WEEK 1 - LIGHT OF HOPE

Dates: Sunday, Nov 30 – Saturday, Dec 6

Theme: Light of Hope – Waiting in the Dark

Key Verse: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” - Isaiah 9:2

Daily Readings (Week 1)

Sunday, Nov 30: Isaiah 9:1–7

Monday, Dec 1: Genesis 3:8–15

Tuesday, Dec 2: Isaiah 40:1–5

Wednesday, Dec 3: Romans 8:18–25

Thursday, Dec 4: Psalm 130

Friday, Dec 5: 1 Peter 1:3–9

Saturday, Dec 6: Luke 1:5–25

Weekly Devotional Thought

Advent begins in the dark.

Israel had heard God’s promises for generations. A coming King. A Messiah. A light that would break into their darkness. But for a long time, it looked like nothing was happening.

If you’ve ever waited for God to move, you know that tension. You trust God, but your circumstances feel stuck. You believe there is more, but you can’t see it yet.

Isaiah prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). He wrote those words to people who were still in the dark. The light wasn’t visible yet but it was promised. That’s what Christian hope is: not wishful thinking, but confident expectation based on God’s character.

Advent invites us to live in that kind of hope. We look back and remember that Jesus really did come. The Light entered our darkness in a manger in Bethlehem. And we look forward, because the same Jesus will come again to make all things new.

In between those two comings, we wait. We hope. We cling to the God who keeps His word. When we don’t see it yet, we remind our hearts: “God has been faithful before. He will be faithful again.”

Maybe this Advent you’re waiting for healing, direction, restoration in your family, or spiritual breakthrough. The darkness feels real. But so is the Light. The birth of Jesus is God’s loud declaration: “I have not forgotten you.”

This week as you read and pray, let hope rise, not because everything makes sense yet, but because Jesus has come, Jesus is with you, and Jesus will come again.

Weekly Prayer

Jesus, Light of the world, when my life feels dark or stuck, remind me that You have not forgotten Your promises. Fill me with real, living hope as I remember Your first coming and look forward to Your return. Help me trust You in the waiting. Amen.

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WEEK 2 - LIGHT OF PEACE

Dates: Sunday, Dec 7 -Saturday, Dec 13

Theme: Light of Peace - When the World Feels Chaotic

Key Verse: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” - Ephesians 2:14

Daily Readings (Week 2)

Sunday, Dec 7: Isaiah 11:1–9

Monday, Dec 8: Micah 5:2–5a

Tuesday, Dec 9: Luke 1:26–38

Wednesday, Dec 10: Luke 1:46–55

Thursday, Dec 11: John 14:25–27

Friday, Dec 12: Philippians 4:4–7

Saturday, Dec 13: Colossians 1:15–20

Weekly Devotional Thought

We live in a noisy world. News alerts, social media, financial stress, family tension, political division, peace can feel like a fantasy more than a reality.

Yet the Bible calls Jesus the “Prince of Peace.” That means peace is not just a feeling; it’s a Person. When Jesus came, He didn’t find a calm, quiet world. He entered a tense, occupied territory with violence and injustice. And right there, in the middle of real-world chaos, the angels declared:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)

Peace in Scripture doesn’t just mean “no conflict.” It’s the word shalom, wholeness, restoration, everything in its right place. That kind of peace isn’t something we manufacture; it’s something Jesus gives and is.

When we receive Christ, we’re first given peace with God. Our sin created distance, but Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection bring us back into relationship with the Father. Out of that restored relationship flows the peace of God, peace that guards our hearts and minds even when our circumstances don’t change overnight (Philippians 4:7).

This week, as you read and pray, imagine inviting Jesus’ peace into specific corners of your life:

• Into your to-do list and schedule

• Into your fears about the future

• Into your relationships and conversations

• Into the middle of holiday busyness

You may not be able to quiet the whole world, but you can welcome the Prince of Peace into your heart, your home, and your everyday routines. His light can calm even the most anxious places.

