dadveevnottional As we enter the Christmas season, we’re journeying through the book of Ruth to discover fresh hope and perspective in the story of our Redeemer. Though set “in the days when the judges ruled,” Ruth speaks powerfully into our own time—a world marked by individualism, fractured relationships, and uncertainty. In this short but profound book, we see God weaving together a story of faithful hope, loyal love, restoring peace, and everlasting joy through the lives of ordinary people who trust Him in the midst of loss and uncertainty. At the heart of Ruth is the theme of redemption. The same God who brought fullness out of Naomi and Ruth’s emptiness is the God who brings life out of death through Jesus Christ. Because of Christ's birth, death, and resurrection, our stories have been redeemed.
Visit our Advent page for Christmas playlists, activity guides, and more! waysidechapel.org/advent But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. GALATIANS 4:4-5
As we enter Advent, we are invited to rest in the faithful hope of the Redeemer—the God who sees. Introduction & Week 1 Christmas Passage December 1 | Genesis 16:7-14 & Luke 1:26-38 December 2 | 1 Samuel 1:9-20 & Luke 1:5-25 December 3 | Genesis 45:4-8 & Romans 8:28-30 December 4 | 2 Samuel 7:12-16 & Matthew 1:1-17 December 5 | Jeremiah 23:5-6 & Luke 1:46-49 Family Activities WEEK 1: THE FAITHFUL HOPE OF THE REDEEMER table of contents It is because of God's loyal, covenant love — His hesed — a love that pursues, provides, and never lets go that we celebrate the birth of Immanuel. Introduction & Week 2 Christmas Passage December 8 | Genesis 22:6-14 & Romans 8:31-32 December 9 | Exodus 16:2-15 & John 6:30-35, 48-51 December 10 | Exodus 34:4-9 & Titus 3:4-7 December 11 | 2 Samuel 7:8-16 & Luke 1:30-33 December 12 | Psalm 103:8-13 & Philippians 2:5-11 Family Activities WEEK 2: THE LOYAL LOVE OF THE REDEEMER
God’s peace is more than the absence of conflict—it's the truth He is present with us in the midst of the hard. Introduction & Week 3 Christmas Passage December 15 | Ezekiel 36:26-27 & John 14:25-27 December 16 | Numbers 6:22-27 & John 16:33 December 17 | Judges 6:11-24 & Philippians 4:6-9 December 18 | Zechariah 9:9-10 & Colossians 1:19-20 December 19 | Luke 1:67-79 & Ephesians 2:13-18 Family Activities WEEK 3: THE RESTORING PEACE OF THE REDEEMER The prophet Isaiah declared that the Spirit of the Lord would bring good news to the poor and bind up the brokenhearted. Jesus' birth is the fulfillment of this and the reason we can have true joy. Introduction & Week 4 Christmas Passage December 22 | Isaiah 61:1-3 & Luke 4:16-21 December 23 | Psalm 98:1-4 & John 15:9-11 Family Activities WEEK 4: THE EVERLASTING JOY OF THE REDEEMER "...and you shall call his nameJesus, for he will save his people from their sins." table of contents
2 WEEK ONE
3 The God Who Sees Genesis 16:7-14 & Luke 1:26-38 The God Who Answers 1 Samuel 1:9-20 & Luke 1:5-25 The God Who Guides & Redeems Genesis 45:4-8 & Romans 8:28-30 The God Who Keeps His Promises 2 Samuel 7:12-16 & Matthew 1:1-17 The God Who Comes Near Jeremiah 23:5-6 & Luke 1:46-49 Family Activities
The first week of Advent invites us to rest in the faithful hope of our sovereign God. In the midst of humanity’s brokenness, scripture reveals a God who actively redeems His people. In every generation, His watchful care, grace, and compassion have remained steady and sure. As we enter Ruth’s story this week, we’re reminded that even when life is marked by loss, chaos, and uncertainty, our God is El Roi—the God who sees. When Ruth’s story begins, hope was hard to find. Yet even in their uncertainty, God was weaving redemption through humble faith and steadfast love. He saw Ruth and Naomi, and ultimately all of humanity in our need for salvation. Because our God keeps His promises, we have hope and can trust Him with our past, our present, and our future. The same God who saw Ruth in her faith and Naomi in her sorrow has now come near to see us face-to-face. He is the God who sees—the One who steps into our stories, bringing light and redemption even when He feels silent. As we begin the first week of Advent, let's remember that He is still weaving redemption in our stories—in the waiting, the longing, and the promise fulfilled in Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor. week one
