song says. Our fondest memories of Christmas likely take us back to being at home with family sitting around the Christmas tree, singing, laughing, and expressing joy in whatever way possible.

Do you know where the apostle Paul was when he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always”? He wasn’t in the comfort of his home or gathered with family and friends celebrating a holiday. He was in prison for sharing the good news about Jesus. That makes the joy he expresses more intriguing. How can one rejoice even when unjustly imprisoned? How can I rejoice even when I’m going through hard times, grieving, or whatever unpleasant thing is happening in my life?

You can still rejoice because real joy, rooted in Jesus, lasts. We possess this joy everywhere and all the time. Notice that today’s Bible passage says, “Rejoice in the Lord…” When our joy is in the Lord and not in our circumstances, joy lasts because Jesus and his promises will never change. We can rejoice anywhere and anytime because “the Lord is near.” He was with Paul in prison. He is with you whether you are near or far from family this Christmas, no matter what.

Christ came to give us a joy that is deep and a joy that lasts because it’s not tied to the changing seasons or circumstances of life. Real joy is found in this: The Lord has taken away our punishment and he rejoices over us! He considers it a joy to be our Savior! Someday, we will truly be home for Christmas, and for eternity because the Lord will come again to bring us home at last!

Prayer:

The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Devotion based on Zephaniah 3:17

Are you happy right now? If it’s a quiet time of day and you are sitting down reading or listening to this devotion, perhaps it is a happier moment of the day. Or it’s possible that you’re stressed because of a load of work or sad because something disappointing has just happened, and you found this devotion looking for relief. Are you happy right now?

Here’s another question: Are you joyful? That’s a much different question. We might use the words “joy” and “happy” interchangeably, but there’s a difference. Happiness has to do with what’s happening in my life right now. When I asked if you were happy, you had to evaluate your present situation or circumstance—what’s happening right now.

Joy doesn’t come from what’s happening in life right now. No, it comes from what has already happened, and that won’t ever change. What happened is the Lord himself came to save you and me from sin when he died on the cross. What happened is he rose from the dead to conquer death. And I was connected to his cross and empty tomb; it happened when I was baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

It’s okay if you’re not happy right now. It’s okay if this Christmas season stirs up a variety of complicated emotions. You can still have joy because real joy comes from above, from God! This verse from Zephaniah lifts our eyes from what’s happening here and now and points us to the Mighty God who came to save us. He is with you and rejoices over you with singing because it brought him so much joy to save you. Happiness is a changing emotion based on what’s happening right here, right now. Joy is a gift that comes from your gracious God and Savior. Jesus came from heaven above to earth below to give you the joy of knowing you are loved by God now and forever.

Prayer:

Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.

Devotion based on Zephaniah 3:14,15

Nothing quite illustrates the joy of Christmas like a child waking up to discover a pile of presents under the tree. We picture the joy of Christmas coming through gifts given and received. We might not think of the joy there is when something is taken away, but it can happen. For the one who is suffering, think of the joy that comes when the pain is taken away. For the one carrying a heavy load, think of the joy when that burden is lifted. For the one accused and sentenced, think of the joy when the punishment is taken away.

The prophet Zephania described the joy given when something was taken away. God’s people in Zephaniah’s day had experienced the consequences of their sin of turning away from the Lord. God used enemy nations to punish and correct his people. However, the Lord had not abandoned his people. They would not experience the eternal punishment their sins deserved, and neither will we.

Our sins deserved God’s punishment, not just for time, but for eternity. The load of sin’s debt once crippled us, but real joy is given because Jesus has taken away the punishment we deserved. He took it away by taking it upon himself on the cross. Real joy is given because Christ has taken away your guilty verdict. Real joy is proclaimed because his tomb was found empty after he rose from the dead. This is proof that nothing stands between you and God. Jesus came to take away sin and death by his death and resurrection. Jesus will come again to take away pain and sorrow forever and will take us to experience the greatest joy we will ever know. Real joy is given because of all that Jesus has taken away!

Prayer:

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Devotion based on Luke 3:15,16

Do you enjoy having attention on you? We like it when people recognize our achievements. It makes us feel good when people turn to us for help or answers because they think we’re knowledgeable.

In the time just prior to Jesus beginning his public ministry, many people’s eyes were on John the Baptist as he came to prepare the way for Jesus. They wondered if John was the Messiah, the Savior God had promised. If I were John, it may have puffed up my ego that people thought so highly of me. But when all the attention was on John, he humbly shifted the focus where it needed to be—on Jesus. The momentary ego boost that came from being mistaken for the Messiah would have quickly been extinguished by the reality that John couldn’t even save himself. Instead, real joy came through humility, which allowed John to look away from himself to see his Savior, Jesus.

The same is true for you and me. Real joy comes through humility that looks away from self, achievements, and failures to see the One who is greater—Jesus. There is real joy in recognizing that the burden of our salvation doesn’t rest on us. Real joy comes when you realize Jesus humbled himself to the point of death to cleanse you from sin and give you the joy of salvation.

Prayer:

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.”

Devotion based on Luke 3:8

We see the word joy all over the place at Christmastime. The songs are mostly upbeat and exude a tone of joy. The decorations are colorful and bright and are meant to put a smile on your face. Family traditions bring back joyful memories of Christmases past. Christmas is a season of joy!

