“But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” – John 5:17.   

Every year Christmas arrives with a familiar rhythm—lights hung, trees trimmed, gifts purchased, recipes repeated, traditions played on loop like a beloved carol. And while these customs carry comfort and joy, they can also create an unspoken expectation: that Christmas should feel the same as it always has. But the truth is, life changes. We change. Families shift, blessings and losses mingle, and our hearts carry both gratitude and grief into December. This is why, perhaps more than ever, we need to take a different look at Christmas this year.

When Jesus stepped into our world, He didn’t come as anyone expected. Israel longed for a king, but God sent a baby. They wanted political victory; He gave spiritual salvation. They sought a throne, but He chose a manger. From the very beginning, Christmas was God’s holy interruption of our assumptions. It was heaven’s way of saying, “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9).

So what does it mean for us to think differently this Christmas? First see people, not pressures. Christmas easily becomes a season of doing—shopping, wrapping, planning, hosting, performing. But Jesus consistently prioritized people over expectations. He saw Zacchaeus in a tree. He noticed the woman who touched His garment. He welcomed children others dismissed. If we think differently this Christmas, we need to pause long enough to see the faces across the table—not their flaws, not their politics, not their quirks—but the image of God stamped on each one. Your greatest Christmas gift may not be under the tree. It may be the grace you extend, the patience you choose, or the forgiveness you offer.

Secondly, treasure quiet over noise. The world turns Christmas into a season of noise—ads, events, crowds, scrolling, rushing. But the first Christmas was grounded in holy quiet: a night sky, a stable, a whisper of angelic song drifting over shepherds half-asleep. God often works in the stillness. To think differently this Christmas is to carve out silence. To sit with Scripture. To allow your soul to hear again the gentle truth: “Unto you a Savior is born.”

Third, notice God in the ordinary. The shepherds didn’t expect God to show up in their field. Mary didn’t expect a Savior to grow beneath her heart. Joseph didn’t expect the Messiah to be sleeping in his workshop. And yet God delights in making the ordinary miraculous. Look around this Christmas: in a child’s laughter, in a quiet dinner, in a long-held tradition, in an unexpected moment of kindness. God is nearer than we think.

This Christmas, may you think differently—not by rejecting the familiar joys, but by embracing the deeper truth beneath them. Christ has come. Christ is with us. Christ is for us.

Discussion Questions:

1. When you think about your past Christmas seasons, what patterns or expectations do you tend to fall into?
2. What pressures do you feel most strongly this time of year?
3. If this Christmas feels different—because of change, loss, distance, or new circumstances—how does the hope of Christ meet you there?

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders.  And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6.   

Every December speeds up as if the world has its own countdown clock. Homes sparkle with lights, calendars fill with gatherings, and our hearts carry both anticipation and the weight of the year behind us. Christmas is beautiful, but it also has a way of amplifying what we feel—joy feels brighter, but so can sorrow; togetherness feels warmer, but loneliness can feel colder. And into this swirl of emotion, Scripture offers a promise that almost sounds impossible: “…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 ESV).

Paul wrote those words from a prison cell, not a cozy living room decked with garland. His circumstances were uncertain, yet his heart was anchored. That should encourage us: the peace God offers is not dependent on ideal circumstances. It is not fragile, seasonal, or sentimental. It is a peace that defies logic—peace beyond understanding—because it comes from someone greater than anything we face.

Christmas reminds us that peace isn’t a theory. Peace has a name: Jesus. The angels didn’t announce, “Glory to God in the highest, and good luck with the chaos!” They proclaimed “peace on earth” because the Prince of Peace had entered the world. Not a distant God, but a God wrapped in human frailty; not a God pointing at our problems from afar, but a God stepping into them with us.

So how do we receive this peace in a season that often pulls us in a dozen directions?

First, we remember who holds our story. Much of our anxiety comes from trying to control outcomes we were never designed to manage. Christmas invites us to release the pen—to let God write what we cannot. The same God who orchestrated a census, a stable, a star, and shepherds at just the right moment is capable of guiding your life with the same intentional care. Peace grows when we trust His timing.