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). MATTHEW 1:20-23
day one BRITT JENKINS Facilities Director
The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. GENESIS 16:7-14
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. LUKE 1:26-38
To be seen. This concept is all over our culture today. What does that mean to us? According to Google AI, “To be ‘seen’ means to feel authentically known, validated, and accepted by others for who you truly are, both the parts you show and those you hide. It involves feeling noticed, valued, and understood, leading to a sense of connection, belonging, and empowerment. Feeling unseen can result in feeling invisible, misunderstood, or neglected.” Now that’s a lot to unpack, but let’s just look at the basic underpinnings of that definition, which is a desire to be known. To be seen equates with being known. This is huge in the lives of two women we see in scripture. The first is Hagar. An Egyptian slave girl of Sarai, Hagar, was mistreated and abused by Sarai and Abraham when she was forced to have a baby with Abram. This woman thought her position had changed once she became pregnant, but Sarai then treated her harshly, and she fled into the desert to escape. And it is here, in the desert, that Scripture tells us “The angel of the LORD found Hagar.” Did you catch that? He found her! It’s implying that the LORD was looking for her. She was not alone in her suffering and in the pain of her mistreatment. He found her and acknowledged her position and circumstances and gave her a promise of what her child, a son, would become. In an act of faith, Hagar acknowledges the Lord by calling Him El Roi
the God who sees! So, this foreign woman, abused and mistreated, amid her pain and struggle, is met by the God who sees! He knows her struggle, pain, and frustration, and He answered it with hope and the promise of a future. Fast forward a few thousand years, and we meet another woman whom God sees. Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was met by God through the agency of His special servant, the angel Gabriel. Gabriel calls Mary “you who are highly favored” and unpacks for her that she is the one who will bring forth the Messiah. No doubt an overwhelming and life-altering assignment, not unlike what Hagar was tasked with as well. A fascinating thing we see here is how detailed scripture tells us of the narrow focus of God on Mary. God sent Gabriel to Nazareth, in Galilee, to a virgin, pledged to be married to Joseph, whose name was Mary. In both cases, God knew the circumstances of these women’s lives. He knew their very names, and He spoke directly to them! He knew them, He saw them, and He cared for them. So, what’s going on in your life right now? Are you in a hard season or are you in a season of blessing? Do you know that God sees you too?
This Christmas season, my prayer for you is that you know that God knows you by name, He sees where you are and what you are going through, and He will enter it with you. Will you trust Him? • In what areas of your life do you most long to be seen—to be known, understood, or cared for? How does knowing that God sees you reshape your perspective in that area today? • When God’s presence feels distant or His plans unclear, what would it look like for you to trust that He is still near, still watching, and still working for your good? How might this truth bring hope in your waiting? We encourage you to take time to worship and thank God for His faithfulness in giving us a Savior which shows us our God can be trusted and is worthy of our hope as we begin this Advent season. You can find a Spotify playlist of songs on our website at waysidechapel.org/advent.
