2024 Advent Devotions

“A weary world rejoices”

By Michele Jordan

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress.

— Isaiah 9:1, NIV

In the popular Christmas song “O, Holy Night,” a phrase has always stood out to me — “the weary world rejoices.” I didn’t understand this as a child and sang right over it. I probably even sang it cheerfully as I donned my black skirt and white blouse for the annual school Christmas program.

Fast forward to now, and I’m an adult with a mortgage, bills, health challenges and job concerns, and the lyrics ring true to me. Throughout the year, I find myself weary. I’m worn out. Like many others, I’m exhausted from everyday things, but I’m also weary from larger issues like political drama, systemic racism and the reality of losing loved ones.

As a woman of color, I’m well aware of nuance all around me, whether fighting for a seat at the table or just basic customer service, or reading yet another news report about the inequities in health care (Black maternal health) or banking (those overlooked for loans even when they meet the qualifications). Regardless of the shoes you walk in, I’m sure you have faced hardships, trials and injustice. Like many of you, I have lost loved ones around the holidays. Their absence pierces my heart amid festive carols and chestnuts roasting.

When Christmas rolls around, if I’m honest, I am so weary. It takes everything sometimes just to put up a tree and think of a holiday menu. The holidays are often a blur.

When the world learned that its Savior had been born, it was after centuries of weariness. The people had heard about Him, had longed for Him, and finally, like the newborns we welcome in our own families, they celebrated His arrival with unabashed joy. The wise men even traveled a long way to be part of this humble baby shower of sorts.

I love that the song lyrics recognize we are often spent when our biggest blessings arrive. This blessing was not just for one group of people but for the world. When we accept the gift of Jesus, the weary world rejoices.

This Advent season, let us remember that there is hope after sorrow. Our weariness can be replaced with celebration. As the old church folk would say, “Trouble don’t last always … joy comes in the morning.” But the night can also be a night divine.

Prayer

Dear Lord, when the holidays arrive, we may not always be in the most festive of moods. Help us to remember that we are not alone in this feeling. Help us to know that You sent Your Son to save the world from this weariness that would have us burdened forever. Remind us to rejoice always, and again we say rejoice.

Questions

1. What does the word “weary” mean to you?
2. During the holiday season, what things make you weary?
3. During the holiday season, what things bring you joy? 

Michele Jordan is director of program development, Housing and Community Strategy, at Habitat for Humanity International. She is based in Los Angeles, California.

Putting God’s love into action

By Rudo Kayombo

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.

— Romans 12:1, NIV

According to Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome, God’s love is expressed in his mercy toward sinners like you and me. Paul proposes that a fitting response from the recipients of this love is worship through offering ourselves as living sacrifices.

As we worship, we must show humility (Romans 12:3). Humility comes out of a sober estimation of self, knowing that you are part of the body of Christ. Each believer brings a part of what the whole body of believers needs, and in turn, each has need of what the other believers provide. We are each blessed with different gifts and talents and serve different functions as we bring God’s love into action as a whole.

Sincere love and brotherly devotion are also necessary parts of our worship (Romans 12:9–10). Love that is sincere is love that flows out of having received God’s love. Jesus laid down His life for us, and while we may not be asked to lay down our lives for fellow believers, we are asked to honor others above ourselves.

As we show God’s love, we are also called upon to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) By being joyful in hope, we share our love — not out of hope for reciprocation, but out of hope that our love can benefit those in need.

At times, love may lead to affliction, as we wait for our acts of sacrifice to yield a change of heart or direction. The early disciples like Paul endured much for the cause of the gospel, and the heroes of faith recorded in Hebrews 11 are known for having hoped for a future that was worth their sacrifice. Some died without seeing the result of their trust in God, but we know that He prepared a reward for their faith in heaven.

Lastly, love requires that we are faithful in praying for the recipient of our love. During this time of Advent and throughout the year, may God produce in us the kind of love for others that is reflective of His mercy and love for us.

Prayer

Lord, we ask that You forgive us for the ways we have trivialized Your mercy toward us. Draw us into a relationship with You and with one another that is bounded in sincere love. Teach us to love in the way You love. Let our worship be meaningful to those You put in our lives.

Questions

1. What are believers in Christ asked to sacrifice?
2. Why is humility key in Christian service?
3. Seeking to put God’s love into action is part of Habitat’s mission. Can you think of recent examples, either at work or in your personal life, when you demonstrated His love in action?

Rudo Kayombo is area vice president, Africa, at Habitat for Humanity International. She is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Living in the example of love

By Ruth Palma-Volantin

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

— Hebrews 13:1–2, NIV

Christmas means celebration. Christians celebrate the day Jesus was born to give humanity the best present we could have — His love. While on Earth, Jesus also taught us numerous ways to show love to others: He fed the hungry, took care of the marginalized and healed the sick. He loves because that is His nature. When Jesus gave His own precious life for our eternal life, He performed the ultimate act of love.

