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    The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season: Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible
    The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season: Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible
    The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season: Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible
    Ebook98 pages42 minutes

    The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season: Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible

    By Ed Robb and Rob Renfroe

    ()

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    About this ebook

    No other time of the year captures our imagination as much as Christmas: God coming into the world on a dark winter’s night; a baby’s cry that would change the course of human history; the heavens bursting into song; the certain hope that God will have the last word over our brokenness. This season fills our hearts with the wonder that anything is possible.


    This year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. Each chapter centers on one element of the Christmas story, looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to offer inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas and throughout the year.



    The Wonder of Christmas is a four-week all-church study for Advent with resources for all ages. The devotional is a beautiful companion volume that functions beautifully on its own or as part of the church-wide experience offers four weeks of daily devotions on four elements of the Christmas story that evoke wonder and inspiration for reflecting the light of Jesus. Each devotion includes Scripture and a reflection and prayer.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAbingdon Press
    Release dateSep 20, 2016
    ISBN9781501823282
    The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season: Once You Believe, Anything Is Possible
    Author

    Ed Robb

    Dr. Ed Robb is Senior Pastor at The Woodlands UMC in Houston, Texas. Serving the church for more than forty years, his vision and leadership have led the church to become one of the fastest growing churches in Methodism, with over 14,000 members. He is the author of The Wonder of Christmas, Under Wraps, and Mountaintop Moments. He and his wife, Beverly, have three adult children.

    Read more from Ed Robb

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      Book preview

      The Wonder of Christmas Devotions for the Season - Ed Robb

      Introduction

      Christmas is the story of a star shining brightly, a name declared joyfully, a manger waiting expectantly, and a promise given freely. Yes, it is the story of what happened on a bright, starlit night some two thousand years ago in the village of Bethlehem, but it is also the story of what is happening right now, right where you are. Without Christmas we could never fully know the wonder of God with us.

      The season of Advent is a gift that invites us to see the world through the lens of what God has done and will do. It is a time to remember God’s faithfulness and celebrate God’s promises. It is a time to reflect on Jesus and discover how the events surrounding his birth can reawaken us to the wonder of Christmas.

      These four weeks of devotions are divided into the four themes of The Wonder of Christmas:

      •The Wonder of a Star

      •The Wonder of a Name

      •The Wonder of a Manger

      •The Wonder of a Promise

      They are arranged thematically, rather than chronologically according to the Christmas story. You are invited to read one devotion each day during Advent, taking time to meditate, reflect, and pray as you invite the Lord to give you fresh eyes to behold the wonder of Christmas. It is the wonder that the God of the universe created us, desired a relationship with us, and came to earth to be with us. It is the wonder that God was willing to give everything so that we could be rescued, redeemed, and restored—forever. May the gift of this wonder be yours this Christmas—and always.

      Week 1

      The Wonder of a Star

      1.

      God Sets the Stage

      In the beginning God created the heavens and

      the earth. Now the earth was formless

      and empty, darkness was over the surface of the

      deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering

      over the waters.

      And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.

      God saw that the light was good,

      and he separated the light from the darkness.

      (Genesis 1:1–4)

      Can you recall a time you witnessed something truly amazing? Maybe you vividly remember what it was like to stand at the edge of a vast canyon for the first time, or how you felt as beads of water showered you from a roaring waterfall. Or perhaps the amazing moment you remember was quieter, subtler—the first time your spouse held your hand, the moment a friend’s kindness overwhelmed you, when you heard a beautiful piece of music that touched your heart.

      Such moments, both big and small, fill us with wonder and awe at the depth and creativity of the God who so lovingly and intentionally created our world and each of us. When we are able to be fully present during these moments, aware of the vastness of God, we are changed. These experiences ignite something within us that longs for glory, majesty, and beauty. They awaken our desire for God.

      The world as we know it began in darkness. But God was there in the dark of the heavens. The Bible says that God was hovering over the earth, as though eagerly anticipating what was coming next. Then suddenly there was light, and the world—born in God’s imagination—began to take shape. The wonder of creation lit the world—with God’s light a vital illumination for all the beauty and mystery yet to come.

      It is mind-boggling to think that God created everything. Take a few minutes to reread today’s passage from Genesis 1, lingering on the image of God creating everything out of nothing, bringing meaning and beauty into our world with one spark of life-giving, illuminating light. And one day light would illumine the night sky over Bethlehem with the hope of redemption and the promise that God would be with us always.

      The season of Advent invites us to see the world through the gift of wonder—to look for the beauty in what God has done and believe there is more to this world than what we can see or understand; to be amazed by the most wonderful story ever told, a story that continues through each of our lives. You are invited to enter this season with a spirit of curiosity, asking to be astonished anew with God’s gifts and trusting God to fill you with wonder.

      Prayer Focus

      How does meditating on the story of creation affect your view of God? What attributes of God come to mind as you read Genesis 1? Offer a prayer to God, acknowledging God’s creative power in the world and in your life. Ask God to place the gift of wonder in your heart as you prepare for Advent.

      2.

      Give Us Eyes to See

      After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

      (Matthew 2:1-2)

      Have you ever heard someone tell a truly amazing story? As everyone listens attentively—waiting on pins and needles to hear the terrifying, thrilling, or unbelievable details—the storyteller often concludes with these words: You had to see it to believe it!

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