day two SCOTT CLINTON Worship Pastor
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 1 SAMUEL 1:9-20
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
8 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” LUKE 1:5-25
There I stood in that small church office in Frankfort, Illinois, hearing words from my pastor that would shatter my understanding of calling and provision: He said, "I want your baby born back in Texas." Ten months later, with a six-month-old son and nowhere to live, we packed our dreams into a moving truck and drove back to Texas, back to our parents' homes, back to a future that felt like nothing more than question marks. Was I truly called? Did I truly want to be in ministry after this experience? Maybe your geography of doubt looks different than mine. Maybe it's the job that disappeared just when you thought you were finally stable. The relationship that ended when you were certain it was "the one." The diagnosis that arrived like an unwelcome visitor, rearranging everything you thought you knew about your future. Or perhaps it's subtler - the slow erosion of certainty as prayers seem to echo back unanswered, as doors remain stubbornly closed, as God's presence feels more like a distant memory than a current reality. We've all been there, where what we believed about God's goodness collides with circumstances that feel anything but good. In those moments, we find ourselves asking the questions we're almost afraid to voice: Does God actually see what I'm going through? Does He care? Am I on His radar at all, or have I somehow slipped through the cracks of divine attention?
The silence can be deafening. We find ourselves caught between what we've been taught about God and what we're actually experiencing of God. The questions multiply: Maybe I don't have enough faith? Maybe I'm not praying right? Maybe God is trying to tell me something, and I'm just not getting the message? The space between promise and fulfillment becomes a wilderness where faith feels more like an act of defiance than a natural response. But here's where the ancient stories of Hannah and Elizabeth become more than religious narratives - they become lifelines thrown across centuries to those of us drowning in the gap between expectation and reality. Their stories reveal something profound about the architecture of faith and the character of the God who sees. Hannah and Elizabeth inhabit this painful geography of unfulfilled desire, where barrenness becomes a spiritual metaphor for the human experience of waiting in what feels like God's silence. In ancient Near Eastern culture, childlessness carried the weight of divine disapproval, yet these stories subvert that narrative entirely. Their barrenness wasn't a sign of God's absence; it was the very stage upon which His presence would be most dramatically revealed. Hannah's "bitterness of soul" and Elizabeth's experience of "reproach among people" represent every believer who has ever wondered if God sees their deepest pain.
But here's what transforms everything: both women encountered El Roi - the God who sees. Not the God who occasionally glances our way, but the God whose vision penetrates the depth of our longing, who sees not just our present emptiness but our future fullness. Hannah's prayer reveals something profound about the architecture of faith. She doesn't just ask for a child; she surrenders that child back to God before conception even occurs. Elizabeth, in her late-inlife pregnancy, surrenders her own timeline and expectations. Both women discover that sometimes our greatest acts of faithfulness happen when we can't see where they're leading. You may be living in your own version of Hannah's barrenness or Elizabeth's reproach. Your prayers may feel like they're dissolving into silence. Your calling may seem buried beneath circumstances that feel more like endings than beginnings. But El Roi sees. He sees the tears, the doubts, the latenight questions about whether you heard Him correctly. This Advent season, as we hear the story of Ruth choosing to follow a bitter, empty Naomi into an uncertain future, we are reminded that God's greatest works often begin in wombs that seemed barren, in hearts that felt forgotten, in circumstances that appeared hopeless. The Wonderful Counselor doesn't just give us advice; He transforms our waiting into preparation, our emptiness into expectation.
Hannah walked away from that temple changed, even before conception occurred. Her faith preceded the answer. What if your current season of waiting isn't punishment but preparation? What if God is orchestrating something that requires this exact timing, this precise geography of longing? Seven months after my termination, when hope felt like a foreign language, God showed up through miraculous relational connections that led me to a church that became home, and a rich season of ministry for the next twenty years. Sometimes the very thing that feels like an ending, becomes the doorway to a beginning. • In what area of your life do you most need to trust that El Roi - the God who sees - is at work even in apparent silence? • How might your current season of waiting be God's way of preparing you for something beyond your current imagination?
