Mindy Lee Hopman

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~John 3:16, NIV

If the world was not broken, we would not need a Savior. But our world is full of brokenness.

However, when the choice was made, God promised that the separation would not be forever. In the very beginning, God shared His redemption plan. 

God promised that Someone would come in the future to crush the serpent’s head and destroy evil, but the serpent would bruise Him first.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. ~Genesis 3:15, NIV

Love

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, we light the candle for LOVE.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ” ~Psalm 89:2-4, NIV 

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and will call His name Immanuel.”  ~Isaiah 7:14, NIV

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” ~Luke 1:28-30, NIV

The angel Gabriel, whose name itself means strength, gave Mary strength for the journey which lay ahead of her.

Hope, peace, and joy were born out of the greatest gift of love.

Mary’s baby came through the lineage of Abraham, Judah, and David, just as the prophets foretold.

This love came from the Father, through a mother, into a baby for the world, and straight into our hearts.

For this reason, also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~Philippians 2:9-11

The prophets foretold the baby’s arrival.

The baby came to reconcile mankind to the heart of God.

In love, God sent a baby one silent night to teach us how to live, to give us hope, to fill us with peace, to give us the gift of joy, and to bring us back to Himself.

God Loved Us First

We love, because He first loved us ~1 John 4:19

… so that we could love others.

The Patriarchs -> The Exodus -> The Promised Land -> The Kings -> The Prophets ->
The Messiah -> The Letters

This devotional is adapted from Faith Roots: An Advent Family Devotional available for purchase on Amazon.