Advent Devotional December 18, 2025

Scripture

John 3:16-21

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned, but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

Devotion

Dr. Sharon McCart '25

“Yet in thy Dark Streets Shineth the Everlasting Light”

What if—

The star that led the magi to the baby was not a star, but Christ himself coming to earth, “the light coming into the world”?

What if—

The shepherds watching over the flocks at night were so tired of darkness that the light shining from the angels and then from the baby was irresistible, drawing them closer to God than the sky ever could, no matter how many stars were shining?

What if—

The reason some people can’t see the Christ-light is that they shield their eyes from it, preferring the darkness of judgment to the light of grace?

What if—

Everybody could see the truth that we all belong in God, so that everything everybody does is done in Christ’s light?

Advent is a time to follow the light that came into the world. But instead of waiting for the first coming of Christ, this year we are moving toward our crucified and risen savior, who is still shining as brightly as the star did to guide the magi, as the heavenly hosts shone on the shepherds on the Bethlehem hills.

The carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” points us to the light, following that up with the lyric, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight!” Our hopes and fears are brought together today as we look toward Christ, the one who allays our fears with His perfect love and gives us hope for the future, if we keep our eyes on the One who came to dwell among us and within us.

Prayer

Please pray with me:

Loving and living God, when we cannot see the light of Christ, open our eyes to see Your presence. Show us hope where fear has taken hold. Strengthen our faith until every step we take follows in Christ’s light-filled footsteps.

In the name of the One who was born on a dark night in Bethlehem,

Amen.