day three AMY ELKINS Kids Director
So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. GENESIS 45:4-8 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. ROMANS 8:28-30
When you read a book, what gives the story a great ending? It could be a resounding victory, reaching the far-off destination, or maybe it’s that misunderstandings or mysteries are finally fully resolved? There are many ways to tie a bow on a well-written tale, but my personal favorite is when the author brings about a resolution that advances the characters and their circumstances far beyond where they first started in chapter one. When their integrity has been refined, or their relationships healed, or they’re finally removed from the bleak physical circumstances they started in, I am left with the mending emotion of hope. In Genesis, we read about Joseph leading his brothers in the worshipful acknowledgement of how God used their evil intentions to preserve life. A family should love and seek the best for its members, and yet, Joseph’s brothers actively sought out his harm and ultimately sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But through unexpected events and miracles, Joseph was appointed by Pharaoh to be his second-in-command, and in this position prepared Egypt for a seven-year famine. God took the evil that wrecked this family and used it to preserve them. God redeemed the mistreatment of Joseph by his brothers. When we encounter God’s redemption in the Bible or even in our own circumstances, it gives us deposits of
hope because we are reminded that there is a sovereign God at work and He has the power to align all things to His loving will. And let’s not forget the most personal redemption you or I will experience is our own! God desires to redeem us. In the verses leading up to Romans 8:28, Paul says, “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” This passage says we were born into bondage and held under the curse of sin. Even if we were born into a family with wonderful parents and our physical needs were cared for, we are still in need of redemption. God has a plan to restore us to His family. He purchases us with the precious and valuable blood of His perfect Son; He redeems us. And He does not stop there. Once we are part of His family, He works all things together for our good, and that good is becoming increasingly more like Christ the Son. This Christmas, we worship a God who sees all our needs, who takes what is under the curse of corruption and redeems it according to His loving will. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!” Psalm 107:2
• When you think about your own life, where have you seen God bring redemption out of something broken or painful? • How does knowing that God can redeem even evil intentions change the way you view difficult circumstances? • Are there areas of your life right now where you’re waiting to see God’s redemptive work? How can you hold onto hope while you wait?
"let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." HEBREWS 10:23
day four STEPHEN LAY Men & Leadership Development Pastor
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 2 SAMUEL 7:12-16
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. MATTHEW 1:1-17
Why would a God who “sees” want to interact with His most precious creation if He didn’t intend to keep His promises? The wonderful thing about our God is that keeping His promises is never an intention, something God sometimes gets around to, and other times does not. God is not arbitrary based upon His time, availability, or even His desire. Instead, God’s Word is the foundation of His interactions with mankind. When it comes to God’s character, His honest Word is His foundation: “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19 God’s promise to David becomes the cornerstone of Jesus’ fulfillment of the line of David’s eternal kingship. The covenant promise to David of an eternal kingship through His line was based upon the character of the one true God who keeps His promises. Through the line of David, a King would come, a Messiah, who would usher in an eternal Kingdom. This Messiah would be our “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” He will reign on David’s throne and will uphold this Kingdom with justice and righteousness forever.
I can’t imagine how amazing and confusing it must have been to see Jesus as Matthew saw him. God in the flesh, fulfilling God’s promises, in the most unique ways. What would have been expected didn’t happen, and what happened was not expected. But just in case Matthew’s readers wondered, he tells us right up front about Jesus being the perfect fit in the line of David. In fact, Matthew shows us how the genealogy of Jesus was fulfilled all the from Abraham forward. God’s promise to David was realized twenty-eight generations after the promise. Over a thousand years later, God’s Word still stood, and it still stands today. Our God keeps His promises because it is part of what defines His very existence as God. • Have you ever questioned God’s promise-keeping ability or desires? How does the fulfillment of God’s promise to David in Jesus encourage your faith? • Consider that there are conservatively estimated over three hundred Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled. Jesus’ fulfillment of being in the line of David is just one. How does this bolster your view of how God keeps His Word? • Reflect upon some ways God has kept His Word with you. Take a few moments to thank Him, and ponder the fact that God keeps His Word, then, now and forevermore. How will this affect how you approach worship this Christmas?
