Category: Advent devotions

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotion: The burning bush

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Neil Mark Thomas on Unsplash

“Live and in person” Advent devotion for December 3, 2020. Read Exodus 3:1-4 and Psalm 130.

I think I am just as surprised as Moses to find God speaking from a burning bush on Mt. Horeb. It had never happened before. It never happened again, at least not in the bible or anywhere I’ve ever read. But here on the mountain, Moses has a physical encounter with the Lord who comes to save His people long before His birth in Bethlehem to save His people from their sins. Forty years later Moses would tell the people, “The Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24). But not today. Today, “the bush was burning, but it was not consumed” (Ex. 3:3).


I can sit and gaze into a campfire for a long time. It’s so relaxing and peaceful. Until it starts talking to you! Once he knew who it was, Moses was afraid to look (Ex. 3:6).

Why do you suppose God chose to manifest Himself in this way to Moses? Well, for one thing, it certainly fits with the law and gospel message of scripture. Fire can burn and destroy. Fire also produces heat and light. Bad news and good news, which you need to fully get the message of God with us. Yes, a holy God comes to punish sin. He also comes to save us from sin. In that sense, fire captures and reveals the very nature of God who is at the same time the Almighty and the all-merciful.

When John the Baptist came preparing the way of the Lord, he said, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:11,12). That ancient fire was returning for both salvation and judgment.

The flames of our Advent candles are a great reminder of these moments. I’m very thankful for the warmth and brightness Jesus brings to what would otherwise be a cold and darkened world!

Thank you, Lord, for the fire of your presence in my life to save, purify and light the way. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotion: Wrestling with the Lord

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Live and in person” Advent devotion for December 2, 2020. Read Genesis 32:22-32 and Psalm 3.

Photo by Chris Chow on Unsplash

Jacob ran away from home twenty years ago. After cheating his brother Esau and deceiving his father Isaac, he literally had to run for his life. Now with two wives and a boatload of kids, it’s time to return. The night before the reunion, he wrestles all night with a man later identified as God himself, a unique pre-incarnational appearance of the Lord.

If there was ever a person who could make you say “uncle,” it would be the Almighty. But Jacob will not give up. He said, “I will not let go unless you bless me” (32:26). And God does! He blesses Jacob, who will now be known as Israel (32:29). Until this moment, who would have thought you could wrestle a blessing out of God?

In one of his lessons on prayer, Jesus taught his disciples to always pray and not lose heart, just like the proverbial widow who wouldn’t stop bothering a judge until she got justice (Luke 18:1-8). With boldness and confidence we call God “our Father” when we come to Him in prayer because we are His dear children. The point is, you really don’t have to try that hard to wrestle a blessing out of God. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:32)?

I remember wrestling with my kids. When they were little they loved hanging on me, climbing on me, jumping on me, and rolling around on the floor with me. The blessing was in the wrestling! They knew they couldn’t win, and I didn’t want to win. It’s reassuring to know that your father has strength you can count on when you need him! Just like Jacob needed to fully realize the power and the promises of God.

Did anyone else in the bible wrestle? Rachel “wrestled” with her sister Leah who was able to have more kids than her (Genesis 30:8). Samson kind of wrestled with a lion, tearing it to pieces with his bare hands (Judges 14:5,6). Paul writes that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but with evil spiritual forces (Eph. 6:12). That’s scary!

But you know what? Once you’ve wrestled with God, you know He can handle those spiritual enemies, and nothing can ever separate you from His love!

Lord, I think I’ll just hang on to you with every ounce of faith I have, for you are the One who blesses me with every good and perfect gift from above! Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotion: A drink and a snack

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Live and in person” Advent devotion for December 1, 2020. Read Genesis 18:1-22 and Psalm 19.

Photo by Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash

So Abraham is just chilling in his tent by the oaks of Mamre when three men show up. The gracious host in him shifts into high gear and he invites them in for a drink and a snack. And what a snack that was! Freshly baked bread, a little cottage cheese and veal.

The conversation turns to Sarah, listening in the tent as “the Lord” says, “Congratulations! You’re gong to have a son next year!” Sarah must have overheard the conversation, and chuckled to herself, “I’m a little old for that!” (18:12) “The Lord”  heard her and wondered why she was laughing. Such a blessing isn’t too hard for someone like the Lord!

Anyway, two of the men head towards Sodom to see if it’s as evil as everyone says it is. In 19:1, we learn that they are angels. But one, the Lord, stays behind to let know Abraham know about the destruction to come (18:22). After Abraham tries to bargain for the survival of the righteous in Sodom, “the Lord went His way” (18:33). I am certain Abraham never forgot the day the Lord stopped by his tent!

If Jesus stopped by your house for coffee and cake, how do you imagine the conversation would go? Would you have the guts to ask Him all those questions you say that you want to ask Him? Would you make sure you told Him why you didn’t make it to church last week? Or apologize for some of the things that have come out of your mouth recently? Show him pictures of the family? While I would love to know about unexpected blessings on my way next year, I wouldn’t be as excited to hear forecasts about imminent devastation and destruction.

