December 21-27, 2025

Heart Preparation
"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" -Ps. 34:8

Maybe before we begin our reading each day we can remember this invitation. God himself is inviting us to life with him. What that looks like, how that works out, is in large part what the readings are this week. Normal people. Regular people. People invited into life with God working it out in their jobs and relationships, their families and churches. They are the same as us. So is the invitation.

Reading Plan

• Sunday, December 21 - Hebrews 1-6 
• Monday, December 22 - Hebrews 7-10
• Tuesday, December 23 - Hebrews 11-13
• Wednesday, December 24 - 2 Timothy 1-4
• Thursday, December 25 - 2 Peter 1-3, Jude
• Friday, December 26 - 1 John 1-5
• Saturday, December 27 - 2 John, 3 John

What To Expect
Expect to read people of faith, God people, people who have accepted the invitation, to be reminded of what they believe and how to live as a result. All of the readings this week are from letters from individuals to churches (or in the case of 2 Timothy, another individual) concerning what they believe and how that changes their lives. Paul, Peter, John, Jude, and an unknown individual (I think it is Appolos) are the authors. The people are scattered around the known world. But all of them have accepted the invitation to life with God and are being encouraged to live with God right where they are.
Expect warnings. Expect reminders. Expect encouragement and guidance. Expect the confidence of seeing Christ in the flesh having come and our future inhabiting his kingdom not built by hands. He has come and he is coming again.

Personal Insight
This is Christmas week. We will be remembering in worship and celebration Christ come to us enfleshed. We say with confidence, "The Messiah has come!" At the same time we remember his promise and say, "He is coming again!" Until then we live life with God this side of eternity. One of my favorite encouragements in the NT is in Hebrews 11-12. The author reminds us of God's faithful people through history. They lived life with God where they were. Now, they are with God. What are they doing? Well, at least one thing is cheering you on. They are part of the "great cloud of witnesses" clapping, whooping and hollering. "Keep going! Keep living! Keep worshipping and loving God and one another! We've been there. We know what it's like. We made it. You will too." 

How? How do we do that? What does this invitation look like? If ever in doubt, overwhelmed, worried that you're missing something, John boils it down. "And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us." Love one another. Love one another. Sure, that can be tough. Sometimes I'm in a bad mood and I don't want to. Sometimes the other person makes it easy for me to say I don't want to love you right now. Hang on. Can you hear them? Moses. Samuel. Jeremiah. Jesus. "Keep going! Keep loving! Keep trusting God! Love one another! He has come and he's coming again! It's worth it. It is soooo worth it!"

Prayer
Lord Jesus, fill us with joy at your coming. Fill us with hope at your coming again. May we remember and know the encouragement of the faithful to continue to love until that day. Amen.

This weeks devotion was prepared by Justin Coberley