Advent Devotional Day 4

For the rest of the year, we will be sharing devotionals from pastors written for Advent Conspiracy . You can read all of their devotionals with your family by going here.

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:11-17 ESV

Seeing the angel at the altar must have terrified this priest—no one else was allowed into this special place. This must be a divine act. Yet even more divine was the promise that God not only heard his and Elizabeth’s prayers (they were childless) but that their son would one day lead people back to God. There was hope for the people of Israel!

In a time when people’s hearts were captivated by the mighty Empire of power, false peace, and materialism; a faithful couple was told that their son would do God’s work. Lives would change!

Christmas has always been counter-cultural. A Christian holiday celebrated intentionally during the height of paganism. The early church made the decision to celebrate our King on December 25, the birthday of Mithrais and the worship of Saturn. Christmas was an in-your-face celebration stating that God intervenes in time and space with a promise to turn people back to their Lord.

Christmas boldly states that lives can change.

Reflect

Today the Empire of power, false peace, materialism, and consumerism seeks to capture our hearts and distract us from the daily presence of God, especially during this season of Advent. How are you praying for God to appear in your life this Christmas? Where are you longing to see a message of hope?

Pray

Lord,

You appear where no one else is allowed, and sometimes that is the altar of my heart. You also appear in our lives to offer us hope and You cut through time and space to remind us that today people can turn to You, even in the dark times. May we fall before You in love and go before You in faithfulness.

Amen.