That “snack” we have in worship, the Lord’s Supper, is accompanied by words of blessing and judgment. The body and blood of Christ bore God’s judgment for our sins on the cross. But it is also ours to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation, the most unlikely and surprising blessings we could ever receive from the Lord.

I love the bible’s banquet imagery of heaven. At that occasion, the Lord is the host with a table full of blessings like no other. We won’t be talking about judgment. That will all be in the past. We won’t have to dig deep to believe the good news, either. It will – He will – be right there before our eyes, live and in person!

Thanks, Lord, for inviting me to the meal that speak both law and gospel. And thanks, too, for the invite to the ultimate banquet of heaven! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotion: “What are you doing out here?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Live and in person” Advent devotion for November 30, 2020. Read Genesis 16:7-14 and Psalm 16.

Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash

It has been four chapters and ten years since Abram believed and obeyed the command of the Lord to go to Canaan where he would become a great nation. Abram and his wife Sarai still have no children. Not much of a nation so far. So Sarai has her husband sleep with her servant Hagar. Hagar conceives and Sarai is not happy. She treats Hagar badly until Hagar finally leaves.

The angel of the Lord finds her at a spring and asks, “What are you doing out here?” Now that phrase “the angel of the Lord” means more than just an angel like the ones Jacob sees in his staircase dream or that the shepherds saw on the night when Jesus was born. By the end of these verses, Hagar knows she has seen the Lord, “a God of seeing,” “him who looks after me” (16:13). This moment is one of the pre-incarnational appearances of the second person of the Trinity, whom we will later get to know as Jesus Christ. No one can look at God the Father and live. You can see God the Holy Spirit at work, but it’s like the wind. You can’t see it but you can see its effect. It must be the Son.

Hagar couldn’t win. She did what she was told, but still got in trouble. It was one of the first “no good deed goes unpunished” moments. But the Lord found her and sent her back home to be the mother of a great nation. Hers would not be the covenant people of God, but they would be a family to be reckoned with nonetheless.

All of us have had moments when we’ve done everything right, but it still turned out wrong. A recipe that tasted terrible. A do-it-yourself project that soon ended up in the trash. A best effort that only earned a “C” from the teacher. A carefully chosen gift the recipient returns the next day.

What do you do when you just can’t win? You remember that God doesn’t care about you because you’re a winner, or successful, or get lots of “likes.” He cares about you because you are one of His. He made you, knows you, loves you and sometimes asks “What are you doing?” Jesus, live and in person, would later reassure His disciples, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:58)!

When it feels like I’m out in the middle of nowhere, thanks for finding, seeing and looking after me, Lord. It is so good to know that I’m not alone! Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotion: The Offspring

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Live and in person” Advent devotion for November 29, 2020. Read Genesis 3:15 and Psalm 85.

Photo by Austin Ban on Unsplash

The consequences of the first disobedience and fall into sin are immediate and varied. The man and the woman cover their nakedness, hide from the presence of God in the garden, and make excuses for their behavior. But the effects of sin will go much further, affecting families and relationships, what it means to work the ground to produce food, and making life finite. After all that, you will die. Or as God puts it, “to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:16-19).

Before all that, though, God addresses the serpent, whom John will identify as the devil and Satan in Revelation. He condemns the serpent saying, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go and dust you shall eat all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:14). God goes on to say, “I will put enmity between you and the woman.” In other words, you’re now the enemy. That hostility will span generations, “between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).  One day an offspring, a descendant of the woman will step on the head of the enemy, an image of victory over an opponent.

One of the first things I do when I see a bug in the house is step on it. Problem solved. Well, most of the time. I once stepped on a wolf spider whose babies scattered in all different directions! It’s not always as easy as it seems.

A descendant of the woman, Jesus of Nazareth, stomped on the head of Satan and won a decisive victory over sin, death and the devil’s power. But it wasn’t easy. The Son of God, live and in person, experienced the same struggles of life that we do. When He showed up, it seemed like the demons came out of the woodwork like swarming insects (or arachnids). His ministry quickly took Him to the cross, a Good Friday death, and a Sunday resurrection that swallowed up death forever.

From “way back when,” God intended to come and take care of the problem Himself, live and in person. The eternal Word would indeed become flesh to not only live among us but overcome death for us, too.

A virtual doctor’s appointment might be able to prescribe something for your sore throat. But you’ll need the hands of a surgeon to take out those tonsils. Or a visit from a pest control person to really take care of those spiders. And a Savior, live and in person, to give us life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the amazing gospel promise wrapped up in Your condemnation of the serpent so long ago. Thank You for the fulfillment of that promise in the birth, life death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions, Devotions

Advent devotions: Live and in person!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Special 2020 Advent devotions prequel

Photo by Austin Edwards on Unsplash

This has been a crazy year of quarantine, shelter-in-place, distancing and masks. I’ve preached to an empty sanctuary. You’ve worshiped online. I’ve taught and led meetings via Zoom.

