Devotional for the week of December 3.

For the week preceeding December 3, 2006.

Choose someone to light the first (purple) candle.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9: 2—7.

Devotional:

400 years.
The people of God hadn’t heard a prophetic word from God in 400 years.
That’s roughly 20 generations…almost twice as long as the United States has even been a nation.
That’s roughly 20 generations of silence from their Heavenly Father.

You can imagine what those times would be like if you hadn’t heard a word from Him in 400 years: Darkness.
No vision. No direction. Can’t see what’s ahead. Can’t really see what’s behind you either. Just surrounded by pitch black darkness.

And then the lights come on!

Can you imagine?

Look at the tenses of the verbs in these verses! They “will see” and lights “will shine” and they “will multiply.” These are words of certainty. They will happen. People who live in the darkness will see a great light.

This light will make them glad, like when the sale is made and the money comes in. Like when the war is won and the celebration begins. Like when an innocent prisoner is released. Like when the work is finished and the day is done.

A child will be born. A son.

He will be a King.
He will have a name: Wonderful Counselor.
He will be God—our Father, who has been such since the beginning of time.
He will bring peace on earth.
He will be a descendant of David
His government will have no end.

And there will be justice and righteousness…

…from then on and forever. Because of the passion of the Lord.

That is light.
That is what eliminates and and all darkness.
The people living in darkness WILL see a great light.
And that gives hope.
And that is something to look forward to.