“Sing, Daughter Zion;

You’ve seen the memes. It’s finally the Christmas program and all the students are excited to share what they’ve prepared. But there’s one student that shines brighter than the rest. They are dancing like no one is watching and singing with all their might. Their joy is contagious and even the parents supposed to be taking videos of their own child can’t help but turn their phone and capture that undeniable viral moment of a little one being so happy and free they just might burst.

We are given some commands today in our verses from Zephaniah. Sing. Shout aloud. Be glad. Rejoice. When was the last time you did any of those things? Maybe it was today. Christmas break is right around the corner, and you are excited for a nice break with family and friends celebrating the birth of our Savior. You are singing and rejoicing with gladness! That’s awesome!

Or maybe you can’t remember the last time you felt like singing and shouting for joy? Perhaps your “shouting aloud” has been more like cries of frustration and sadness this Advent season. Maybe this is your first Christmas missing someone you loved that was here last year. Maybe you are celebrating alone this year and are longing for a spouse or kids to celebrate with. Maybe your finances will make this time of year extra difficult.

Can I tell you that whether you fit in the “singing” or “crying” or “somewhere in between” category, you still get to rejoice greatly this December? Zephaniah reminds us exactly why we get to be filled with joy any time of the year. “The Lord has taken away your punishment.” No longer are we dead in our sins headed for an eternity in hell. “He has turned back your enemy.” The devil no longer has a hold on us. “The Lord the king of Israel, is with you.” No matter how lonely we feel, the King of the universe sits by our side and calls us his own. “Never again will you fear any harm.” Our future is secure. We never need to fear anything taking eternal life with Jesus away from us.

Your joy isn’t based on your present circumstances this Christmas. It is based on the firm foundation that Jesus Christ came down from heaven to rescue you from sin and promises a perfect eternity with him one day. Don’t let any trial or tribulation dim your light as you seek to sing, be glad, and rejoice! Shout it from the rooftops as you find peace, love, and joy today in your Savior!

Prayer:

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“[John] went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20241209ECME.mp3

“Don’t take it personally.” Has anyone ever said those words to you after saying something that you did, indeed, take personally. Faculty, staff, friends, students can all say things that might offend or hurt us. But what if I told you that Christmas is the perfect time to take things personally? John the Baptist takes the stage in our verses today from the Gospel of Luke. He was foretold way back in the book of Isaiah, and here we find him “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” I love John’s ministry because it had such a laser focus: point people to Christ. Just as in Advent we look for the coming of the Savior, the Baptizer spent his time paving and preparing the way for the coming Messiah.

John took the coming of the Savior personally. He knew what it meant for the world, yes. He’s even the narrator of one of the more famous passages in Scripture: “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:19) As wonderful as it is to consider God’s love for the whole world, John also knew what it meant for him as an individual. He wasn’t preaching a message of repentance only for others, but knew he personally needed it as well. John even told the crowds that he was not even worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus. He knew his sin and he still looked for and proclaimed the Messiah boldly. His unworthiness didn’t make him run away from Jesus, but rather to him. John’s repentance made him look at his sin so that he could truly look at his Savior.

Repentance is personal. It can be uncomfortable and painful to relive our shortcomings and failures to live up to God’s perfect measuring stick. This Christmas season, I encourage you to truly reflect on why God had to send his son Jesus in the first place. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” Our sin is personal, but so is God’s grace. He knows your sins, every one of them, and he forgave you fully. Maybe John the Baptist felt so personally connected to Jesus because they were actually cousins- part of the same family. In Galatians, we see that we, too, get that same personal relationship since we have been adopted into God’s family as his sons and daughters.

Don’t be afraid of repentance this Advent. Seeing our sin only helps us see our Savior more clearly. Verse 6 says “And all people will see God’s salvation.” Don’t run away from your sins this Advent, run to the Father and experience the fullness of God’s grace that covers our guilt and shame. Take it personally, friends, our repentance is met with the open, forgiving arms of Jesus.

