I know that you’re discouraged
Song by Kathy Troccoli
But you’re not alone
There is absolutely no situation
Out of His control
One door may close
Another will open
Jesus is healer of all that is broken
He will make a way
Where there is no way
He will bring His peace
Where there is no peace
Watch Him put together
What’s been torn apart
He can soften up the most
Hardened of hearts
He will make a way
Where there is no way
Don’t you go believin’ lies
He’s not forgotten you
There’s gonna be another
Higher, greater place He will take you to
Watch Him move mountains
Ride you through the waves
He can deliver in the darkest of days
He will make a way
Where there is no way
He will bring His peace
Where there is no peace
There is no war
He doesn’t win
When you’re at your end
He’s just beginning
He will make a way
Where there is no way
Our only hope is in Him
No matter what this life can bring
Jesus stands alone
As the God of impossible things
(chorus)
In the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned, Satan must have gloated with evil triumphalism. Pinnacle of God’s creation, HA! Too easy to bring them down! It’s over for Your Image-bearers, God! Checkmate!
But God had a little secret fully developed in the mind of God—a mind that only He knows. God already had a plan for the fall. Indeed, the fall was integral in His plan to display His love and His glory to the fullest.
You see, Jesus’ birth wasn’t an afterthought, a plan B, or a countermove. It was the plan all along and from before all Creation. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Way Maker for you and me.
Principle: Jesus prepared the Way.
Aim: To walk in the Way that Jesus made possible for you.
At Christmas, a prayer: Lord Jesus, when we don’t know the way and can’t see how there will ever be a way, remind us as You did to Thomas by proclaiming You are the Way. And not only the Way, but the Way Maker for those who will follow You to the mansions You have prepared in heaven! Thank You for coming to save us while we were yet sinners. We praise You for Your faithfulness in God’s plan, this plan to display Your love supremely on that Cross as You paid the price for our sins. At Christmas, we celebrate Your birth that was the singular transformative moment upon which all history turns: “God with us”…the “Word made flesh”…”the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” We offer You praise this day and always for being our Way Maker! Amen.
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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.