*Post updated September 2022
Merry Christmas! Join us on the Revelation Wellness Blog today for an interactive Rev-style Christmas Devotional.
You’re guided to read Scripture aloud, reflect and journal on the selected passage, move your body in joy, and pray in common prayer. Let God’s Word sink deep into your heart, body, and spirit as we anticipate the birth of our Jesus!
Opening Verse
Light has sprung up for the righteous, and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks to his holy Name. (Psalm 97:11-12)
Holy Reading, Luke 2:8-14
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see– I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Reflection
Merry Christmas! Our Savior is born!
Through this Advent season, we asked two questions: who is Jesus, and what has he come to do?
Through the prophet Isaiah, the story of King David’s anointing, and an imaginative exploration of Daniel’s vision, we began to paint a multilayered, beautiful, and somewhat puzzling portrait of Jesus.
As you continue to explore the treasure of God’s Word, your portrait of Jesus will deepen, and your love for Him will grow like a tree planted by streams of water (Psalm 1:3).
On this Christmas morning, before wrapping paper goes flying and the Christmas meal starts cooking, let’s unearth one more image of our Jesus. To do this, we’ll turn our eyes up from baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloth to the multitude of the heavenly host praising God in happy voices. This isn’t the first time we’ve met angels in the Bible, nor will it be the last, but this is a moment where the heralds of the Lord can finally proclaim the joy they’ve anticipated since that fateful day in the Garden.
The heavenly host shouted, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” They proclaim glory to God and peace on the earth by the birth of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. In this baby and in the angel’s praise, heaven comes to earth again.
God is glorified in His Son, and all who follow Him enter into His peace — an earthly and heavenly peace, a personal and public peace, a local and international peace, a peace between man and nature, a peace between family, peace for the disenfranchised and marginalized, a peace between God and man, and peace in all places where discord and darkness have ruled.
Do not be afraid, for our Savior is born.
He is worthy of all praise, from the trees and the birds, the multitude of heavenly hosts, and even our voices (whether they are on-key or off). Let’s join the angels and all the company of heaven to sing in praise of our King! Pick your favorite Christmas song to sing, and grab your journal to complete your time with the Lord this morning.
Journaling Questions
1. How are you doing today– mad, bad, sad, scared, or joyful?
2. Where do you see a need for God’s peace in your life or the world around you? Take time to pray right now for peace.
3. What is something new you learned about Jesus during Advent?
Celebrate His Faithfulness
Today, as we celebrate the gift of our Savior, we invite you to watch Tracey’s story. As a Revelation Wellness Ambassador, she spreads the love of Christ to women working as dancers in local gentlemen’s clubs. Listen to Tracey share how her own personal transformation creates a ripple effect of hope and freedom in her community.
Closing Prayer
Jesus Christ, holy and blessed, we praise you with the wise men, shepherds, angels, and all those who trust in your name around the world; You are the glory of God in human flesh, and you have come to claim this world and your people as your own.
Help me live by your Spirit and be guided in your truth, glorifying your name with generosity, joy, and peace this Christmas season. Let your name always be on my lips and in my heart; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, AMEN!
Gabrielle Wenos is a Content Manager at Revelation Wellness. She graduated from Platoon 21 and lives in Wyoming with her husband and son. Read more of her work on her blog, All These Things Blog.
Everything You Need This Season
What if the weeks before Christmas were marked by rhythms of reflection, peace, and preparation? What if Christmas and the twelve days that followed were marked with unhurried celebration and fellowship?
We don’t want you to add more to your hectic schedule.
But, after reading through these devotionals, resources, and a whole lot of God’s Word, you may just be compelled to adopt new rhythms and priorities during these weeks of joy.
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