“O God, our help in ages past,
Isaac Watts
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.”
One of my favorite renditions of this hymn is from Promise Keepers. There is nothing like the power of men singing praise. Sorry ladies.
Principle: God is the Ancient of Days; He is before Creation, before all time.
Aim: See our God’s eternal nature in contrast to our created nature.
At Christmas, a prayer: “Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” (Psalm. 90:1-2) Forgive us for failing to remember You are wise from eternity past. You have created us. Your “Being” is a mystery, how You can be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all at the same time! Help us to trust that while we do not understand, You are eternally omniscient and comprehend Your relationship in ways we cannot as finite beings. You do not change. “You are the living God and You endure forever; Your kingdom will not be destroyed, Your dominion will never end. You rescue and save; You perform signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth” (from Daniel 6:27). We praise You for the mystery of the incarnation, and how Your Only Son, Jesus, could be both fully God and also fully man. Create in our hearts a sense of wonder anew this Christmas season, we pray. Amen.
===
Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the search feature to the right and are as follows:
- “Visitation Principles” was the theme of last Advent’s devotional series. It delved into reasons Jesus came as outlined in the Book of Hebrews. They are archived beginning December 1, 2024.
- “From the Jews for the World” was an important devotional exploration of how Jesus’ Jewish heritage was necessary for the salvation of Gentiles, too. It is archived beginning December 3, 2023.
- “Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
- The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
- 2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
- God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
- Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
- The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
- The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
- The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
- Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
- The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
- The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.