Welcome to our special Advent edition of the Daily Devos. Advent means “the arrival.” It is a way to look back and celebrate the Son of God coming to earth to be born as a baby in a manger while we also look forward to His second coming when creation will be redeemed and restored. Through December, we invite you to experience Advent in your own story.

Each week, we will discover a theme or a promise seen in the birth of Jesus that carries us through the “already not yet” as we await the arrival of His eternal Kingdom. This week we are looking at the promise of HOPE.

Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

9 months of silence and then...worship.

Can you imagine not being able to hear or speak? I’d have trouble with a single day. To be honest, I had trouble with the 2 minutes at the beginning of this devotion. For 9 long months, Zechariah would have struggled with daily life – providing for his family, doing household tasks, interacting with loved ones, and being present and supportive of his wife who must have been anxious and fearful every day given her pregnancy at such an advanced age – and Zechariah was disconnected from all of it.

Rather than curse God the moment he opened his mouth, Zechariah worshiped and prophesied. Scripture says he was “filled with the Holy Spirit,” indicating that his words came from God. He spoke of a “horn of salvation.” A horn symbolizes an animal’s strength, and here, it refers to Jesus. Zechariah spoke of the fulfillment of prophecies and the undeniable connection between the old and new covenants. He recalls God’s faithfulness to Abraham and the freedom his generation now had to love and serve God without fear.

And then he spoke a blessing and prophecy over his son, John – his son with a new name and a new purpose to prepare a path for Jesus. What an amazing mantle to carry! John would be the voice in the wilderness that we read about on Tuesday in Isaiah 40– “A voice of one calling: ‘in the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”

My favorite part of this passage is verses 78-79: “Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

“The rising sun” again refers to Jesus, and I love the imagery of His bringing light into the darkest places. When light illuminates darkness, it brings clarity so that we can see a way forward. It brings warmth. It allows us to make sense of confusing shadows and see them for what they are. This is what Jesus Christ would do for the world.

I believe it’s the knowledge of this reality that led Zechariah to break the silence with praise. It’s as if he had been holding in a secret, and the moment his lips were opened, he couldn’t help but declare it. Are we just as excited about the hope of Jesus?

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Listen to “I Belong to Jesus” by the McClures.
  
• If your day allows, consider being silent for a few hours. During this time, reflect on God’s faithfulness to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Reflect on His faithfulness to you and your family. Think about people in your circle of influence who need to hear the news that Jesus is the Light of the world and pray for opportunities to share it with them.
  
• Prayer: God, thank You for Your perfect plan to send Your Son, Jesus, into the world. Thank You for the obedience of each person You used along the way. Give me the courage to be obedient to whatever You’re calling me to, even if it’s uncomfortable. Let me show the light of Your Son to each person I encounter today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
• Join us again next week as we unpack the gift of JOY in Advent Daily Devos!
  
• Find more Advent tools and resources at venturechurch.org/advent.