Second, we need to practice stillness. Peace often slips away not because God is silent, but because our lives are loud. Quiet moments don’t happen on their own; they must be chosen. Even five minutes of stillness—pausing with Scripture, breathing deeply, whispering a simple prayer—can re-center a heart spinning with activity.

Next, open our eyes to God’s nearness. The miracle of Christmas is not that the world became calm, but that Christ came into a world that wasn’t. He came into real noise, real pain, real uncertainty—and He still does. The peace that surpasses understanding is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of Christ right in the middle of it.

This season, may you experience more than a holiday mood. May you encounter the deep, steady, unexpected peace of God—peace that slips past logic and settles into the heart; peace that holds you when circumstances waver; peace that reminds you that Immanuel, God with us, is not just a Christmas phrase but a daily reality.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does “peace that surpasses understanding” mean to you? How is it different from feeling calm or happy?
2. Why do you think this peace doesn’t come from circumstances being perfect, but from knowing God’s victory in Christ?
3. How does God’s peace guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:7) from being overwhelmed by worries?

“Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God’s Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” – Philippians 1:3-6 (MSG).

We all live inside a story still being written. Some chapters are full of joy and momentum; others feel slow, confusing, or painfully unresolved. There are pages we wish God would turn faster, and seasons when the plot seems to stall altogether. Yet Scripture gently reminds us that peace is not found in possessing all the answers—it is found in trusting the Author who holds the pen.

One of the mercies of God is that He is never in a hurry, yet He is never late. Our impatience leads us to believe that unfinished means uncertain, incomplete means unstable, and waiting means wasted. But heaven sees your life differently. God calls the unfinished places fertile ground—soil where faith grows, trust deepens, and His grace becomes unmistakably real.

In Philippians 1:6, Paul offers a promise that has carried generations through their most unsettled seasons: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” The God who begins good work never abandons it. He doesn’t misplace you, forget you, or set your story aside while tending to something more important.

Finding peace in your unfinished story begins by remembering that God sees the whole picture at once. We see chapters. He sees the arc. We see interruptions. He sees divine appointments. We see delays. He sees preparation. What feels like a detour might be the very doorway through which His purpose enters your life.

Think of Joseph sitting in an Egyptian prison with no clue that he would soon be placed second in command. Think of Moses tending sheep for forty years, unaware that God was shaping a deliverer. Think of the disciples on Saturday—the day between the cross and the resurrection—believing the story had ended when, in truth, the most significant chapter was still hidden from their sight.

Peace comes when we shift our grip—from controlling outcomes to trusting the One who already knows them. Sometimes the most sacred thing you can do is simply relax and say, “Lord, I don’t see how this resolves, but I know You’re here.” God is standing in the middle of chapters that don’t make sense yet.

Your unfinished story is not a liability. It is a living testimony that you are still a work in progress. Rest in the truth that while you don’t know how the story ends, you know who is writing it.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Where in your life right now do you feel like you’re living in an “unfinished chapter,” and what emotions surface when you think about that part of your story?
2. How have you seen God work in past seasons that felt unresolved or confusing, and what does that teach you about trusting Him in the present?
3. What practical step can you take this week to shift from seeking control to seeking God’s presence in the unfinished parts of your journey?

“He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.” – Psalm 107:29

There is a strange and beautiful mystery in the way God works: His peace does not wait for the storm to pass before it arrives. It does not negotiate with the winds, bargain with the waves, or request a calmer forecast. Instead, it comes right in the middle of the chaos—quiet, steady, unshaken—like a candle that refuses to be blown out, even when the wind howls.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Perfect peace is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of trust. It is the quiet conviction that God’s grip on us is stronger than the storm’s pull against us. Storms threaten our comfort, our plans, our sense of control—but they cannot touch the security of a heart anchored in Christ.

