Day 25

Owen Meadows (12^th Grade)

Christmas is coming, so let’s take some time to remember why this season is such a big deal. Isaiah 9:2-7 says this, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder. For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire. 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. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”

I know that was long and you’ve heard it all before, kind of like the Christmas season itself, but don’t forget what this time means to us humans: Hope. Before this promise, it was all about us doing bad things and trying our best to cover it all up with good. Thankfully God recognized that we could never, nor will ever measure up to His holy standard. So because of His passionate desire to have a relationship with us, He sent Himself in the person of Jesus to be the picture of Hope for us. Remember His promise today and as you go throughout this Christmas season.

Day 24 

Annah Beth Alverson (12^th Grade)

Isn’t it crazy to think that on this night, thousands of years ago, our King who would die on the cross for our sins was born? The King who would eventually take all our guilt, all our mistakes and soon wear all our sins. For us. He wasn’t born in some fancy hospital like we are today. He was born in a stable—where donkeys and cows stayed. His crib was a manger—where animals ate. I can’t imagine how Joseph and Mary felt. They had just traveled so far and then went through child birth. Mary rode on a donkey for days just to make it to Bethlehem, while Joseph walked beside her the whole way. I can’t imagine what Mary was probably thinking the first time she held Jesus. Did she have any clue what He would later do? Did she have any clue all the ridicule and horrible treatment He would endure just to die for our sins? Did she have any clue the miracles that He would perform, or the lives He would eternally change? I don’t think she did. I don’t think she had any clue what Jesus would do in His lifetime. But she did know that what God has promised she had received. He promised her a child and there He was—He had entered the world just as you and I did. But, He was so much more. He was a King who would later die for our sins.

Day 23

Gabby Gary (11^th Grade)

Hebrews 11:1 and 3 say, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…by faith we understand that the Universe was formed at God’s command so that what is seen was not made out of what is visible.” 

Faith is what keeps us in our relationship with God, and it is so precious! In the passage from Luke 2:22-32, Simeon was a servant to the Lord and waited by faith for God to show him the Messiah in flesh. God was faithful to Simeon and brought Jesus to him! This passage is such a huge reminder to me that having faith in the Lord is so important and it can’t be shaky, it has to be rock solid and strong. Lately my biggest struggle in keeping my faith has been not having enough time, or just not making enough time to spend in the Word of God. Spending time in the Word is one of the best things that help me stay faithful to God. A small change I realized I needed to make was deleting some of my social media apps off of my phone and getting a devotion app. So now when I’m bored and I want to get on my phone, all I’m left to click on is the She Reads Truth app and in the few minutes I would have been spending on Twitter, I’m in God’s Word deepening my faith. God strives and deeply desires for you to get to know him and have a relationship with Him—God is faithful!

Day 22

Emory Kuykendall (10^th Grade)

Today our passage was Matthew 2:7-12. It describes how the wise men were in search for “the King of the Jews” and when they found Jesus, they worshipped him. So how can we worship Jesus in our everyday lives?

What is worship? Worship can be defined as an encounter with God. It can also be serving the Lord with the gifts and talents He has given you. For me, that’s praising Him through dance. Worship can simply be noticing God’s greatness—this beautiful world He created, encounters with Him or with others, the list can go on and on. I’ve learned that worship doesn’t limit me to singing songs in church or praying, it can be so much more. When you find those moments with God, love Him, praise Him, and worship Him.