Compiled by Barbour Staff - Our Family Christmas: An Advent Devotional

2010 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-68322-486-9

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62416-493-4
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Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the H OLY B IBLE , N EW I NTERNATIONAL V ERSION . NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.
J OHN 11:27 NIV

Because Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day, our world was forever changed. The wondrous gift God gave us became the source of every wondrous gift to follow, and we have the Christmas season in which to hold our family close in comfort and joy and inspire us throughout the year to return our finest gifts to Him.

The Christmas story is an old story, but its power and purity remind us of the greatest and deepest love and sacrifice of our Father. One silent night in a town called Bethlehem, Christ is born of Mary. Gods gift of His everlasting love came to us in flesh and stays in Spirit, our Immanuel Promise always guiding us and accepting our humble efforts to serve with Him.

When our hearts prepare Him room, we fear not the world we dont understand, but trust instead the angel voices still as true as the night when Christ was born. And we have the blessed opportunity to go tell it on the mountain in our lives to all who will hear of Jesus, Lord at thy birth, because the best thing to do with every priceless gift is to share it.

The sharing of the gift of Jesus begins in our homes, with those we love the most. We rejoice in the faithful reminder of His love and grace, goodness and light. We pause for this yearly booster shot of celebration because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, the gift we both share and receive with each breath because He lives. Its peace on earth to spend special moments with our family during this special season. Let us adore Him together.

Let us see beyond the wrapping paper and blinking lights to the everyday opportunities to bring glory to our newborn King, through all we say and do in kindness and generosity, faith and love. Hes waiting for us to see past presents and dinners to the significance of the first Noel, waiting for us to live boldly the message and spirit of Christmas and do our part to deliver goodwill to men everywhere.

And we learn best when were teaching those who depend on us the most. So for a few moments these next few days, in the light of a star sweetly gleaming and with those we love, let us remember this gift of joy to the world.

Do you hear what I hear? Thats Gods whisper of love in the gift of Christ, when away in a manger, dark and quiet, the Son of God, loves pure light, is born of Mary and given to us.

Do you see what I see? Each reading and activity here is to accompany you and your family through this blessed season. May your memories of this experience of wondering love return the joy of the gift of Jesus to you and your family on Christmas and alwaysbecause Christmas is a message that lasts a lifetime, ours and His. Rejoice!

Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!

In the sixth month of Elizabeths pregnancy, God sent the angel
Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.
The virgins name was Mary. 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. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
L UKE 1:2631 NIV

G od gave His gift of pure love by allowing one of us to carry out His plan. Yes, Marys character was impeccable and her willingness to serve greatly honorable, but perhaps what God saw most when He looked at His highly favored daughter was the depth of her love, pure as Gods and out there for everyone to see. She chose to give the gift that only she couldbearing our Savior.

At Christmas and always, we learn from Mary how to live out loud our love for God. We can grab onto whatever God places before us and live a life that says, God gives, I receive, and then I give back. Watch!

Today we can touch our family members, friends, and even strangers with the simple and pure love of Christ. We can do what Mary didtrust that God has found something favorable within us that fits the special work He has for us. And because He loves with a pure love that supplies whatever we lack, we can live our love for Him out loud simply by doing what He asks. Thats a gift we both receive from God and can return to Him at will and without fear. Because God still gives and receives, so can we.

Prayer

Father, thank You for the opportunity to follow Marys example and love You out loud to those around us.

Activity

Help your children understand how simple loving God isreceiving His grace, following Him, and showing Him to others. As a family, decorate a greeting card for a faraway friend or put together a basket of candy for a lonely neighbor. Younger children may enjoy calling a family member on the phone and singing a carol. Remind your children that God is especially pleased when we love Him by loving others.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviors birth!