Many of us assume peace is something we will feel when things finally settle down. We think, once this problem is fixed… once this worry subsides… once this situation turns around… then I’ll have peace. But Jesus flips that upside-down. He says, in essence, you don’t need a smaller storm—you need a bigger Savior. In John 14:27, He promises: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

The world offers fragile peace: temporary, circumstantial, easily shaken. Jesus offers durable peace: rooted in His character, His presence, and His victory over every fear that tries to dominate our thinking. His peace outshines the storm because it comes from a source the storm cannot reach.

Jesus calls us the light of the world—not because we shine brightest in calm weather, but because His presence causes us to glow in the dark. When the storm grows loud around us, peace glows louder within us. When the waves crash, peace whispers, You are held. When anxiety rises, peace reminds you that you are not alone. And when our hearts feel weak, peace says, My grace is sufficient for you.

The early church thrived through persecution, not because life was easy, but because Christ was near. Their lives demonstrated a peace so radiant that people could not help but notice. This same Spirit lives in us today.

Storms are loud—but they are temporary. God’s peace is quiet—but eternal. And every time we choose trust over panic, surrender over striving, worship over worry, that peace grows brighter.

You may not be able to silence the storm, but you can invite the Savior into it. And when He steps into the boat, fear loses its power, and peace begins to outshine everything around you.

Because the One who is in you is greater than the storm that surrounds you.

Discussion Questions:

1. Does following Jesus guarantee an absence of storms, or does it change how we navigate them?
2. When trouble hits, is your focus on the “waves” (circumstances) or on Jesus? How can you shift it?
3. How can we move from fear to faith, even when we don’t understand what’s happening?

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” ― John 14:27.

Advent invites us to slow down, breathe deeply, and notice the sacred story unfolding around us. In the second week of Advent, we come face-to-face with a longing that sits in every human soul—the longing for peace. Not the fragile kind the world offers, the kind that flickers when the news turns dark or when relationships get strained, but the strong, steady peace that God Himself brings.

When the angels appeared to the shepherds, they didn’t shout, “Try harder!” or “Hold it together!” Their message was simple and stunning: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace…” Peace was God’s gift, not humanity’s achievement. It arrived wrapped not in power or politics, but in a Person—a child laid in a manger, vulnerable yet victorious, humble yet holy. The second candle of Advent glows with the reminder that peace is not something we manufacture; it is Someone we receive.

We don’t need much imagination to understand why the world needs peace. Every headline reminds us that fear, division, and uncertainty are constant companions in a broken world. But Advent declares that Jesus stepped straight into that brokenness. He didn’t wait for the world to calm down; He entered it while it was still chaotic, violent, and restless.

Isaiah called Him the Prince of Peace—not the prince of escape, not the prince of distraction, but the Prince of shalom. When Jesus came, he didn’t merely hush the noise around us—He heals the turmoil within us.

If we’re honest, the deepest battles usually don’t happen somewhere else; they happen inside us: anxiety that steals sleep, regrets that whisper at night, busyness that drains joy, conflict that robs relationships of gentleness. Advent peace speaks right into these hidden places. Jesus didn’t come so we could pretend to be peaceful; He came so we could actually have peace.

In John 14:27, He promises, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.” His peace is not the temporary calm that depends on ideal circumstances. His peace can stand in the middle of storms, sit in waiting rooms, and walk through grief.  His peace isn’t fragile; His presence fortifies it.

Peace doesn’t stop with us; it flows through us. The world is desperate for peacemakers—people who bring gentleness where others bring heat, grace where others bring judgment, and patience where others bring frustration. Christ’s peace slows our reactions, shapes our words, and teaches us to see people through God’s compassionate eyes.

To “walk in peace” doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations or pretending conflict doesn’t exist. It means carrying the presence of Jesus into those moments, allowing His Spirit to guide, settle, and shape us. Peace becomes not a feeling but a way of living.

