Monday, November 24

Read: Psalm 95:1-6 and Psalm 96

Consider: What do you bring when you come to the Lord? What do you bring when you come to Him daily for your time alone with Him? What do you bring when you enter the church building to worship? I know I bring a variety of things. I bring my cares and concerns. I bring my fears and anxieties. I bring my burdens for the people I love. But in all of that, is there something I’m forgetting?

The Psalmist reminds us to “come before him with thanksgiving” (95:2).

I like that word, thanksgiving. We’re also told to praise. When I praise God I find myself thinking about the big picture. I praise Him for who He is. I praise Him for what He has done in Christ Jesus. But, for some reason, the word “thanksgiving” brings me down to specifics. I thank Him for the big things and the small things in my life. I thank Him for my family, for my home, for the people in my life. I thank Him for things that are hugely significant to me and I also thank Him for the little gifts that He gives. In fact the small things that I thank Him for may even seem silly to others. But to me they remind me that I am loved and that life is fun.

“Sing to the Lord, praise his name…” (96:2)

                    and

“Come before him with thanksgiving…” (95:2)

Pray: Praise Him for who He is and what He has done in Christ Jesus. Then thank Him for some very specific things He has given you.

Tuesday, November 25

Read: 2 Peter 1:1-11

Consider: In this greeting from Peter there is a phrase that jumps off the page to me—“His divine power has given us everything we need” (1:3). Everything we need? For what? For “life and godliness” (1:3). What’s more, “He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature” (1:4).

Yesterday we focused on both the “big picture” of what God did in Christ and on some specific things God has given us. In this passage the two meet. What He has done through Christ He has done for me. He has allowed me to “participate in the divine nature”—to be one with Him!

Paul would agree with Peter. As Paul says it, God “has blessed us…with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Pray: Today as you thank God for the material and relational blessings He has given you, don’t forget to thank Him for the spiritual blessings. He has forgiven you. He has promised that He would never leave you. He has sent His Spirit into your world, into your church and into you! No wonder Peter said that He “has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” Praise the Lord!

Wednesday, November 26

Read: Psalm 66

Consider: “Come and see what God has done…” (66:5). We have heard that sentiment expressed in a variety of ways. “It’s a girl!” (See what God has done!) “He came through surgery and he’s going to be alright.” (See what God has done!) “I got the job!” (See what God has done!) We see God at work every day in our material blessings, our relational blessings and our spiritual blessings.

But we also see Him at work in those things that don’t appear to be blessings. Verse 10 of this great Psalm of praise says, “For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” The refining of our lives does not feel like a blessing as we are going through it. But in retrospect we can say, “see what God has done.”

James does not want us to wait to see God at work in the refining process. That is why he instructs us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Paul spells it out in more detail. He says that we “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us…” (Romans 5:3-5)

Pray: Whatever you are going through today, thank God that He is at work in your life. Ask Him to help you to see Him—to help you be aware that He is working in you and will work through you.

Thursday, November 27

Read: Psalm 100

Consider: Thanksgiving Day! Technically it’s a national holiday. But I hope for you it has become a spiritual celebration. I don’t know where you are at today. Perhaps you’re with family. Maybe you’re going to the church Thanksgiving Dinner. Possibly you work in a field, such as healthcare, that finds you on the job today. Maybe, for some other reason, you are alone. But wherever today takes you, let me challenge you to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise” (100:4). You don’t have to physically enter any particular place to go into His presence with praise and thanksgiving.

You can enter His presence by recounting to Him and to yourself all that He has given. As you do that, you’ll be more aware of His presence throughout the day.

As you thank God, take a moment to think about kids. You may be with children today. (You may be cleaning cranberry sauce out of the carpet because of them.) There is a beautiful truth about them expressed at the close of this Psalm…

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (100:5)

All of the things that you have been thanking God for this week are the beautiful things He will continue to give.

Pray: “Give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

This Sunday, November 30, is the First Sunday of Advent. Our theme for the four Sundays preceding Christmas and for Christmas Eve is “Finding Our Way Home.” This Sunday we’ll be talking about “Finding Our Way to Faith.”

Friday, November 28

Read: Luke 1:1-25

Consider: Luke’s writing is unique among the four gospel writers—or as they historically have been referred to, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Luke gives us insights into the thoughts and feelings of the people who were part of the first Christmas. And he begins by telling us about a great man who doubted.

“How can I be sure of this?” was Zechariah’s response to the promise that was given to him. He was rebuked for that response. But isn’t that a typical response? When we’re given a promise, don’t we want some kind of guarantee? Put it in writing. Give me some collateral. Guarantee your promise! And yet, it appears that is not the response God wanted from His servant, Zechariah.

Take some time to meditate on how you would have responded. How does faith preclude a guarantee? Or is faith the guarantee?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Pray: Ask the Lord to show you how to increase your faith and trust in Him. Thank Him that He is patient with us when our faith is weak.

Saturday, November 29

Read: Luke 1:26-38

Consider: Another angelic visit. Another promise. Another question.

               Zechariah: “How can I be sure of this?” (1:18)

               Mary: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (1:34)

Both seemed to be astounded—and who wouldn’t be? Both responded with questions. Both wanted specifics. Yet Gabriel had two distinct reactions. Zechariah was reprimanded (1:19-20) and Mary was given the explanation that she desired (1:35-37).

We see that God continued His plan and used both Zechariah and Mary. But God had to do a little more to prepare Zechariah for his assignment to be the father of the forerunner of the Christ because he “did not believe” Gabriel’s words (1:20).

God’s patience is amazing. He doesn’t quit on us. He continues His work in us and through us if we will let Him—even though sometimes we need His correction.

Pray: Thank God that He patiently works in you and through you—even when you doubt and fear His guidance.