Advent Devotions

The great hope given to us in Christ is that one day - in the new heavens and new earth - creation along with our physical bodies will experience renewal so that we experience creation free of sin. We will in that day interact with the physical world in such a way that God’s glory will be seen and known and enjoyed through the goodness of the created world just as He intended in Genesis 1.

We still await the complete fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. We do not know the day or hour the new heaven and earth will be our experience. We do know however that all those who enter that city will do so as forgiven sinners.

What a glorious truth that God seeks to be known in the world as one who fights and labors with all His might and resources for your infinite and eternal joy. In the present, we get glimpses and foretaste of that divine joy and one day in the New Heaven and Earth such joy and delight will be ours without interruption.

Desolation, bruises, abandoned buildings, old lodges covered by vines, burnt down businesses, sickness, depression, joylessness - these describe the former city which will by the Servant give way to a new city in which joy will replace sorrow and singing will replace wailing. One day, so full will the present experience of joy be that the former sorrows will stay out of sight and out of mind.

All of history flows toward the existence of a new heaven and earth, a city of God in which joy and gladness abound. What encouragement and motivation we find in this promise to work towards this end. Christ came. He served. He endured. He died. By His work, His joy and ours has been secured.

Receive the Servant as your Savior. Come to Him as your Rescuer. Then go to God trusting in Jesus as your Mediator and Intercessor. Times of refreshing and joy await all who draw near to the LORD. Don’t tarry. Christ has provided all you need to come to the LORD with confidence. Come trusting in Him.

‌Like the suffering of the Servant, your suffering by God’s grace and power will achieve God’s ends. Just as He brought victory, joy, and glory to Jesus through His suffering, so He promises to bring Jesus’ people into that shared victory, glory, and joy. But those who will share in the spoils of victory must also share in the suffering of the war.

Men and women, have but one hope, that God would so work in and on our hearts that we see the glory hidden in Christ. That we perceive the truth and understand reality.

Each man and woman must acknowledge His LORDship. We must bow in submission to Him. Yes, He came humbly. Yes, He died. Yes, He suffered. Yes, on the cross He looked defeated. However, do not be fooled. The cross was not His defeat but His victory.

The Lord works in all things to glorify himself by glorifying Jesus, His Servant. Let us, too, give ourselves in all we do to the same. May God work to align all of our lives towards this end, the end for which He created us.

Even though the world finds God’s Word and instruction outdated, antiquated, and irrelevant, do not share in their foolishness. Though His guidance for your life goes against your greatest desires and passions, trust that the pleasures He will supply in due time will rise higher than any pleasure promised to you by disobedience.

When the enemy seems to prosper and you struggle under the difficulty of obedience, you might wonder if God remains for you. Be assured. If you are in Christ, the LORD remains near. A present help, constantly ready to uphold you. Therefore, go today and endure, for God is your help.

Only those with opened ears and a heart affectionate towards the Father will obey with gladness. Only those who obey will abide in His love and know the full joy of experiencing His friendship.

Jesus, taught by the Father, came to speak the “word” given to Him. With precision, accuracy, and determination He faithfully delivered that message to the world. He did not add to or take away from it. Instead, He preserved it, proclaimed it, and trusted it to strengthen the weary and deliver the oppressed.

The good news which comes to us first through prophets such as Isaiah and now through the Servant, Jesus Christ, announces to us that in spite of our rebellion God stands ready with eagerness to save His people from their sins. He has gone to great lengths to rescue us, restore us, and reconcile us.

The Servant found strength in remembering the future fruit of His work; we too should, with strength, go out today, tomorrow, and for the rest of our earthly lives to labor faithfully, for much good awaits us.

In the moments of greatest pain and difficulty, God the LORD fulfilled His promise to the Servant. He answered Jesus. He kept Jesus. He helped Jesus. He did not help by removing Jesus from the suffering. Instead, He encouraged Him and strengthened Him for enduring obedience, so that the greater glory would arrive.

Does your heart, upon inspection of your life, cry out, “vanity, vanity, all is vanity? If so, take comfort. You have One who serves you even now from the throne of heaven who knows exactly how you feel.

As God's Word goes out, He sees to it that the message produces the fruit He desires. So then we must, with encouraged hearts, faithfully take the Word across the street and to the ends of the earth.

God has revealed Himself in Jesus as both able to save and ready to save. Let us not sit idly by as men and women remain in darkness all while salvation is possible in and through Jesus.