To Ponder:
"Do not be afraid." These were the angel's first words to Mary after announcing she would bear the Christ child. It's remarkable that the announcement of the world's greatest gift began with a command to release fear.
Fear is the opposite of peace. It grips our hearts, steals our joy, and blinds us to God's presence. But when Gabriel appeared to Mary, he didn't just tell her not to be afraid—he gave her a reason: "You have found favour with God."
This is the peace that Christmas offers us.
God's favour isn't something we earn or achieve; it's grace freely given. Through Christ, God extends His favour to all who receive Him. The baby in the manger grew to become our Savior, removing the barrier of sin that separated us from God. Because of Jesus, we no longer need to fear God's judgment, our uncertain future, or even death itself.
Mary's "yes" to God's plan, despite her fears and questions, brought the Prince of Peace into the world. This Christmas, we can follow her example—releasing our fears and anxieties into God's hands, trusting in his favour and goodness toward us.
When we embrace the truth that we are loved and favoured by God through Christ, fear loses its grip, and His peace fills our hearts.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of your Son and the favour you've shown us through him. Help us release our fears this Christmas and rest in your perfect peace. May we trust you as Mary did, knowing we are loved and held by You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Todays Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."
To Ponder:
When Isaiah painted this breathtaking picture of God's coming kingdom, he showed us something remarkable: peace isn't just the absence of conflict—it's the presence of radical reconciliation. Natural enemies resting together. The fierce and the fragile sharing the same space. And at the centre of it all? A little child.
This is the peace that Christmas announces.
On that first Christmas night, heaven broke into earth not with armies or fanfare, but with a baby. The Prince of Peace arrived as the most vulnerable thing imaginable—an infant wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough. Yet this child would grow to reconcile all things to God, making peace through His blood shed on the cross.
Isaiah's vision reminds us that true peace transforms relationships that seem impossible to mend. Through Christ, God reconciles us—his enemies—to himself. He takes our anxious hearts and replaces them with his perfect peace. He takes broken relationships and offers the possibility of healing. He takes a world torn by division and plants seeds of his kingdom where wolves and lambs can finally rest together.
This Christmas, we celebrate that the little child Isaiah prophesied has come. And one day, He will return to fully establish the peaceable kingdom—where every tear is wiped away, every wrong is made right, and perfect peace reigns forever.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank you for coming as a child to bring us into your kingdom. Quiet our anxious hearts this Christmas and help us to be peacemakers in our world. Fill us with hope as we celebrate your birth and await your return, when Your perfect peace will reign forever. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Devotion is written by Pr Nich Kitchen, LifeWay Epping
For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.
TO PONDER
Any of us born into and raised in a Christian family can very likely relate easily to this verse from Psalm 71.
We were most probably all baptised at an early age, not a decision we were able to consider or consciously make for ourselves, but clearly becoming one of God’s children was of paramount importance to our parents which laid the first strong foundational bricks in our faith. I distinctly recall our daily family evening devotions from a young age where me and my five siblings would sit with Dad and Mum, while Dad read us a story from our family Children’s Bible and we would then pray.
These family Bible stories and teachings strengthened my foundations further together with our regular attendance at Sunday School whilst Mum and Dad worshiped each week. You possibly also attended some form of Youth group on a regular basis and then undertook a confirmation course studying God’s word and learning more about the Lutheran faith and beliefs through Luther's Small Catechism. This course culminated in our public acknowledgement to our local congregation, family and friends as we were confirmed and attended the Lord’s table for the very first time.
I, and I’m sure any of you who share a similar story can consider ourselves extremely fortunate. This upbringing cultivated a deep sense of trust and reliance on God from early on as we embarked on our life journey here on earth. Just as the psalmist found hope and confidence in God from their youth, we too can reflect on our own experiences with God. How God has been our source of hope and confidence in times of uncertainty. How placing our trust in God and growing in our faith provides us with comfort and strength, knowing that God is our steadfast support, offering hope and confidence in every situation.
And whether this picture above resonates for you or not, the same confidence in God (irrespective of when you became His child) exists for all believers. God is our rock, our salvation and as we grow in our faith He becomes even more so our refuge in older years. Just like the psalmist found hope and confidence in Him, we too can share in these same gifts today, tomorrow and always.
PRAYER:God of hope. Teach me to understand the importance of nurturing a relationship with You so I too can share in the hope and confidence that You provide to me and all my fellow believers today, tomorrow and always. In your precious name I pray. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
TO PONDER
My father has always said to me and my siblings 'if you're going to do a job, make sure you do it properly'. Dad lived this mantra when he was independent, and I have witnessed it many times over the years when Dad has assisted me with a reasonably major job around the house or in the yard. One example that springs to mind is digging post holes for a 25 metre long retaining wall where the research indicated we needed to go down to a depth of 1.5 metres underground to adequately support the wall at a certain height, so we dug to a depth of 2 metres and concreted in the posts. The retaining wall was never going to collapse or start to lean!
