Advent 2025, Day 20

   

Day 20, December 19, 2025

Theme: 

Joy

Readings: 

Reading: Judges 13:2-7, 

Reading: Judges 13:24-25a 

Gospel: Lk 1:5-25

Reflections:

Seven women in the Bible were unable to have children and later did, with divine intervention: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Samson's mother (unnamed, referred to as "Manoah's wife"), Hannah (Samuel's mother), the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4, and Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.  Three of these women received an angelic visit: Sarah, Samson's Mother, and Elizabeth.  Mary was not barren, but also received an angelic visit, and a miraculous conception.  There is clearly a precedent of God intervening and angels bringing news of a miraculous child.  I love that today focuses on this precedent.  What JOY! To desire to have a child and then to know that they would... What utter joy for these women! What joy for any mother who wants to bring life into the world, to find out she is pregnant!

I know, some reading this may feel triggered by their own loss of a child or inability to conceive.  I am sorry and acknowledge this devotional may very well touch a tender nerve.   Today, we read that God did intervene in the lives I've listed above and I respect the pain that often surfaces around the desire to be a parent and not be able to.

God decided that in both common lives (the Shunammite woman, Samson’s mother, and Samuel’s mother, Hannah) and in the lives of spiritual heroes and fathers of the nation of Israel, he would occasionally intervene. God is in the details. God designed our bodies. He designed life to reproduce. God has always had a plan to send his son to live among His creation and be a sacrifice to atone for our deep need for forgiveness and healing. Jesus’ great victory required Jesus to become fully human. And this victory required parents to choose to cooperate with God even when they didn’t understand. Today is about general joys of parenthood, parenthood after a season of infertility, and Jesus, the ultimate “miracle baby” in every sense of the phrase. 

Song: Joy to the World, by Dolly Parton

Bonus! My Advent 2025 playlist is ready for you to listen to on Apple Music. It's diverse, and it was so much fun to put together as I read through the scriptures and wrote this series.

NOTE the songs are on Apple Music, which you can get for a month for free if you are new... I just didn't want an obnoxious YouTube Ad ruining your quiet time :-)

Please comment on today's devotional below. A Gmail account is required to comment.

If you are looking for a nondenominational church in the Denver area, check out denverchurchofchrist.org