Daily Devotionals

In or Out Week 4 Friday

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

It is Christmas Eve! It is a time of eager anticipation. As a kid, I remember barely sleeping on the night of Christmas Eve. I would lay awake in my bed wondering if Santa got my Christmas list and if everything I was hoping for was going to be under the tree. I counted the hours and finally drifted off into a sound sleep. The next morning when I finally woke up, we would run as fast as we could down the hallway only to be stopped by my mother. She would say, “You can’t open your presents until we read the Christmas story together from the Bible.” So we would hustle into my parents’ room and read Luke 2:1-20 together as a family. This family tradition forced me to understand what Christmas was all about. In the same way that I was eager for presents as a child, we should be eager to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ. 

Over 700 years before Jesus came into the world, the Prophet Isaiah saw a vision of the nature and character of the Messiah. He called Him: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. Isn’t that amazing?! Jesus is all those things and more. He is our Wonderful Counselor, able to lead and guide us wherever we need to go. He shares our burdens as a counselor and gives us the wisdom that we need. As our Mighty God, Jesus shows his power. Just as He parted the Red Sea, there is no problem that is too big for God. He is our Everlasting Father, the one we find safety and comfort in. Finally, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He gives us victory over all of our fears, freedom from anxiety, and peace inside our soul that brings us comfort. Even when we hear bad news and see chaos everywhere, Jesus brings peace.

Reading this prophecy and thinking about Jesus brings us to a place where we are excited and eager for Christmas. Through this one child, God brought healing and freedom to humanity. Are you ready to celebrate?

Moving Toward Action

On this Christmas Eve, take some time to think about what attribute of Jesus you need more than ever before. Maybe you need the Wonderful Counselor who listens and guides us in this life. It may be that your problems are more than you can handle, and you need a Mighty God. It could be that what you need most today is an Everlasting Father who can wrap you up in His arms. Another possibility is that you’re going through a tough time, and your world is chaotic, and you need the Prince of Peace who will fill you up with His peace that passes all understanding. So take some time to journal about what attributes you need most today.

Going Deeper

Matthew 25:14-30 (NLT)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.