day five PABLO GARCIA REVERT Missions Director
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ JEREMIAH 23:5-6 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. LUKE 1:46-49
During the Christmas season, we are flooded with messages about products that present a picture of a better future. Our culture tries to sell us things that claim to improve our lives: a new gadget, a perfume that promises to help us achieve the life we dream of, an idealized version of family, decorations, or even a false sense of peace or justice. We constantly long for those better days, but they never seem to arrive. Sometimes, we look at our current situation and long for something more. We tend to think that having this or that will make our lives better—whether it's a bigger house, a spouse, a child, or something else. Yet, once we get it, that feeling usually fades quickly. We realize that the ideal in our minds doesn’t match reality, and we start searching for the next thing that will bring us happiness, whatever that may be. Or, worse, we begin to complain about our situation or seek ways to improve it. Sometimes, it can even seem like God hasn’t answered our prayers the way we wanted. In this process, our initial gratitude can turn into bitterness. No matter what we do or have, it often feels as though it is insufficient. So, we spend our lives waiting for better days. In Jeremiah, God declares that better days are coming. In those days, a wise king from the line of David will bring peace and justice to his people. The long awaited
Messiah will deliver God’s people from injustice and oppression. Through Him, God will reveal Himself as a God of Justice—everything Israel had been waiting for. God's promise is fulfilled in Jesus, and Mary witnesses that promise. God was drawing closer to His people through Jesus, and Mary proclaims that God is her Savior. I love how she reacts to her situation—she praises God and rejoices in Him. She recognizes the enormous blessing of being an instrument of God’s purposes for her life and His people. Mary acknowledges God’s mighty hand in her life when she says: “From now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me.” These verses in Luke are like a song of praise. Mary’s focus is on God and what He has done. It’s a beautiful song of rejoicing in God. Today, we have the opportunity to reflect on a God who comes near—to prepare our hearts for how we will respond to His blessings. He has given us everything, but above all, we have been gifted with the Spirit of Jesus that indwells us. Mary's response to the Messiah is full of gratitude, humility, and joy. What is ours?
• Take a moment to write down four or five blessings or prayers that God has answered in your life. Then, in your own words, write a short song of praise to God. • Using that song, pray with a heart full of gratitude. What does it mean to you that God has come near in your life? How can you become more aware of the Spirit of Jesus within you during this Advent season?
osteadfahstgliovveetehnadnukrsetsofotrheevleorrd, for he is good, for his PSALM 107:1
Advent is a time when Christians prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ as the baby born in Bethlehem at the first Christmas. In Isaiah 9:6, there are four descriptions of Jesus: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Each of these descriptions has an adjective and a noun. Take time with your kids to look up the definitions of each word. For instance, “wonderful” means: great, awesome, fantastic, and “counselor” means: someone who give advice, helps, or assists. Knowing the meanings of these words will help your children better understand who Jesus is and how His unchanging attributes help us as we face challenges in our lives. • Create a countdown to Christmas where you can mark off the days as you anticipate (hope for) the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. • As a way to foster thankfulness and focus on giving to others, create an Advent Blessing Jar with your family: https://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/ advent-blessing-jar/ • Make Jesse Tree Ornaments to trace the hope of God’s promise throughout scripture: https:// awellpurposedwoman.com/jesse-tree-traditionfree-printable/ family activities
• Ask your kids what “wonderful” means. Have them list things that they think are wonderful. Then talk about what the word “counselor” means. Ask them who they think helps them when they have a problem. Discuss what those people do to make their lives easier or better. Isaiah 9:6 tells us that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor. He knows exactly what we need and the Bible gives us the right advice on what to do when we have a problem. God helps us as we face challenges, and we can help others. With Christmas coming, think of someone that your family could assist. Make a plan to do something for that family (bring them a meal, write them a note, draw them a picture, etc.) • Tear up pieces of paper, write down individual laments or prayers on them, then create a collage with the word “hope” from the torn-up pieces. The collage is a visual representation of how God sees and transforms sorrow into hope. • Reflect on moments when you have felt seen by God. Document these experiences in a journal or a special “well” to return to when you feel alone. • “I Spy” with a magnifying glass: Use a magnifying glass to examine the small details in a picture or object. Connect this to the story of Hagar, explaining that El Roi sees even the smallest details of our lives, no matter where we are. Tag us on our social channels @waysidechapelsa and use #waysideadvent