Peace is not far away. Peace is near. Peace has a name. And His name is Jesus.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you.” What is the difference between His peace and the peace the world tries to offer? How have you experienced that difference?

“God gives God. That is the gift God always ultimately gives. Because nothing is greater and we have no greater need, God gives God. God gives God, and we only need to slow long enough to unwrap the greatest Gift with our time: time in His Word, time in His presence, time at His feet.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

Christmas is coming, and that means gifts. Lots of gifts, some small, some large. TV commercials show a wife presenting her husband with a brand-new car. It’s a pretty impressive gift, if unrealistic for most people. In another commercial, the husband bought a present for himself, a new truck, and a present for his wife, a brand new SUV. His and her new vehicles.  It’s even more impressive and even more unrealistic.

It would be great if we could give such lavish gifts to a spouse or child. But even if you did give such “grand” gifts, it would not come close to being the greatest gift of all time. Giving a gift every time the person needed it would be wonderful. A perfect gift that would bring joy to the person who opened it? That is what God did.

The greatest gift you’ve ever been given wasn’t bought in a store. No cash exchanged hands. It wasn’t even wrapped. Yet it cost the Giver everything. The Bible says God sent His Son to Earth to give you the greatest gift ever. He came to Earth to die—so that you could be made right with God. Romans 3:24-25 says, “Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin” (MSG).

God knew we needed a Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Healer, and Friend, so He gave us the greatest gift that no one can afford, no one can earn, and only God can give. This gift is Jesus. The babe in the manger. The Savior of the world. And He brought the promise of unconditional love, unending hope, and eternal life to every person who believes in Him. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. No amount of money on Earth could ever purchase a gift that can measure up to the value of the first Christmas gift.

It is not enough to look at this gift and admire it. This gift must change us. Opening the Scriptures is the way we unwrap our gift. Our gift is Jesus, and the Scriptures unwrap Him for us.

“So God throws open the door of this world—and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you see areas in your life where you should appreciate the gift of Jesus Christ more?
2. What do we do this week to reflect on receiving the greatest gift ever given?

“But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round…as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely.” – Charles Dickens.

Every December, the air grows thick with reminders of giving—bells ringing outside stores, cards asking for donations, and ads urging us to remember those in need. It’s easy to feel that generosity is a seasonal expectation, a box to check before January arrives. But as followers of Christ, generosity is not just a December duty; it’s a reflection of our understanding of who God is and what He has done for us.

But that doesn’t change the fact that at its core, Christmas is the story of divine generosity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” (John 3:16). The entire Christmas narrative flows from that one word—gave. God gave His Son, Mary gave her trust, Joseph gave his obedience, the shepherds gave their witness, and the wise men gave their treasures. Every act of giving in the story of Christmas is a mirror of God’s heart.

So when we ask, “Should we try to be a little more generous at Christmas?” the real question is, “How can we reflect the generosity of God more clearly?” Generosity isn’t measured by the size of a gift or the number of zeros on a check—the love and sacrifice behind it are the actual measure. It’s about giving from the heart, even when no one notices, even when there’s no return.

The Christmas season can pull us toward comfort and self-focus: shopping lists, travel plans, and family gatherings. But if we pause and look beyond our circles, we’ll see that the world is full of silent need—lonely hearts, empty tables, and families praying for hope. Our generosity, whether it’s financial or simply the gift of time and compassion, becomes a way for God’s light to enter those dark places.

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” That’s what makes Christmas giving sacred—it’s cheerful, voluntary, born out of gratitude, not guilt.

When we choose generosity at Christmas, we’re not just helping others; we’re declaring something about our faith. We’re saying we believe in a God who gives freely. We’re saying we’ve received grace that we could never repay. We’re saying the light of Christ still shines through open hands and open hearts.

So yes—let’s be a little more generous this Christmas. Let’s give more patience to our family, more kindness to strangers, more encouragement to the weary, more resources to those who have little. Let’s make giving a form of worship, not an obligation.

