5-Day Advent Devotional: Hearts That Grow
Day 1: The Peace That Passes Understanding
Reading: Isaiah 60:3-6
Devotional: The prophet Isaiah paints a vision of nations streaming toward God's light, drawn by divine radiance that transforms darkness into dawn. In our world of unrest—where peace seems as elusive as it was in the Roman Empire—we're reminded that true peace isn't the absence of conflict but the presence of God. Like the shepherds who received the angels' announcement under the night sky, we find peace not in palaces or perfect circumstances, but in Emmanuel, God with us. Today, consider: What distracts you from experiencing God's peace? How might simplifying your Advent celebration create space for the Prince of Peace to enter your heart? Let the wealth of God's presence—more valuable than gold and incense—fill your soul with radiant joy.
Day 2: Slowing Down to Wait
Reading: Luke 2:8-20
Devotional: Advent teaches us the sacred discipline of waiting. Like lighting one candle at a time, we're called to resist our culture's rush and embrace anticipation. The shepherds weren't hurrying to their next task when heaven broke open—they were faithfully keeping watch, present in the moment. COVID taught many of us what truly matters at Christmas: not the elaborate decorations or perfect traditions, but gathering around God's Word, reading the story of the newborn King. What if this year you evaluated your Christmas activities through the Grinch's eyes? Would he see frantic busyness or intentional worship? Create one "holy moment" this week—perhaps reading Luke's nativity story before a meal, lighting a candle in silence, or taking a winter walk to notice God's creation. Let waiting become worship.
Day 3: Simple Beauty, Profound Truth
Reading: Luke 2:1-7
Devotional: There was no room at the inn. No palace. No elaborate celebration. Jesus entered the world in radical simplicity—a manger, animals, humble parents. The greatest gift ever given came wrapped in swaddling clothes, not expensive paper. When we strip away the noise—the excessive decorations, the consumer frenzy, the "singing and singing and singing"—what remains? The profound truth that God loved us enough to become vulnerable, small, and human. Nate's Christmas Eve dinner with first responders, beginning with Scripture before the prime rib, captured this beautifully. The holy moment preceded the feast. Today, identify one way to simplify your Christmas. Perhaps choose one meaningful decoration over many. Write heartfelt notes instead of buying more gifts. Remember: the houses with simple, tasteful lights are the ones we remember. Let simplicity create space for the sacred.
Day 4: Including the Outsider
Reading: Matthew 25:35-40
Devotional: Cindy Lou Who saw what others missed: the Grinch's loneliness. Her innocent invitation—"because you've been alone long enough"—echoes Jesus' heart for the marginalized. The shepherds were outsiders too, yet they received the birth announcement first. God consistently chooses the overlooked, the isolated, the forgotten. This Advent, who is your "Grinch"—someone isolated, hurt, or excluded? The Roman Empire had external peace but internal brokenness. Our decorated homes might hide similar pain. Jesus came for broken hearts, for those whose hearts have "shrunk two sizes" through years of disappointment. Consider: Who needs an invitation to your table? Who needs to hear they're not forgotten? Following Cindy Lou's example requires courage to overcome others' resistance and our own comfort. But radical hospitality transforms both giver and receiver. Christ came to the outsiders. Will you?
Day 5: Hearts That Grow Three Sizes
Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Devotional: Christ "emptied himself" so our hearts could be filled. The Grinch's heart grew three sizes when he finally understood Christmas—not the presents, noise, or feasting, but the Whos' ability to sing without any of it. They had what mattered: community, joy, and each other. Paul describes Jesus' self-emptying love: though divine, He took the form of a servant, humbled Himself to death on a cross. This is the love that transforms shrunken, self-protective hearts into vessels of grace. As you prepare for Christmas Eve, ask: What needs to empty out of my life so Christ can fill it? What grudges, hurts, or disappointments have made my heart smaller? The $10,000 goal for Sam's House in Haiti represents hearts growing—sacrificial giving that blesses strangers like Ella Mae. Let this Advent be about heart expansion, not calendar filling. May Emmanuel's presence stretch your capacity for love, joy, hope, and peace.