2 WEEK TWO
3 The Providing Love of God Genesis 22:6-14 & Romans 8:31-32 The Sustaining Love of God Exodus 16:2-15 & John 6:30-35, 48-51 The Merciful Love of God Exodus 34:4-9 & Titus 3:4-7 The Faithful Love of God 2 Samuel 7:8-16 & Luke 1:30-33 The Sacrificial Love of God Psalm 103:8-13 & Philippians 2:5-11 Family Activities
The second week of Advent centers on the loyal, covenant love of God—His hesed—a love that pursues, provides, and never lets go. From Abraham’s obedience to mercy shown to Israel in the wilderness and the promises spoken through the prophets, we see that God’s love is not limited by circumstance or dependent on strength. He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord who provides — not just for our daily needs, but ultimately for our redemption. As we enter Ruth 2, we see this hesed love on display through God’s quiet provision. Ruth, an outsider in Bethlehem, sets out to glean in the fields with no assurance of favor or protection; yet the Lord directs her steps to Boaz, a man whose kindness reflects the heart of God. In Boaz’s compassion and generosity, we catch a glimpse of divine redemption — a love that acts on behalf of others, even when nothing is owed in return. This is the same love that came near at Christmas — the steadfast love that pursues the weary, provides for the empty, and holds fast to the broken. No matter what we face, the truth of Christmas declares something beautiful: we are fully known and deeply loved by God. His loyal love, mighty to save and faithful to provide, found its ultimate expression in Bethlehem, where the mighty God came near in humility, born to redeem and restore our brokenness. week two
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. LUKE 2:1-7
day one CHRISTIAN PRATHER Associate Student Director
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” GENESIS 22:6-14
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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 8:31-32
I love my daughter. She just turned one, and one of my favorite things I’ve gotten to experience as a father is the joy on her face when I give her one of her favorite foods when she’s hungry. Not only am I meeting her need — I’m giving her something she loves (mac and cheese might as well be Perry’s Steak House to her)! Her smile is priceless every time, and I love it. Feeding her isn’t always the most positive experience, though. If she’s hungry, and it’s taking me longer than she would like for me to feed her, she eventually loses all faith in me that I’m going to feed her at all. She cries and does this hilarious “collapsing” motion reminiscent of Charlton Heston falling to his knees at the foot of The Statue of Liberty in Planet of the Apes. She becomes the picture of despair, as if she’ll never eat again, or as if I haven’t faithfully fed her every day of her entire existence. Her need gets strong enough, the moment gets difficult enough, and the wait gets long enough, and suddenly, my character is in question, and everything I’ve ever done for her is forgotten. I have a short memory too. I do this all the time with God! When things get hard, I forget His character. Grief and struggle cloud my vision to the point that all I can pay attention to is my need. Like my daughter, when dinner is taking too long, I forget who my heavenly Father is, and I forget that He’s provided for
me abundantly all my life. Romans 8 speaks directly into this by pointing out that God has already provided more for me than I could ever have hoped to obtain. He offered me His Son… “how will He not also graciously give us all things” (Rom 8:32)? I was a sinner — an enemy of God — and He still offered me salvation? He threw the proverbial life preserver out to me in the stormy waters, despite the fact that I was rejecting Him as he threw it to me. And yet… I question His willingness to provide and the quality of what He would provide me. If this is the providing love that God has for me, why do I worry so much about the simpler needs in my life? He’s already provided eternal security for me when I didn’t deserve it. Won’t He also take care of my resources and wounds? He’s already removed the infinite gap between us and given me, His creation, the chance to have intimacy and closeness with my creator. Won’t He also take care of everything else? If I, as an imperfect father, know how to give my daughter good things, then how much more does my perfect Heavenly Father know how to provide for me? If I’m entirely transparent with you, I’m in a season of waiting and hardship right now. It’s hard. I don’t know how the provision will come, but I know where it will come from. I need to remember who my God is and who He has shown me He is through scripture and my
personal experience. The question isn’t “will He provide?”, the question is “will I remember who He has shown Himself to be over and over again?”. This Advent season, I’d like to invite you to join me — to remember with me. He’s provided for us in ways we could never understand, and we know He is faithful to continue doing so. • How can you relate to my daughter’s despair when her dinner is taking a little longer than she’d like? • Take a moment to remember five things that God has done to show you His provision. Include specifics: Is there a location tied to that memory? What people are associated with that moment? Why did that moment matter? Remember!