Hebrews 13:1–2 are two of the many Bible verses that exhort us to love strangers and show hospitality. Christians need to be generous, kind, considerate and thoughtful. It is easy to love our family members and friends, and we express our love to them in different ways, such as preparing their favorite meals, offering help and spending time together. Still, in a world full of work, activities and distractions, signs of love to others are not as common as we would like.

It is a blessing that within Habitat, we positively affect the lives of families we serve in need of housing in 70 countries. If you are part of a community or a church, you most likely have had the opportunity to participate in activities to help its members.

But what about loving others? We are commanded to love one another without distinction and to love everyone — including strangers and enemies — in tangible ways. For many people, it is not easy to fulfill this command. How can we be motivated to do it? We need to remember how Jesus loves us — without conditions or expectations, but with compassion and mercy.

In this Advent season, Jesus invites us to extend our love beyond Habitat’s mission and our common circles by manifesting hospitality to serve others and give good testimony of our Christian faith. Identify strangers who you can show tangible love: a neighbor you never talked to before, an employee of a local store or a homeless person you pass by. If you think for a moment, there are a lot of opportunities to show love in your daily life.

A neighbor recently sent a message to my cellphone. She needed to talk to someone. Even though I had a busy evening with many things to do, I agreed to spend time with her. What I thought would be a 15-minute conversation ended up lasting five hours. At the end, she thanked me for listening to her situation and for my advice. I was grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to demonstrate patience and love to another person, especially during a difficult time.

As Christians, we need to be ready. We never know when God will put us in the right place to show love to others, and perhaps we will show hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You for teaching us through Your precious Son Jesus how to love and serve others. In this week and throughout the Advent season, please prepare our hearts to be kind and sensitive to those in need of love and affection. Give us guidance and humility to fulfill the command to love others just the way You love us. Thank You for the opportunity to show others what Christian love means. Allow us to give good testimony of our faith. I ask this through Christ our Lord, amen.

Questions

1. What are some barriers that are not allowing you to love others?
2. How can you show love to others the way Jesus loves us?
3. In this Advent season, can you identify a person outside your common circles who needs love and affection? 

Ruth Palma-Volantin is regional Habitat Development Council manager at Habitat for Humanity International. She is based in Mexico City.

Black dot, white space: How what you see colors your world

By Michele Soh

We love because He first loved us.

— 1 John 4:19, NIV

The Advent season is a communal tradition, yet also a profoundly personal time to spend reflecting on the year that has passed and a new year that is yet to be.

My church’s pastor shared a simple but powerful illustration in his sermon recently. Imagine in your mind’s eye this stark visual: a large area of white space with a tiny black dot in the center. What we focus on illuminates our human tendency to zoom in and fixate on our problems, hurts and disappointments, often allowing a small black spot to overshadow the good and better times we experience. We all have spots, but this skewed perspective weighs us down, robbing us of joy and peace.

Here’s the awesome thing about Christmas! It’s all about love, hope and light. It reminds and encourages us to shift our focus from instances that feel like a black spot on the canvas of our year to the white space that represents the good and often abundant positives in our lives.

In the spirit of Christmas, we are called to embrace the love that God demonstrated by sending us Jesus. God sent His Son as the ultimate act of love, meeting us in our brokenness and offering healing. Just like the bright white star that guided the wise men, love has this incredible way of lighting up the darkness, helping us see beyond the black spots.

Let’s focus on that love. As we celebrate this season, remember to share that same love with others. Each act of kindness, forgiveness and compassion shifts focus from black spots to beautiful grace and connection. We need to give ourselves and our colleagues the space and grace to stay flexible under pressure in a changing world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and, at times, darkly ambiguous.

As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love because He first loved us.” That’s the heart of Christmas — embracing love and spreading His light!

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for the greatest act of love when You sent Your Son to save us. Forgive us, God, for focusing on the bad and negative situations in our lives and not seeing the bigger picture of the many good things that You have given us. Help us to see the many instances of grace and love that You have showered on us through the words and actions of our family, friends and colleagues. May we accept our imperfections and focus on spreading love to those around us. Help us make Christmas overflowing with love, hope and peace.

Questions

1. Can you think of a time when you felt there was a “black spot” in your work life this year? How did you overcome that moment?
2. How can we find and celebrate the larger “white space” of light around our black spots? What ways have helped you look beyond a dark spot to beautiful moments?
3. What is one act of kindness and grace you can share with your team or a colleague this Christmas to spread love and positivity?

Michele Soh is director of communications, Asia-Pacific, at Habitat for Humanity International. She is based in Singapore.