Prayer:

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“May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

1 Thessalonians 3:13

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Advent is here and will lead us right to Christmas in just a few short weeks. You can almost feel the anticipation during this time as we look forward to the coming of our Savior!

As much as Advent is a time to look forward, I’d love to take a look back with you over this first semester. Imagine for a moment that on the first day of school you weren’t there to receive your new students. Instead, the parents had simply dropped off their child in an empty classroom with no teacher to be found. What would these past few months have looked like as your kiddos tried to figure out things like reading, cutting, painting, sharing, Bible lessons, etc. all by themselves? I would imagine not much growth would be found. The kids would be lost and confused, wondering what to do next, and possibly even scared for their safety. Thankfully, the reality is that you have been there with guidance, hard work, preparation, and careful instruction. What a blessing to reflect on the fruits of your labor with your students as they have grown leaps and bounds thanks to your faithfulness. Is there room for them to grow? Of course! That’s why children have a whole semester ahead of them and more years of learning to come. Even you, as educators, have committed to a lifetime of learning and growing in your trade.

Just as your students have graciously not been alone this year at school, you are most definitely not alone this Advent season or at anytime. Our verse says, “May he strengthen your hearts…” God is present in this. He is the one that gives us the strength. It is a tall order to be a teacher. It is an even taller order to be “blameless and holy in the presence of our God…” We are not left alone to our own devices to figure it all out. Immanuel- God with us- is there to guide, instruct, and encourage us on our walk of faith. Is there room to grow? Of course! We fail daily to be perfect and are constantly reminded of our own shortcomings. Praise God that One came who indeed did it perfectly for us. He promises to be there as we commit to a lifetime of knowing God more deeply as he refines us until the day he comes once more.

Advent isn’t just a time to remember that Christ came. Advent is a time to remember why he came. He came to live a perfect life for you, die on the cross that should have been ours, and rise from the dead- conquering death and the devil for good. Jesus now walks alongside you in your journey towards eternity at home with him. May we always look to Jesus as the source of our strength as we prepare our hearts for his coming.

Prayer:

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But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 20

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“Look here.” You might find yourself saying this reminder to your students while you are trying to teach. As their eyes wander, you might need to remind them that you have something important to say to them and that it would be best if they kept their eyes on you. Sometimes in your teaching, you might feel like you’re constantly saying, “Look here.” Oh, the sweet focus of God’s littlest lambs.

This reminder would also be helpful for all of his lambs. Children, teens, adults, all of us. “Look here!” What are we looking at? We are looking to Jesus, our Savior, for our every need. Life works better when we fix our eyes upon Jesus. In any and every circumstance our eyes can be looking up to where our help comes from.

In Jude 20, the Bible says, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” This section of Scripture has the heading, “A Call to Persevere.” It reminds us that there will be many scoffers among us who don’t see the value in the Word of God. These people should not come to us as a surprise, because God’s Word has already warned us of them. It is important to “build ourselves up in the most holy faith.” Be in the Word of God and know what it says. Look to him. Pray to him and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith.

Your students are new to this world. They don’t yet know how ugly and corrupt it is. They don’t know how full of sin and sadness this side of heaven truly can be. So, you teach them to look up. You help them get in the habit of fixing their eyes upon Jesus, so that when trouble comes their way, they know who to look to.

You are not new to this world. You are aware of the ickiness, the sin that is all around you. Thankfully, you’ve also been graced by the faithfulness of God throughout your life. He’s been with you every step of the way. What a privilege it is to teach the next generation of believers where to fix their eyes. What an honor it is to have the Word of God to open every single day and be reminded of God’s love and forgiveness.

So, look. Keep looking. Never lose sight. Keep your eyes upon Jesus.