Because when we give, we echo the heartbeat of Christmas—the generous love of a God who gave everything for us.

Discussion Questions:

1.  What does God’s generosity at Christmas teach you about how to give to others?
2. How can you practice generosity that goes beyond money—through your time, words, or presence?

“The Advent season is that time when we seek to, in a manner of speaking, mute our memory of what has already happened, that we might brighten our joy that it happened. We leave the already of His advent to taste the bitter of the not yet. We, in short, go back, that we might look forward to His coming.” – R. C. Sproul.

Advent is a season filled with lights, scents, songs, and traditions, but at its heart, it is a season centered on a Person—Jesus Christ. We do not prepare for a holiday; we prepare for Him. Advent invites us to slow down long enough to rediscover the wonder of who He is and why His coming changed everything.

The story of Advent begins not in Bethlehem but in the heart of God. Long before Jesus was born, God promised that He would send a Redeemer—One who would enter our world and make all things new. That Redeemer is not a concept or a symbol. He is a Person. Advent calls us to fix our eyes on Him: Emmanuel, “God with us.”

When Jesus entered the world, He came in a way no one expected. The Messiah did not arrive with royal fanfare or earthly privilege but with the cry of a newborn wrapped in swaddling clothes. His birth revealed a God who draws near, not from a distance of power but from a posture of humility. In the manger, God showed us that He is willing to step into the ordinary, the messy, and the overlooked. Advent reminds us that we celebrate a Savior who comes close—close enough to understand our struggles, our fears, and our deepest longings.

This Jesus we celebrate is both fully God and fully man. As God, He holds all authority, reigns over all creation, and has the power to save. As a man, He knows hunger, tears, fatigue, and joy. Advent invites us to marvel at this mystery: the God who breathes stars into existence became a child who needed to be held.

But the Person we celebrate in Advent is more than a baby in a manger. He is the One who came with purpose. Jesus’ birth is inseparable from His mission—to bring hope to the hopeless, healing to the broken, and salvation to all who believe. He came to teach us what love looks like, to reveal the heart of the Father, and ultimately to lay down His life for the redemption of the world. Advent prepares our hearts for this truth: the cradle points us toward the cross, and the cross points us toward the empty tomb.

So as we walk through this season, Advent invites us to do more than light candles or sing familiar hymns. It invites us to encounter Jesus—to behold Him, worship Him, and welcome Him into every corner of our lives. The Person we celebrate is not distant, busy, or indifferent. He is present, loving, powerful, and near.

This Advent, may your heart be drawn again to the One who came, who is here now, and who will come again.

Discussion Questions:

1.  What helps you keep your focus on the Person of Christ—rather than just the season—during Advent?

“The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.” – Jeremiah 33:14.

Advent is a season built on promise—God’s promise. Before there were candles, carols, or calendars, there was a word spoken into the darkness: a Savior would come. From the earliest pages of Scripture, God whispered hope into a broken world, assuring His people that sin, sorrow, and suffering would not have the final say. Advent invites us to lean into that ancient promise and rediscover its power for our lives today.

Through the prophets, God repeated that promise again and again, painting a picture of a coming King who would bring justice, peace, and healing. Isaiah spoke of a great light shining on those who walk in darkness (Isaiah 9:2). Micah foretold a ruler who would emerge from a small, unlikely town called Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Zechariah envisioned a humble King riding on a donkey, bringing salvation to the nations (Zechariah 9:9). Every prophecy was a thread in the tapestry of God’s faithfulness, each one pointing to the One who would come.

And then, in the quiet town of Bethlehem, the promise became flesh. Advent reminds us that God always keeps His word—even if the fulfillment looks different from what we imagined. The Savior did not arrive as earthly royalty but with the humility of a baby laid in a manger. The long-awaited Messiah came not with armies, but with angels; not with force, but with tenderness; not with political power, but with divine love.

