Advent Devotionals 2024

The Unchanging Love of God

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23).

In a world that is constantly changing, God’s steadfast love remains our anchor (Heb. 13:19). At the start of the school year students in the Early Childhood Center learn about the enduring, never changing, love of God. Students reflect on the changes of nature in the seasons, the changes in their feelings as they acclimate to school, and the changes of life circumstances in the lives of Bible characters. In contrast to all the changes they identify, students are taught that they can rely upon and expect God’s love to remain the same. “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jer 31:3). 

This steadfast love is the heart of Christmas.

Christmas celebrates the perfect love of our Triune God. Through the Father’s mercy in sending His son, the Son’s sacrificial love in entering our brokenness, and the Spirit's abiding presence with us, we see a love so complete that it fills every empty space, heals every wound, and sets us free from every chain. 

A Call to Reflect

Advent invites us into a season of reflection, a call to examine our hearts. Are we living in expectation of God’s steadfast love renewing and transforming us, or are we distracted and weighed down by the high expectations our culture sets for a “perfect” Christmas? 

As I was reflecting on this, the Lord brought the lyrics of my favorite Christmas carol, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” to my mind:

“Come, Thou long-expected Jesus…”

With advertisements bombarding us earlier every year we may begin to feel the pull for our attention toward creating the ideal Christmas. We may feel the pressure of expectations to make the holiday flawless—a time filled with perfect gifts, beautiful gatherings, seamless traditions, glamorous decorations, and memorable travels. While these things can be good and demonstrate our longing for joy and celebration, without Jesus at the center they can become heavy burdens leaving us fearing disappointment, feeling inadequate, or worrying we aren’t being or doing enough. 

Jesus Came to Set Us Free

“Born to set Thy people free, 
from our fears and sins release us…”

Jesus came to release us from these burdens—from sin, from fear, and from the world’s demands. His perfect love frees us to place our expectations on Him rather than on ourselves or others. His love reminds us that we are already deeply valued, not for what we can do but because of what He did, not because we measure up but because we are His beloved. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).

Letting God’s Love Transform Our Christmas

“Let us find our rest in Thee”

When we make God’s love the center of our Christmas, everything shifts. His love reminds us that our worth is not found in our perfect plans but in His perfect grace. We can let go of striving and instead experience the season’s ultimate gift: our Savior, coming to earth to rescue us. When we rest in the love of God, He enables us to love others freely, unconditionally, and without expectation. He perfects His love in us.

“Beloved if God so loved us, then we ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:11-12).

A Sacred Invitation

The Christmas season offers us a sacred invitation to focus on what truly matters: abiding in the steadfast love of our Savior. In this time of Advent, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to work within us, opening our hearts to God’s love in a way that overflows to everyone around us. His love is not just a part of Christmas—it is the very heart of it.