12 Days of Christmas devos

Thursday, December 6, 2018


"Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." Luke 1:1-4 (NKJV)

We're well into the season of advent. Advent means the arrival of someone of great importance. We are waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas day. Advent season is funny. We don't sit around and wait. We work, we pray, we play, we sing, we go on as we wait.

As we wait, we seek to know. What else do we need to know? Well, it's more about a "Who" then a what else.

People may get tired of listening to the same gospel stories over and over. The reality is that the word of God has the power to come alive, anew each advent season. The fact is that God will not make me read the Bible. I make that choice by myself. I am convinced that reading the Bible as a habit is my way of giving of myself to God.

In today's scripture, I noticed that Luke told Theophilus (lets call him "T" for short) that he was writing his account of the life of Jesus "that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed."

Luke basically told T that T was no expert. There is a grace in remembering those stories so that we may know the certainty of those things T learned.

We need that same knowledge. There is an entire system around us, built to make us doubt the faith we believe. They want us to belive that Jesus' birth, life and resussrection are not relevant today. They want us to neglect our faith, except for that church visit on Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day.

We can't get lazy in our pursuit of God. We must seek to know Him. We need to know the certainty of our faith. This knowledge doesn't make us experts or super spiritual. It does make us unmoveable in our faith in God.

My encouragement for you and I is to know God for ourselves. Enough of consuming things about God, let us pursue Him this Christmas season.

More on this series:
Day 2 Mary and the angel (Luke 1:35-38)