December 15: The Prophets
Do you ever find yourself saying that famous phrase…
“I’ll get to it when life slows down.”
We live in a whirlpool, swirling 100 miles an hour with every task, concern, friendship, and dream taking up more and more of our time and our headspace with their demands. We fantasize about a day with no plans and a morning with no alarm set. Then I can finally spend some quality time with Jesus, we tell ourselves. Things are just too crazy right now.
If you think about it, Christmas break is that hard-stop we’ve been dreaming about. For most of us, our classes are over and we head back to our home towns. We find ourselves with long stretches of time with nothing to fill it. It’s ideal! The perfect ground for that rest and depth with Jesus we’ve been craving.
But somehow, that time fills up. Rest turns into helping your Mom clean out the garage, meeting up with your high school friends, and binge-watching Netflix. We get to the end of the break and realize our Bibles sat unopened, still packed away in our suitcase.
Busyness doesn’t have to be an impenetrable barrier keeping you from connecting with the Lord. Perhaps we can meet with Him here, in the middle of the chaos. It’s an invitation to make eye contact with your Maker, whether you have the time or not.
We created this Christmas Series to help you do just that. No matter what your schedule looks like, God is ready to meet with you. You can spend 4 hours every day meditating over the Scripture we present in these devo’s or you can read them out loud at the breakfast table for your little brother. Make it your intention: I can spend Christmas break with Jesus.
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to explore different symbols of Christmas. They’re the pieces of the nativity scene in front of your church, the parts of the story that make it into the carols, and the details you memorized when you were seven. Let God give you fresh eyes. This is His story! Let Him tell it to you anew.
Today, we’re focusing on The Prophets. Did you know that the birth of Jesus was foretold throughout the whole Old Testament? One of our favorites of these ancient prophecies is found in the book of Isaiah.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Isaiah 9:6–7
We imagine this prophecy as a rumble in the ground, the green sky that comes before a tornado. For Isaiah, it must have been a hope to cling to in times of unrest, division, and disobedience. It’s the calm before the storm, the lighthouse in the dark.
Jesus’s birth was a shockwave that would change the universe forever. Prophesied from the very beginning and fulfilled to the letter, Jesus is the miracle we were desperate for. He is the rescue God planned for His children. He is our wonderful counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting father, and our prince of peace.
So this Christmas season, let God set your eyes on His Son. Let the reality of what the birth of Jesus really means settle deep into your bones. For you a child was born. Do you feel it? Can you taste the victory? Jesus Christ, Messiah, was sent to Earth as a gift to us.
Let’s give Him our attention.
Pray: Lord, show me how to give you my attention this Christmas break.
Further Study: There are so many whispers of Jesus scattered throughout the Old Testament! Flip through your Bible or do some Googling to see what those instances might be.
Interact: Let’s interact with the Delight community! Be bold and share what you’re hoping to get out of this Christmas Series.