Prayer:

A Question to Consider:

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Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 9:27-28

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Have you ever heard the joke about Pete and Repeat? It goes something like this…Pete and Repeat were sitting in a boat. Pete fell out. Who was left? Repeat. Pete and Repeat were sitting in a boat… Get it? It just keeps going. The joke gets repeated over and over. It’s usually a hit with kids. It’s easy to tell and offers giggles galore.

Our salvation does not need to be repeated. Jesus, our Savior, suffered and died for our sins. He never has to do it again. It was enough the first time.

Our reading for today says, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28

What a relief it is to know that we need not live a life of fear from judgement. We don’t need to wonder if our sins are too great to forgive. We don’t need to constantly question our salvation. It’s not dependent on anything we do anyway. All believers can have full confidence in the “once and for all” forgiveness of sins. Jesus did it all for us and when he comes back, those who believe in him will joyfully enter the gates of his kingdom.

You know what’s not a joke? The judgement that unbelievers will face on that final day. While believers will be basking in the grace of Jesus, those who do not believe will be entering an eternal life of hell.

This, friends, is why our job of spreading the Good News is so important.

When children know a joke, they tell it to everyone to get a couple of laughs. They’re so proud of themselves to have news that brings joy. We have news that brings joy. We have news that brings life! Eternal life! And that, that is worth repeating.

Prayer:

A Question to Consider:

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For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/ece-devotions/20241111ECME.mp3

You may have heard of the website “GoFundMe.” The website was created back in 2010 as a “fundraising platform dedicated to helping people help each other.” Since 2010, the website has raised over 30 billion dollars. 30 billion dollars sure does sound like the fundraising platform has successfully met their goal of helping people help each other. In fact, maybe you have even donated before. Usually when tragedy strikes, one of the first things you’ll hear about is a GoFundMe page that was set up so others can help. When the situation someone is in feels helpless, it feels good to be able to help, to somehow be part of their healing. People even donate to others that they don’t personally know. It’s a wonderful platform that allows people to carry each other’s burdens. It’s a beautiful picture of startling generosity.

Jesus is an example of startling generosity—the ultimate example. No, he didn’t donate money to your cause, but even more, he gave up his life for you. Your debt was too great for any price to be paid, but Jesus, in love, hung on a cross, suffered, and died to declare you debt free. What an example you have in Jesus to freely be so generous.

You were in great need and Jesus came to your rescue. Not with riches, but with his own body and blood.

You have an opportunity to give to our Lord in thanks. He gives you many opportunities to use what he has given to you to give back to him. This isn’t something that you “have to do”, but rather “get to do” to show love, gratefulness, and honor to God. It is an opportunity to give freely, with joy in your heart, and to say, “thank you” to your Savior for all that he has done for you.

Your money, your talents, and your time, have all been given to you by him. To God be the glory! Be startling generous with it.

Prayer:

A Question to Consider:

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In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

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Have you ever found yourself saying the phrase, “It just doesn’t get any better than this.”? Maybe you had your arms crossed resting in a hammock, or maybe you were on the top of a mountain enjoying the view. Maybe your class was having the best day of the year so far and you felt like you were finally doing something right. God sure does bless us with beautiful moments on earth, but none of them can even come close to the glory that we will someday enjoy in heaven.

Praise God that this is true, because sometimes, we’re not asking ourselves if it can get any better, we’re asking “will it ever get better?”. Your class might be having their third tough day in a row, or maybe you just found out that a loved one has been diagnosed with a illness. Maybe your finances aren’t as strong as you’d like or maybe a relationship is strained.

There will come a time when your circumstances won’t sway from good to bad. You won’t have to worry about the stresses of this world, because you will be living in perfection. You will be praising our Savior eternally and there will be no wondering if it can be better, because it will be the best.

