Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:17If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!— 2 Corinthians 5:17I have always loved the idea of starting fresh, shedding old habits or mindsets that no longer serve well. I remember the first time I truly felt like I
Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:18-19“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! . . .”— Isaiah 43:18-19Change has a way of making us feel uneasy. It often comes with the uncertainty of the unknown and the discomfort of moving away from what we’ve always known. I
Scripture Reading — 1 John 1:1-4We proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.— 1 John 1:2After coming through the Christmas season, we stand today on the verge of a new year. In many homes Christmas decorations are coming down, and Christmas parties are over.
Scripture Reading — Luke 21:25-28“At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”— Luke 21:27The Christmas season looks back to the time when the Son of God first came to live among us and to bring us salvation. But this season has a forward-looking aspect as
Scripture Reading — Matthew 2:19-23, Luke 2:39-40When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.— Luke 2:39I like to have the Christmas season continue as long as possible. In our home we often keep our Christmas tree
Scripture Reading — Matthew 2:13-18“Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt . . . for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”— Matthew 2:14Not everyone loves Christmas. Maybe you’ve heard about Ebenezer Scrooge in the Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol, or about the Grinc
Scripture Reading — Luke 2:36-38[Anna] gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.— Luke 2:38Sometimes just after the Christmas holiday, I feel a bit of a letdown. For weeks I’ve built up excitement for the coming holiday and have look
Scripture Reading — Luke 2:21-35The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.— Luke 2:33Now that Christmas Day has passed, let’s try to make sense of all that we have experienced in the past few weeks. What is the significance of our celebration? Does this season make any differ
Scripture Reading — John 1:14-18The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.— John 1:14Today is Christmas Day, on which most Christians mark the birth of Jesus over 2,000 years ago. While celebrations may vary, depending on cultures and family traditions, the central meaning of this day is
Scripture Reading — John 1:1-13The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.— John 1:5I often feel like the world holds its breath on Christmas Eve. For weeks, we’ve listened to advertisements telling us to get ready for the holiday. Perhaps we’ve done our share of bustling
Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 3:14-16He appeared in the flesh. . . .— 1 Timothy 3:16The Christmas holiday is nearly upon us. For many people Christmas is a special day filled with family gatherings, gift exchanges, and other holiday traditions. In my own family, we look forward to these times, and w
Scripture Reading — Revelation 12:1-17She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.— Revelation 12:2What is the real impact of Christmas?For many of us in the Western world, the story of Christmas has a familiar cast of characters: Joseph and Mary, the shepherds, angels, the
