Week One

This week we will reflect on the gift of Joy that we find in Christ Jesus. As you spend time in this week’s readings and activities, be sure to reflect on the Joy that we have in Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of all Joy and the only one that can completely fulfill us.

Every Good Gift Prayer Box

As a family or in your own quiet time, grab 2 small pieces of paper and write down a sentence or phrase that answers the following:

Where has God provided you joy over the last year? Think of a specific time, event or circumstance where He brought you or your family joy.

What are places in your life you need to experience more of the Joy of Christ? Write a short prayer asking God to give you joy in that area.

Place those pieces of paper in the box to be opened on Christmas day.

Joy

Luke 1:5-25 & 1:39-45

The passage for this week tells us the stories of John and Jesus. There is joy exploding from this story into our very souls! First, Zechariah and Elizabeth are promised a son who would be a prophet in the spirit of Elijah just as was promised in Malachi 4:5-6. It is easy to put yourself in the shoes of Zechariah and Elizabeth and see why this was news of great joy; their prayer had finally been answered! Anyone in this position would be ecstatic!

Jesus’ birth may be harder to imagine. Mary was in a position many women wish they could be in: engaged to a righteous man with a bright future ahead of her. But then, an angel of the Lord announced to her the good news that she would bear the Son of God. This could have been terrifying for Mary. She could have lost everything, perhaps even her life if Joseph had chosen to accuse her of adultery; but Mary had faith that was bigger than her fear. She chose to believe that if this is God’s plan, He would take care of her; and He did! Mary trusted that God has a plan and that even an accusation of adultery would not derail it. God sent His Son to the earth to bring deliverance to people of every nation, and Mary understood that this was a cause for great joy!

First century Jews could have felt like they had been abandoned by God, and many of them likely did. There hadn’t been a prophet in Israel for 400 years and, if you have ever felt like God has abandoned you, then you know all about the ache of that kind of silence. The past few years have felt like some of the worst many of us have faced and maybe that is you. Maybe you lost a loved one this year and this is your first advent season without them, and your heart aches. The good news for us as the people of God is that we have a Savior who came to the earth to deliver us from our sin and our brokenness. In this season more than any other we can confidently look at the world and declare that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10) and it carries us even when we have no strength left.

Family Activity

This week we kick off a month-long celebration to remember that God sent Joy to the world in His Son, Jesus. Start the celebration by taking some time to make some fun “Joy” cookies together using the cookie cutter in your box. Turn on some Christmas music and let those creative juices flow! Check out this simple recipe or use one of your own!  See the Recipe

While you bake, talk about joy as a family. Here are a few questions to get you started:

What brings you joy?

How often do you feel joy?

What’s the difference between joy and happiness?

Why is joy such an important gift from God?

How has God brought you joy this year?

What’s something that’s been hard that you’re praying God will bring joy in?

For next week’s family activity, be sure to take some time praying together as a family and selecting an Angel from the Angel Tree in the lobby of one of our buildings.

Daily Reading