Day 1: The Peace That Passes Understanding
Reading: Isaiah 60:3-6
Devotional: The prophet Isaiah paints a vision of nations streaming toward God's light, drawn by divine radiance that transforms darkness into dawn. In our world of unrest—where peace seems as elusive as it was in the Roman Empire—we're reminded that true peace isn't the absence of conflict but the presence of God. Like the shepherds who received the angels' announcement under the night sky, we find peace not in palaces or perfect circumstances, but in Emmanuel, God with us. Today, consider: What distracts you from experiencing God's peace? How might simplifying your Advent celebration create space for the Prince of Peace to enter your heart? Let the wealth of God's presence—more valuable than gold and incense—fill your soul with radiant joy.
Day 2: Slowing Down to Wait
Reading: Luke 2:8-20
Devotional: Advent teaches us the sacred discipline of waiting. Like lighting one candle at a time, we're called to resist our culture's rush and embrace anticipation. The shepherds weren't hurrying to their next task when heaven broke open—they were faithfully keeping watch, present in the moment. COVID taught many of us what truly matters at Christmas: not the elaborate decorations or perfect traditions, but gathering around God's Word, reading the story of the newborn King. What if this year you evaluated your Christmas activities through the Grinch's eyes? Would he see frantic busyness or intentional worship? Create one "holy moment" this week—perhaps reading Luke's nativity story before a meal, lighting a candle in silence, or taking a winter walk to notice God's creation. Let waiting become worship.
Day 3: Simple Beauty, Profound Truth
Reading: Luke 2:1-7
Devotional: There was no room at the inn. No palace. No elaborate celebration. Jesus entered the world in radical simplicity—a manger, animals, humble parents. The greatest gift ever given came wrapped in swaddling clothes, not expensive paper. When we strip away the noise—the excessive decorations, the consumer frenzy, the "singing and singing and singing"—what remains? The profound truth that God loved us enough to become vulnerable, small, and human. Nate's Christmas Eve dinner with first responders, beginning with Scripture before the prime rib, captured this beautifully. The holy moment preceded the feast. Today, identify one way to simplify your Christmas. Perhaps choose one meaningful decoration over many. Write heartfelt notes instead of buying more gifts. Remember: the houses with simple, tasteful lights are the ones we remember. Let simplicity create space for the sacred.
Day 4: Including the Outsider
Reading: Matthew 25:35-40
Devotional: Cindy Lou Who saw what others missed: the Grinch's loneliness. Her innocent invitation—"because you've been alone long enough"—echoes Jesus' heart for the marginalized. The shepherds were outsiders too, yet they received the birth announcement first. God consistently chooses the overlooked, the isolated, the forgotten. This Advent, who is your "Grinch"—someone isolated, hurt, or excluded? The Roman Empire had external peace but internal brokenness. Our decorated homes might hide similar pain. Jesus came for broken hearts, for those whose hearts have "shrunk two sizes" through years of disappointment. Consider: Who needs an invitation to your table? Who needs to hear they're not forgotten? Following Cindy Lou's example requires courage to overcome others' resistance and our own comfort. But radical hospitality transforms both giver and receiver. Christ came to the outsiders. Will you?
Day 5: Hearts That Grow Three Sizes
Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Devotional: Christ "emptied himself" so our hearts could be filled. The Grinch's heart grew three sizes when he finally understood Christmas—not the presents, noise, or feasting, but the Whos' ability to sing without any of it. They had what mattered: community, joy, and each other. Paul describes Jesus' self-emptying love: though divine, He took the form of a servant, humbled Himself to death on a cross. This is the love that transforms shrunken, self-protective hearts into vessels of grace. As you prepare for Christmas Eve, ask: What needs to empty out of my life so Christ can fill it? What grudges, hurts, or disappointments have made my heart smaller? The $10,000 goal for Sam's House in Haiti represents hearts growing—sacrificial giving that blesses strangers like Ella Mae. Let this Advent be about heart expansion, not calendar filling. May Emmanuel's presence stretch your capacity for love, joy, hope, and peace.