Yet Advent does more than look back. It lifts our eyes forward to another promise: Christ will come again. Just as surely as the first Advent fulfilled centuries of prophecy, the second Advent will fulfill Jesus’ own words. He promised to return for His people, to make all things new, to wipe every tear, and to establish His kingdom forever. Advent trains our hearts to live in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet”—the promise fulfilled in Christ’s birth and the promise yet to come at His return.

So what does the promise of Advent mean for us today?

First, it anchors us in God’s faithfulness. In a world full of uncertainty, broken promises, and shifting circumstances, Advent reminds us that God can be trusted. He is the God who keeps His word across generations, who fulfills His purposes in ways that exceed our expectations. When our hearts grow weary, Advent gently points us back to the God who has never failed His people.

Second, the promise of Advent invites us to hope. Real, biblical hope—not wishful thinking, but confident expectation rooted in God’s character. Hope that light will overcome darkness. Hope that healing will replace brokenness. Hope that Christ’s reign of peace, justice, and love is not just a distant dream but a coming reality.

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the promise of Advent—God coming to dwell with His people—reshape our understanding of hope in seasons of waiting or uncertainty?
2. In what ways does the Old Testament anticipation of the Messiah strengthen our confidence that God keeps His promises today?
3. Which promises of God feel most significant to you during Advent, and how can the church community support one another in faithfully holding on to them?

“The word advent means ‘expectation.’” What Advent can do for us is create a sense of hope.”– Louie Giglio.

Advent is a season shaped by longing—holy, expectant, hope-filled longing. It is the time when the Church slows down to remember that God stepped into the world as light in the darkness, and to awaken our hearts to the truth that He is coming again. Advent is not simply a countdown to Christmas; it is an invitation to wait with faith.

In a world that celebrates speed, productivity, and instant results, waiting is a weakness. Yet Scripture tells a different story. So many of God’s most significant works unfolded slowly, quietly, and often invisibly at first. Abraham waited for a promised son. Israel waited for deliverance in Egypt and later in exile. Mary waited while the world had no idea that salvation grew within her. God’s timeline is not slow; it is precise. And Advent teaches us to match our hearts to His rhythm.

Advent is a season of holy anticipation, a time when believers pause to remember that our faith is rooted in a God who comes near. It is more than a tradition on the church calendar; it is an invitation to slow down and awaken our hearts to the wonder of Christ’s coming—past, present, and future.

For the believer, Advent begins with remembering. We remember that Jesus entered the world not in power but in humility, choosing a manger instead of a throne. His first coming reveals the character of God: gentle, compassionate, willing to step into human darkness to bring light. Advent reminds us that God keeps His promises, even if His timing surprises us.

But Advent is also about the present. Christ comes to us now—into our ordinary days, our struggles, our waiting. Advent teaches us to look for Him in unexpected places, just as the shepherds looked past the stable and into the face of a newborn King. It encourages us to open the quiet spaces of our lives and invite Jesus to dwell there, transforming our hearts with His hope, peace, joy, and love.

Finally, Advent points our eyes forward. For believers, this season stirs our longing for Christ’s return. We live between two comings: celebrating what He has done and yearning for the day He will make all things new. Advent strengthens us to wait with faith, knowing that the God who came before will come again.

In this sacred season, we are reminded that we do not wait alone and we do not wait in vain. Advent calls us to hope with confidence, to watch with expectation, and to prepare our hearts for the One who still draws near.

Emphasizing the anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ during Advent helps bridge the age-old gap between the sacred and the secular of the Christmas season. They find that drawing close to God enriches all other aspects of the Christmas celebration—fellowship, gift-giving, gift-receiving… even shopping. Four weeks of focusing on Jesus can help to put everything else in its proper light.

May this season renew your faith and awaken your longing for Christ’s presence.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does the word Advent mean, and why is “waiting” such a central theme of the season?
2. Why do you think God chose to enter the world in humility—through a manger, an obscure town, and unnoticed by most?
3. Advent highlights both Christ’s first coming and His promised return. How does remembering these two comings strengthen your faith?