All of those who believe will have eternal life in heaven. It’s true. We are undeserving, and yet, by God’s good grace, the best is yet to come. It gets better than even our best moments here on earth. Open the Word of God and get to know those promises of a better life. When you know him and his Word better, your eyes can more easily be fixed on him. They can more easily look up when the hard times come. Open your Bible to Philippians 3:20-21 to be reminded of where your citizenship lies. Open to Revelation 21 and hear the promise of your tears being wiped away by your Heavenly Father who loves you so. Read John 14 and get excited about the room he is preparing for you even as you are reading this devotion.

It gets better than your best days and it will get better during the toughest ones. You can count it, because you can count on him. Praise God!

Prayer:

A Question to Consider:

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Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”

Daniel 3:28

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Fiery furnace. This is one of those Bible stories where children in my class sometimes asked, “Is this story real or make-believe?” It’s a legitimate question. So many of the stories in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, are amazing accounts of God’s power and protection for his people. This is one.

Perhaps it’s the same for you, but when I read accounts like this and the boldness of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego or the account of Daniel and the lion’s den, I’m struck with their courage. They had the choice to either deny the true God or face certain death in unimaginable ways. Would I be so bold, so brave?

Their courage is clear but there’s a bigger story here and it’s not about the three men who walked in and then out of the blazing fire. It’s about God. Those men made their choice because of God and who he is. God had shown them and his people for generation after generation that he loved them, he was with them, they were his own. Over and over God’s power was evident in the ways that he protected his people. God saved his people from a flood that covered the world. He parted the waters of the Red Sea. He brought down the walls of Jericho without a single weapon other than horns and shouting.

You and I might read today’s story and, like our children, ask if this could be true. Could someone really be that brave? The answer is yes. But the story is not about bravery. It’s about God. It’s about where their courage to stand up for what they believe came from. It’s about God’s relentless love for each of us.

We have times of fear as well. It will not likely be the potential of facing certain death. However, this side of heaven, we see things all around us that can lead to anxiousness and fear. The greatest fear we could ever have has been taken care of-we have peace with God through Jesus. We can face all other fears knowing we can rely on God who has given us his grace, forgiveness, and promise of heaven.

You and I have opportunities to simply tell those we know who God is, his love for them, his grace through Jesus. It’s not always easy but likely easier than Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had it. You’ve got the most amazing message in the history of the world tucked in your heart. Who needs to hear it? Who needs to sense the peace you have, even in difficult times, because of Jesus? Who needs you to simply say, Jesus loves you, he forgives you, he is your Savior?

A fiery furnace or den of lions is pretty unlikely. But the opportunities to share the joy and peace you have in Jesus are all around you. It’s not about you. It’s all about God. Trust him and then tell and tell. Then pray for the Holy Spirit’s blessing on your telling.

Prayer:

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Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

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One of the things that can be misunderstood by those who haven’t served in early childhood is naptime. Children quietly sleeping on their blankets with the lights dimmed and quiet music playing can happen. But it’s not unusual to have one or two children who just can’t find a way to settle in. You might look at them and wonder—“If someone gave me the chance to rest quietly every afternoon, I’d be out like a light.”

Today’s verses talk about finding rest in God. As you might imagine, this is not a rest from our physical needs. The rest referenced in this verse is a spiritual rest. Satan and the world are relentless. Satan knows so many subtle ways to attack us in an attempt to wear us down. He uses things like physical fatigue, doubt, relationship difficulties, and guilt. His voice is full of lies that we need to constantly fight against. “You’re not good enough.” “You haven’t done enough.”

Life this side of heaven is challenging. We can become overwhelmed. Where can we turn? “My soul finds rest in God.” Like the small child who reaches up to be held by mom, dad, or another loving adult, we can reach up to our heavenly Father. Our biggest issue is not a tired body but a soul that needs rest from the sin and guilt of this world.

“My salvation comes from him.” The greatest need we have or will ever have is taken care of. Our sin has been taken away. The record of our wrongs has been completely erased by what Jesus did for us on the cross.