However, the joy we find is often superficial. That sense of joy we hoped to find can be so easily overshadowed by grief, stress, failing health, and regret. If I get to the end of the Christmas season and find that real joy eludes me, maybe I’ve looked for it in the wrong places.

Real joy isn’t found in keeping up appearances. Real joy comes through repentance. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. Repentance means acknowledging your sin and your inability to save yourself, and trusting in the forgiveness and salvation that come from Jesus. Repentance refocuses us on Jesus alone. Many in John’s Day found their sense of joy and security in outward ways, such as their family tree rooted back to Abraham, an Old Testament believer. They failed to recognize their need for Jesus, their Savior.

Repentance means recognizing that sin doesn’t bring the real joy it promised. Trusting in Jesus and his complete forgiveness does. Repentance means recognizing that real joy isn’t the product of your efforts but comes from the perfect work of Jesus, your Savior. Repentance produces fruit, which is not just keeping up appearances. Its fruits may vary depending on your situation and the sins of which you repent. But one of the fruits that repentance produces is joy. Real joy. Not just a smile on the face but sincere joy that comes from a heart that is completely forgiven. Real joy comes from Jesus, who transformed our hearts of stone and made us children of God for eternity.

Prayer:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Devotion based on Philippians 4:4,5

Can you remember Christmases from long ago? Christmas is a time of nostalgia. Our attics, smartphones, and social media accounts are filled with memories from past Christmases. It can be fun to go down memory lane as you look at old pictures or watch old videos.

Sometimes, we even try to recreate moments that brought us joy in Christmas past. We still use our favorite childhood Christmas traditions. We make the same Christmas cookies that Mom used to make. We try to decorate our homes the same way we did when we were young.

There is a place for such nostalgia. But nostalgia might also reveal deeper struggles taking place within our hearts. We live in a broken world. Life can be hard. And so we use nostalgia—recalling the joy of Christmas yesteryear—in our effort to forget about current problems. That approach can give us some joy until December 26th.

If our joy this holiday season is found only by looking backward—remembering fond days of Christmases past—then our joy will be fleeting. Nostalgia cannot help you to rejoice always. To rejoice always, you need to look forward, not backward.

God gave us a gift that helps us to look forward—the gift of his own Son in human flesh. Jesus came to us—our “Immanuel,” God with us. God drew near to us on that first Christmas. He came to earth bearing the types of gifts which bring a joy that never fades.

There is joy to be found in our Christmas celebrations. But lasting joy is found only in Jesus. Rejoice in him always.

Prayer:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Devotion based on Philippians 1:6

The apostle Paul expressed his confidence that the Christians in Philippi would remain firm in the faith and thus attain eternal glory. He was confident of this grand result because it rested on God’s gracious purposes. Paul’s confidence in the preservation of their faith was based on the power and the promises of the One who “had begun a good work” in them.

God graciously brings people to faith and assures them that, as they use his Word and sacraments, he will preserve them in faith so that they will assuredly receive the goal of heaven. Our spiritual security, therefore, does not depend on our sin-tainted efforts. It rests on the sure promises and sustaining grace of God. From eternity, he chose us to be his own. In time, he came to save us by the cross and the open tomb. In our lifetime, he began a good work in us—he called us to faith by the gospel. In the future, he will complete his work by bringing us home to himself on “the day of Christ Jesus.” Therefore, all the glory for becoming a Christian and remaining a Christian belongs to God, who will carry out his plan of salvation to completion for all his faithful people.

Through the Bible’s good news of a Savior who was born, lived, died, and rose again for you, God began in your heart the good work of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Live confidently for the day of the Lord’s second coming because God works through his Word to keep you connected to Jesus, your Savior. Hold fast to the Word and rejoice in the promise of your heavenly Father to preserve you in the true faith until you make it safely home to heaven.

Prayer:

Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

Devotion based on Psalm 66:16-20

Let me tell you what God has done for me. Twenty-one years ago, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Today, I have been cancer-free for twenty years. Fifteen years ago, I was unable to have a child. Today, we have two incredible teenagers. Ten years ago, I almost lost my foot in a faulty elevator. Today, I am still standing. Five years ago, I considered changing vocations. Today, by the grace of God, I am where I am.

Think of a time when you received good news—an answer to an impossible problem. The sense of joy and relief you felt is close to what the psalmist who wrote today’s Bible passage felt. He was not just telling a story; he was testifying to God’s presence in his life. He cried out to God, full of need and full of trust. God answered, not because the psalmist was deserving but because God’s love and mercy are vast.

Think about your own relationship with God. Are you trying to keep anything in the dark from God? Is that putting distance between you and him? Cry out to God. Let go of what is holding you in the shadows and lean into him for mercy. God listens and answers every prayer in love.

Amid the frenzy, the festivities, and the lights, it’s easy to miss the miracle that began it all. How God, in love, reached down to a weary world in answer to our greatest need ever—a Savior from sin and sorrow. Jesus came to give us true light and life by giving his own life to set us free from darkness and death.

Take time this Advent season to tell others what great things God has done for you.

Prayer: (Christian Worship: Hymnal – 322 vs 1)