But it’s just not the same, is it?

From the very beginning, God said it wasn’t good for his created people to be alone. That’s why he created the woman. In those Edenic days, God would walk through the garden he had created, personally interacting with the man and the woman. Until that one day, Adam and Eve attempted to “quarantine” themselves with some leaves in the bushes because they had disobeyed the prime directive to not eat from that tree.

That changed everything. But God knew that was not the way it was supposed to be. In that moment, he initiated a plan to restore the relationship between Him and His creation. He promised to be a part of their lives.

Advent is a powerful time in the church year to remember God’s journey into this world as flesh and blood, as a person, as a baby. Scripture is filled with images and foreshadowing of the incarnation when the Word would indeed become flesh. This year my Advent devotions are intended to help you reflect upon the power, comfort and assurance that God has not abandoned you, but has come to be with you. It’s not just on paper. it’s not just a story. It is God in the flesh, live and in person!

In the past few months, some of your doctor visits have been through windows or via Skype. You have virtually celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and graduations via Zoom. Perhaps you have appeared before a judge online. Yes, we can get it done that way. But it’s just not the same, is it? It’s frustrating, isolating, quiet, confining, claustrophobic and lonely.

God’s word says we are much stronger when we are together than when we are apart. Two or three together cannot be easily broken!

Isolation threatens our faith. It weakens us. It undermines our faith, friendships and perceptions.

Job knew that not even death could take away his personal connection with God. He knew he would see his Redeemer in the flesh one day. We too look forward to that day!

I pray that this year’s devotions will bless you. I hope they will help you grasp the amazing grace of God that refuses to let us live apart form His love!

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 24 – All those the shepherds told

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash

And [the shepherds] went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. (Luke 2:16-18)

They came, they saw and then they talked about it. The shepherds had quite a story to tell. Their shift that night had included angels, an announcement, and a baby lying in a manger.

Who did they tell? I’ll bet they talked about this over a drink with their buddies after their shift. Or whatever that looked like 2,000 years ago.

I’ll bet most days and nights as a shepherd were uneventful. Not many stories to tell. An occasional wolf to shoo off or a stray to recover. Shooting stars in the sky.

How many believed their story? It’s out there, for sure. The audience may have “wondered,” but they may have wondered whether it was true or whether the shepherds were simply spinning a tale or had started drinking before their shift ended.

At the beginning of the gospel, Luke tells us that his account is based eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:2). Do you think he sought and found those shepherds who recalled what they had seen years ago? If so, I’ll bet their story was just as compelling as the first time they told it. it’s still compelling when we hear the story!

Don’t forget: it’s just as compelling when you tell the story, too!

Thank you, Lord, for all who told the story and continue to tell the story of the baby lying in a manger. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 23 – a multitude of the heavenly host

Posted on by William Douthwaite

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:13-14)

What a sight and what a sound that must have been! Though many think of the heavenly host as a musical ensemble, they are actually the angel armies of God. This is the same group who was there at creation, who Jacob saw ascending to and descending from heaven, who surrounded the enemy armies at Samaria. They are the same forces Jesus could have summoned to fight for him in Gethsemane.

Here, after the shepherds have heard the angelic announcement of the birth of the Savior, they do what angels do. They praise God. They proclaim peace. They announce that God is not angry but pleased with his people because of Christ who has reconciled us with him.

One angel would be enough to make my day. A multitude? That would be overwhelming! I guess I’ll be overwhelmed one day when I see them in heaven, too many to be counted.

I think it’s interesting that wherever our Lord shows up, he’s got an entourage of angels with him. Sometimes you see them. Sometimes you don’t.

I’ll never get to be an angel. But I can praise him, too.

Thank you, Lord, for all those who praised you then and praise you now. Amen.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 22 – the angel who appeared to the shepherds

Posted on by William Douthwaite

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12)

What a great assignment! As a messenger from the Lord and a ministering spirit to people, this angel got to make the announcement of all time. The savior has been born! The Christ has come! This is a unique moment in the history of the world and the salvation plans of God. Never before and never again would such news be the headline of the day.

Sometimes only a few people show up for church. I’ve done funerals for less than six people. Before we stopped gathering for New Years Eve worship, we only had about a dozen. I even showed up at church on Sunday morning as a hurricane was approaching and was the only one there. When you have the best news of all, the gospel, you always hope a few more people will be there to hear it.

This night, it was just some shepherds who found themselves in the presence of an angel bathed in the glory of the Lord. Angel usually show up and speak to individuals, like Mary and Joseph. It’s very personal. Yet, on this occasion, it was “good news of great joy for all the people.” It’s an announcement meant for a much wider audience.

Like you and I. Do you ever get tired of reading or hearing those words? Not me. And when I do, I sense the glory of the Lord surrounding me, too. That’s the power of God’s Word. It brings you into his presence, touches your heart, and makes you feel like he’s talking to just you.

Thank you, Lord, for such great news – for me and everyone else, too! Amen.