Thursday 3 Dec 2020

December 3: Isaiah 7:13-17
 
Key Verse: Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
 
Devotion:
I wonder how many people took notice of these prophecies from Isaiah at the time. It could not have been too many people otherwise this would not be a message which carried good and bad news. The good news being a Saviour was going to be born who would come to be amongst us. The bad news being some rough times lay ahead... and this was about 700 years before Christ was to come!
 
We can look back on prophecies like these and do all the wondering we can think of, but the truth is still there. The more we walk away from God and His ways, the more we invite rough times into our lives. This goes for everyone in the world and not just a few select Christians!
 
But, let’s not focus on the rough times – we seem to have our fair share of them all around the world now; but things are looking positive for next year! Let us, instead, focus on the promise God gave to us – a promise of a Saviour! Jesus came to fulfil that promise and to give us a new hope to look forward with and the certainty via a promise fulfilled!
 
When we focus our lives on Christ, we get to learn more about Him in a shorter time than just trying to live righteously. We bring Him into our lives where He can do more with us and fill our lives with the peace and joy He has also promised. These are things we can look back on and know the promises were made but and kept. God has not changed and will not change – His promises still stand firm!
 
Points to Ponder:
What part of Christmas are you looking forward to?
 
Will you make sure Christ is in Christmas this year?