God's love for us is the same (not done by halves) and in fact it is magnified many many more times. Like the analogy we reflected on, on Wednesday of this week when we thought about the glass of bubbly effervescently racing to the top of the glass and spewing over the side, God's love continuously overflows for us.
God does not do things in half measures! He did not distantly proclaim us from Heaven as His children but rather sent down His own son to live on this earth, then die for us on the cross, and save us from our sins through His death and resurrection.
In our verse today, we are not told that God's love will drip or trickle out onto our hearts but that it will be poured out. No half measures! We therefore will not be disappointed with our hope in the Lord because God has proven His intention to complete His work in us - the proof being the love from Him poured out into our hearts by the Holy spirit who was given to us.
When Jesus departed from this world through His ascension, He filled His disciples with the Holy Spirit to remain with them. The same Holy Spirit that today fills our hearts with God's love as it is poured in a continuous-overflowing capacity.
We should not live our lives as if God's love is merely a trickle but live boldly, in the knowledge of His outpouring love for us!
PRAYER:Holy Spirit. Open my heart so that you can pour out God's love onto me so it is a continuing and overflowing source of hope and strength for both me and for those that I come into contact with daily, wherever You may send me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
TO PONDER
As we approach Christmas and our Christian celebrations, it is also the time of year that most children are reminded, threatened with, and perhaps even bribed, that Santa Claus is always watching their every move. Whether sleeping, awake or whether naughty or nice – he is watching, and he is coming to town!
The verse from today’s Psalm provides a somewhat similar picture but in a very different context. The message that Santa is forever watching is portrayed in a threatening manner. There is an underlying ultimatum. One of judgement! Santa is only watching to determine which children receive presents and which do not.
Verse 18 tells us that God will watch over all who trust and revere Him with unwavering love, care and protection. He watches everything we do. He is our vigilant guardian, like a parent who cannot take their eyes off their young child playing in a park, ensuring their well-being and safeguarding them from harm. The context here is not one of ultimatum or threat but unwavering love involving an everlasting watch over us. Whether we are sleeping or awake.
We indeed should place our hope in His unfailing love. That is, we should trust and be confident in His unchanging enduring love for us. This hope extends to the security and assurance that we will find in our reliance on God. His faithful, unfailing love serves as a steadfast anchor in our lives amidst the challenges, disappointments and uncertainties that we encounter.
We can boldly live our lives as Christians underpinned by our hope in God’s unfailing love.
PRAYER: Our Vigilant Father in Heaven. Thank you that You constantly watch over me in everything I do. Help me to place my trust and hope in You and Your unfailing, enduring love. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
TO PONDER
Have you ever poured a glass of bubbly and observed the contents quickly taking up half the glass volume while the dancing gaseous bubbles race to the top, and if you keep pouring, the bubbles upon reaching the rim of the glass erupt, sprawling over the edge and running down the outside of the glass?
Well, this is the picture that springs to mind for me when I read Romans 15 verse 13…. except the Romans message is so much better!
Our trust and hope in the Lord ensures that we will not only be filled with joy and peace but the hope will overflow through the work of the Holy Spirit. There is no mention whatsoever of the ‘tap being turned off’ or the pourer stopping the pour. It continues on, so the joy and peace fill us wholly and then overflows and continues to bubble over the edge.
We are provided with a continuous flow through the source of the Holy Spirit providing absolutely all that we need to tackle life on this earth, and more…… and as this joy and peace overflow, this allows each of us to share these gifts with others around us.
We do not need to ration our supplies and selfishly store up quantities for future use to meet our upcoming needs. No sir! We receive these gifts from the ‘fountain of life’ which continues flowing forever, providing what we need and more.
Be assured of these continuous, never ceasing, overflowing gifts from God. May we share these gifts with others selflessly and generously.
PRAYER:My Lord and fountain of life. I praise You for absolutely everything that You provide me to meet my daily needs and more. Help me to selflessly share Your gifts with all around me and those that You send along my life’s path with the knowledge and confidence that Your provisions will never ‘run dry’ and will continue for eternity. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
TO PONDER
Continuing with my reflection on my family Christmas tree growing up as a young lad in the country, I used to love sitting in the evening gazing at the tree with its lights on and no other light on in the room. Well, this is something I have continued to do to this day. Our current tree is a stunning large 8’ foot artificial pine that commands the centre of attention in any room. For me, it is a peaceful, almost tranquillizing experience to sit in the room with no lights on other than those we have on our beautiful tree. These lights transform the blackness of the room into a warm inviting glow of light that dispels the darkness.