Weekly Prayer

Prince of Peace, thank You for making peace between me and God through Your cross. I invite Your peace into my mind, my home, my schedule, and my relationships. Let Your light push back anxiety and fear and help me live as a peacemaker in a restless world. Amen.

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WEEK 3 - LIGHT OF JOY

Dates: Sunday, Dec 14 – Saturday, Dec 20

Theme: Light of Joy – Joy in the Unexpected

Key Verse: “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” - Psalm 4:7

Daily Readings (Week 3)

Sunday, Dec 14: Luke 2:8–20

Monday, Dec 15: Isaiah 12:1–6

Tuesday, Dec 16: Habakkuk 3:17–19

Wednesday, Dec 17: John 15:9–11

Thursday, Dec 18: 1 Peter 1:3–9

Friday, Dec 19: Philippians 3:7–14

Saturday, Dec 20: Nehemiah 8:9–12

Weekly Devotional Thought

Joy and happiness are not the same thing.

Happiness usually depends on what’s happening. Joy is deeper. It’s rooted not in our situation, but in our Savior. That’s why the angel’s announcement to the shepherds is so powerful: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

Think about who heard that first: not kings or influencers, but ordinary, overlooked shepherds working the night shift. The joy of Christmas shows up in unexpected places, to unexpected people, at unexpected times.

Maybe this year doesn’t look like you hoped. Maybe you’re tired, grieving, or just stretched thin. Advent joy doesn’t ignore pain; it shines in it. Habakkuk could say, “Though the fig tree should not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:17–18). That’s the kind of joy Jesus gives, a joy that can exist alongside tears.

Jesus said He wants His joy to be in us, and our joy to be full (John 15:11). That joy comes as we stay close to Him, abiding in His love, listening to His Word, talking with Him throughout the day.

This week, look for joy in unexpected places:

• A quiet moment with God before the day begins

• Laughter around the dinner table

• A simple answered prayer

• A song that lifts your heart as you drive

The Light has come, and that means, even in the most ordinary or painful moments, joy is still possible in Jesus.

Weekly Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You bring “good news of great joy” into ordinary lives like mine. Teach me to find joy in Your presence, not just in my circumstances. Open my eyes to the small, surprising ways You are at work around me this week. Let Your joy be my strength. Amen.

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WEEK 4 - LIGHT OF LOVE

Dates: Sunday, Dec 21 – Wednesday, Dec 24

Theme: Light of Love – Love That Came Near

Key Verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” - John 1:14

Daily Readings (Week 4)

Sunday, Dec 21: John 1:1–14

Monday, Dec 22: 1 John 4:7–12

Tuesday, Dec 23: Romans 5:6–11

Wednesday, Dec 24 (Christmas Eve): Luke 2:1–20

Weekly Devotional Thought

At the heart of Advent is this stunning truth: God came close.

The eternal Word became flesh. The infinite God stepped into time, into skin and bone, into our world with all its mess and pain. He wasn’t content to love us from a distance. He came as a baby, grew up among us, and ultimately went to the cross for us.

John writes, “This is love: not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). God’s love is not merely a warm feeling, it is action, sacrifice, movement toward us when we could not move toward Him.

Christmas says:

• You are not forgotten.

• You are not alone.

• You are deeply loved, more than you can imagine.

And this love doesn’t stop with us. John goes on: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). Advent love is not only something we receive; it’s something we pass on, to our families, neighbors, coworkers, and community.

As you approach Christmas Eve, consider these questions:

• Where do I need to rest in God’s love instead of trying to earn it?

• Who is God inviting me to love in a practical way this week?

• How can our home, our church, become a place where people feel the love of Jesus?

The Light has come and that Light is love. A Savior was born, not just to inspire us, but to rescue us and draw us into the Father’s heart forever.

Weekly Prayer

Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son. Jesus, thank You for coming near—taking on flesh, entering our world, and dying for our sins. Holy Spirit, pour God’s love into my heart and help me show that love to others this week. May our church and our homes shine with the love of Christ this Christmas. Amen.