Satan is tough. He doesn’t give up. It shows how much he hates God and God’s people. That can be a terrifying thought. However, even though we’re not more powerful than Satan and his lies, God is. That’s what the verses mean when they talk about God as our fortress. Fortresses were designed to be impenetrable. They had thick, high walls that could not be scaled by any individual. The arrows that the enemy would hurl at them were stopped by the strong stone fortress. That’s what God is for us. He’s our fortress. There’s nothing Satan can do that God can’t overcome. God’s protection is also relentless. His motivation is vastly different than Satan’s. He is motivated by pure, unconditional love for you, for me, for all people.

So what can you do? Fortify yourself. Arm yourself. Not with a suit of armor but rather with things like what you are doing right now. Be faithful with devotions, Bible studies, any time in the Word. Talk to God. Go to him in prayer. Be specific and ask him to protect you and those you care about. Encourage each other spiritually. Find ways to boost someone you know with God’s Word.

And rest. Time in the Word is a time of rest from the world and a focus on our Heavenly Father. Take time to just be still and consider who God is and what he has done for you. Time resting in God’s Word rejuvenates and encourages you in a way that no nap ever will. God is your salvation, your fortress. Trust in God. Rest in God.

Prayer:

Christian Worship 21 818, My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone, is a beautiful setting of Psalm 62.

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Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

Mark 10:21-23

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It would be so easy to pass judgement on the man in the story. He’s standing there, in front of Jesus, the Savior, who invites the man to follow him. We may want to scream at the text and ask, “What are you doing? Don’t you know who’s asking you?” The answer would likely be that he does not. Yes, we can easily pass judgement on this man until we take a closer look at the text and ourselves.

Jesus looked at him and loved him. He knew the heart of this man’s question found in verse 17, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This man knew the commandments. It’s clear from his question that even though he felt he had kept the commandments (which, by the way he hadn’t, and no one ever has), he knew in his heart that something wasn’t quite right, wasn’t enough. And so, his question to Jesus.

Sell it all, give it all away to the poor and come walk the world with me! Can you picture the man’s face? Do what? His reaction was immediate sadness. This was too big an ask.

Now the next question—Is Jesus saying that wealth is wrong or makes it impossible to get to heaven? No. He did say that it would be hard. However, Jesus isn’t saying that to be truly committed to him, we must live a life of poverty. He is saying that the man and all of us need to take a careful review of our priorities.

Money isn’t the only distractor that can pull us away from Jesus. What distracts us from our time with the Savior? Is it our activities and overly scheduled life? Might it be our time in front of a screen? Could it be that hobby, which may be a great hobby, but that takes away our time in worship, in the Word, in prayer? Is it worry or stress? These are things that most people struggle with. We want to be in the Word, walking with our Savior. Making the changes in priorities to commit to the time with Jesus, is not as easy. Good intentions. Little outcome.

So now what? Each day is a gift of grace. Jesus hasn’t changed his mind. He still wants you to spend time with him each day. He loves to hear from you. He loves to speak to you through his Word. He loves to use you to share his message of grace and forgiveness to all around us. Jesus wants us to remember that it’s not what we do, but what he has done that gives us heaven with him.

Today-consider one small change you can make to your routines. What step can you take that will give you more time with Jesus? What’s getting in the way? No need for a dramatic selling of everything. Simply stop and reflect on your daily life. Review your priorities. Then set goals for yourself that can provide more and more time with the One who loves you dearly. He went to the cross for you. That’s how much he loves you. He loves to hear from you and loves to share with you through the Word. May God bless you as you seek to be with him more and more.

Prayer:

Christian Worship 21 Hymn 753, My Worth Is Not in What I Own, provides a wonderful text on which to reflect in addition to today’s reading and devotion.

A Question to Consider: What small change can you make to prioritize more time with your Savior? Consider writing it down and then sharing it with someone who can encourage you. Then watch how the Lord uses that time to bless you and your time together.

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