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Advent Devotional for Sunday, December 24
Luke 2:1, 5
In those days, a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered … [Joseph] went [to Bethlehem] to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
Whether visiting family, friends, churches, or significant places, Christmas often involves making a journey.
Being a Christmas journeyer puts one in good company. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were journeyers. Going to Bethlehem they journeyed toward God.
They drew nearer to God by yielding to God’s claim on them. God chose Mary to give birth to the Savior (Lk. 1:26-38). God chose Joseph to trust God’s purposes (Matt. 1:18-25). God chose Jesus to be the One in whom God would dwell (Col. 2:9) and who would be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6). God called them to head toward Bethlehem, but also to journey toward God by entrusting their lives to God’s purposes and care.
But notice that as they drew nearer to God, God had already drawn nearer to them. This mutual drawing-near—God toward us and us toward God—marks the Christian life. We journey toward God with Jesus at our side (as Joseph did). We journey toward God with Jesus living in us (as Mary did). We make this journey as Christ’s people, and God awaits us. At Christmas and every day we draw nearer to God aware that God awaits us, claims us, and empowers us every step of our journey.
O God, grant that as you draw nearer to us, we would draw nearer to you. Amen.
Allan Hugh Cole Jr.
Academic Dean
The Nancy Taylor Williamson Professor of Pastoral Care
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
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