Devotional
Advent Day 01: Hope
SUNDAY December 1, 2024
Week 1 Meditation
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit
raise us to thy glorious throne.
— Charles Wesley, 1744
What is Advent? Derived from the Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival,” Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It’s the season when we look back to Christ’s first coming, as a baby born in Bethlehem, and look forward to his second coming, when he will return to renew and redeem every part of fallen creation. Jesus Christ has come and will come again. The Advent season is therefore a time to reflect upon the promises of God and to anticipate the fulfillment of those promises. It is a time for remembering and rejoicing.
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This Month's Featured Book
Discover the deeper message in the parable of the Prodigal Son
In The Prodigal God, Tim Keller examines the way Jesus presents the parable to speak both to those who run from God and to those who try to earn his love by being good. It reveals the heart of the gospel—a message of hope for both the rebellious younger brother and the judgmental older brother, and an invitation for all to experience God’s grace.
