December 1
Read: Revelation 11:15-18 and 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Consider:
This year for advent, we are going to go backwards in time. Well, actually, we are going to go as far into the future as possible and then start walking backwards. In Revelation, John sees what will come. Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever… you get the picture, Jesus will reign. There is a lot that goes into the future. If you want to open presents on Christmas, you have to buy them, wrap them, put them under the tree. But if you are going to put them under the tree, you have to buy a tree, decorate a tree, get mad when the lights don’t all work, and… But to decorate the tree you have to either make ornaments or buy them or be a friend and be given ornaments, or… When you decorate the tree, do you make homemade hot chocolate? Who helps you decorate? Is there Christmas music or a movie on? What about…
Notice some of the things the elders said Jesus did with His power: His (righteous) wrath came, the dead judged, the servants rewarded, the destroyers destroyed. There is a lot there in those few short verses. All of those things were part of a plan to make sure the ending came out right. God purposed that He would reign for all eternity. The end has always been in sight. The first advent, Christmas was just a small part in the total picture. The 1 Timothy verses point out how the King (reign-er) eternal or your translation might say “of ages” will be glorified forever, eternally, “to the ages of the ages.” The part of the plan that involved saving sinners was part of a bigger plan.
As we begin at the end, let’s think deeply this year about Christ’s coming in light of the big picture and not limit it to a baby in a manger. I used a lot of ellipses today in an attempt to show how we could keep on going on a topic if we wanted to. A question to ask yourself about advent devotions is do you want just a daily shot to say you “kept Christ in Christmas” or do you want to dig deeper and think long on Him? We determine how deep we go. From forever and ever and ever ago to forever and ever and ever in the future, may hearts be filled with honor, glory, and thanks to King Jesus.
Pray:
Eternal God, thank you that you have always had a plan. A plan to cover our sin, a plan to restore our relationship that we broke. Help us focus on you this Christmas season. You alone are worthy of it all.
Use your phone to listen to this song.