Just like our passage from the book of Isaiah addressing the people of Israel, that portrays the coming of Christ Jesus like a light shining in the darkness to save the broken world filled with sin, despair and suffering.
The relevance of this verse for us today remains as strong as ever. We live in a world that remains broken and is full of confusion, despair, fear, suffering, unrest and selfishness. We all experience moments of personal struggles, societal issues and spiritual doubts. Today’s message underpins the hope and promise that Jesus brings into our world born to us in a manger in Bethlehem. The hope that our living Saviour provides us in our lives today through purpose, clarity, comfort, fellowship and guidance as well as the hope of the promise of Iife eternal with Him in Heaven.
Yes indeed, Christ’s light dawns for all of us in our bleak and weary world, just like dawn follows the darkest part of the night. What tremendous hope we have in Jesus, our light shining in the darkness. Come Lord Jesus, come.
PRAYER:Lord of Light. All my hope is in You. Amid the worlds despair and uncertainty, I know if I love and follow You, that You will provide me with strength to persevere and endure difficult times. You are my true hope. You are the light of the world. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Lutheran Church
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."
TO PONDER
We are continuously encouraged in our walk of faith to try and be Christ-like in all that we do. Our best attempts to do this will be pleasing to God as we will be focussed on many of the areas that He cares about as well as shining Christ’s light for others to see, helping to bring others to Him as part of our earthly Christian mission.
Today’s Advent verses come from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Jesus delivers the Beatitudes which are a set of blessings that highlight the qualities and attitudes valued in the Kingdom of Heaven and emphasizes the spiritual gifts for those who embody these virtues.
In yesterday’s devotion I reflected as a child often gazing at our family Christmas tree, hoping for what gifts might be there for me on Christmas day. The spiritual gifts we are promised in today’s scripture, are eternally fulfilling compared to any material possessions we may strive or hope for, with each unveiling a layer of depth and insight into the blessedness that we will find in God’s Kingdom.
To be poor in spirit means a state of humility and recognition of our own spiritual poverty before God. Mourning extends beyond sorrow from a personal loss to a repentant heart from a deep sense of godly sorrow for sin and the brokenness of our world. Whilst meekness, in total contrast to weakness means strength under control, characterisd by gentleness and self- restraint.
We are challenged to look beyond material possessions and social status to recognize the value of having a humble and compassionate (Christ-like) heart. So, rather than focusing on worldly success or power, Jesus invites us to cultivate a spirit of humility and caring for others, which leads to true blessings and fulfillment in life. What wonderful gifts to reflect on this Advent.
PRAYER:Lord of Hope. Help me to be humble, compassionate and to approach life with a servant orientated heart. I am truly thankful for all the gifts you shower upon me and those that await me, despite the fact that I am undeserving of them all. Thank you for all your gracious gifts. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him
TO PONDER
Today is the first Sunday in Advent. We prepare for Christmas and the treasured gift that our Lord gave to us (in His only son born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem), as well as the season of hope and anticipation of His return, His second coming.
As a child, I vividly remember our family Christmas tree being put-up and decorated during this time while we listened and sang carols together. It was only once the tree was up, that my brothers and sisters and I became acutely aware and excited, that Christmas was on our doorstep and would soon be here. I often sat and looked at our beautiful family tree hoping for what I might find under it wrapped with my name on it on Christmas eve or Christmas morning. Advent was indeed a time of hope for me as a child growing up, as I'm sure it still is for many children around the world, even Christian children - including some adults.
Advent more than ever remains a time of hope today for me and I trust for you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Hope – "a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen." (Oxford dictionary).
As living disciples, we eagerly anticipate our Lord and saviours return. His second coming will not be an inconspicuous one in a cattle food trough as a totally vulnerable baby, but it will be all powerful with a strong hand and mighty arm! As believers we will be rewarded on Christ's return, with the promise of a place in our eternal home in Heaven, that He has prepared for each one of us.
This hope for us overwhelmingly exceeds an expectation! It is a promise and God keeps His promises!
What a wonderful and comforting thought for us to take through the season of Advent and in fact, everyday as we walk our earthly life journey.
PRAYER:God of hope. Shelter me from the busyness and many distractions in this secular world. During this Advent season, keep me focussed on my preparation to celebrate your birth in a manger in Bethlehem, and help me to prepare wholeheartedly for your second coming where You will take me home with You to Paradise. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping