Advent Devotional Series Starts Tomorrow

A Wordle showing the most frequent words in the Advent devotional series.

(Tomorrow we start the 25-day journey that leads to Christmas. This year I’m inviting everyone to join us in an Advent devotional series called “Let’s Go Straight to Bethlehem.” We’ll post a new devotional reading each day from December 1 through December 25. We also plan to release it in ebook format. Here’s the introduction to the series.)

First Steps

First Steps

Advent is first of all a journey.

We start wherever we are in late November, and by December 25 we end up in Bethlehem.

This is an ancient journey, one first taken by the shepherds who upon hearing the angels announce the Good News that Christ had been born, said to each other, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem” (Luke 2:15 HCSB).

I like the way that sounds.

“Let’s go.” I’m going and you’re going, so let’s go together. During the Advent season, Christians of all backgrounds and denominations, Christians from every tribe and tongue, Christians young and old, male and female, rich and poor, we all join together to make this journey once again.

“Straight.” No messing around. No detours. No excuses. “We’re on our way to see the Savior.”

“To Bethlehem.” To the “House of Bread” where the Living Bread has come down from heaven. We’re coming hungry and thirsty because our journey is long and we are tired. We’re coming to worship the Babe in the manger.

This year we will start in Eden and end at Bethlehem, watching as Mary and Joseph put their newborn son to bed in a rough-hewn stone feeding trough.

So if you’re ready, let’s get started. Wherever you are, you can make this journey with us.

Let’s go straight to Bethlehem. Jesus is waiting for us.