WEEK FOUR | DAY THREE
CHRISTMAS EVE
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” —2 Peter 3:18
As we come to the end of our Advent journey, we welcome the Christ Child into our world—Immanuel, the God who has been with us all along. We rejoice that every hope and fear in our hearts finds resolution in the one who is making all things new.
Yet, our waiting isn’t over. We celebrate God’s Kingdom drawing near even as our reality feels far from complete—hearts are still broken; creation still groans; injustice, violence, sorrow and fear continue to wreak havoc everywhere.
God speaks to us as He spoke to John in Revelation 21:5, calling back to us from the future of His perfect Kingdom: “See, your King! The one seated on the throne, the one with authority, the one who is trustworthy and true! Behold Me and believe Me when I say, ‘I am making all things new!’”
Like John, we train our dreaming eyes to awaken to the reality of all God has promised. Our hope is renewed and our faith restored as we begin to comprehend that all will be well. Though the world is full of trouble, we take heart because Christ, our King, has overcome the world (John 16:33). And here, we enter into another kind of Advent, a journey between the already-and-not-yet of God’s Kingdom. Here we are called by grace to participate with God in His Kingdom work of redeeming and restoring. It’s our turn to call out to a world that is waiting: Behold, your King has come, and He is making all things new. Take heart, fear not, all will be well.
May we continue to grow in God’s grace. Take some time today to go for a walk or drive around your neighborhood, and as you go, speak prayers of blessing, hope, truth and encouragement. To God be the glory!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!