day two STEVEN VILLACIN Associate Pastor
40 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.” Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”
And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. EXODUS 16:2-15
So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” JOHN 6:30-35, 48-51
When my boys start getting grumpy, one of the first things I check is when they last ate. If it's been a while, I know what's coming…short tempers, slumped shoulders, and quick tears. When they're hungry, it's as if their whole world falls apart, and suddenly the word hangry feels all too real. We've all felt our mood shift when we're running on empty. It's our body's way of telling us something is missing. Food sustains us, and when that need goes unmet, everything feels off balance. The Israelites knew something about hunger too. In Exodus 16, they found themselves in the wilderness with no food to eat. Frustration and longing bubbled up quickly, and their hunger turned into grumbling. They even accused Moses and Aaron of bringing them to the wilderness to kill them with hunger! Yet instead of responding in anger, God answered their cries with kindness. He provided them bread from heaven each morning and meat to eat each evening. His provision was steady, daily, and enough for their needs. It was an act of merciful and loyal love. Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide, did more than fill their stomachs. He revealed His character. His provision wasn't just about the Israelites' survival; it was about fostering their trust in Him. Every dawn, they woke to find evidence of His faithful provision scattered on the
ground like dew. In the rhythm of receiving, they learned dependence. God's sustaining love wasn't a one-time rescue but a daily reminder that His loyal love never fails. Centuries later, a hungry crowd gathered around Jesus, filled with their own unmet needs, their own sense of longing. They asked for another miracle, another sign like the manna from heaven their ancestors received. Once again, Jesus answered their cries with kindness, lifting their eyes higher in John 6: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst". In that moment, Jesus revealed the depth behind God's provision in the wilderness. The manna had satisfied for a time, but it pointed to something greater—the true bread from heaven that would satisfy forever. At Christmas, God's loyal love takes on flesh. Not only does He give us what we need to live, but He is what we need to truly live. Like Ruth gleaning in Boaz's fields, sustained by love she didn't earn, we too are sustained by our Redeemer's faithful love. He meets our daily needs, but more than that, He gives Himself, that we may believe in Him and have life in His name. This Advent season, we remember that the same God who fed His people in the wilderness and who sent His Son into the world still provides for us today. His sustaining love never runs out. Whether our hunger is
physical, emotional, or spiritual, the Lord invites us to come and be filled, to trust that His provision is enough for today, and that His presence will sustain us forever. Let us go to Him, the true Bread of Life, who satisfies every longing of our soul. Let us draw near to Jehovah Jireh, our faithful Provider, and find rest in His sustaining love. • Where do you sense "hunger" in your life right now? Is it an unmet need, a longing, or a weakness? How might God be inviting you to trust His provision for all your needs? • How can you practice daily dependence on and gratitude toward God this week, remembering that He is your sustainer and provider?
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life" JOHN 14:6
day three COURTNEY MUMME Agape & Senior Adults Director
40 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.” EXODUS 34:4-9 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. TITUS 3:4-7
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