As we wrapped up Maximized Manhood yesterday, I started my search for a new devotional. As I was searching I came across this one which was interesting as we are still little ways out from Christmas and yet my Christmas tree has been up for nearly half a month. As I read what it was about and connected it back to one of the first posts of 2022, I thought I would get started here. Being a week out from Thanksgiving and December feeling like it is right around the corner when I read the description I knew this is where we had to start today.
Today’s devotional comes with the following description:
This 7-day reading plan from Dad Tired podcast host and author Jerrad Lopes will prepare your heart and mind for the advent season as you explore God’s presence throughout the Bible and in your everyday life. From the garden to the manger to your own home, Jerrad helps you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the God who always shows up…and will do the same for you.
Finding God in Advent | Devotional Reading Plan | YouVersion Bible
Scripture from Today’s Devotional:
‘But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.’
Psalms 73:28
‘But you are near, O Lord , and all your commands are true. ‘
Psalms 119:151
‘So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ ‘
Acts of the Apostles 17:22-28
God’s Word is the best place to start. Let’s be the dads who start our day in God’s Word! Let’s be the dads who start our thoughts in God’s Word! Let’s be the dads who start our processes in God’s Word! God’s Word is light in this dark world! God’s Word is able to cut to the core! God’s Word never returns void! So let’s choose to turn to God’s Word instead of the news, the shows, and the internet! Let’s put our trust in God over our own understanding!
Let’s be the dads who draw near and stay near to God! Let’s be the dads who make God our shelter! Let’s be the dads who tell everyone about the wonderful things God has done in us, for us, and through us! Let’s be the dads who aren’t swayed by the waves of the times because we stand firm on the truth of God and Jesus as our foundation and cornerstone! Let’s be the dads who trust God because we know that all His commands are true! Let’s be the dads who are willing to share what we know about God with those who are seeking and wondering about God! Let’s be the dads who share who God is, He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. Let’s be the dads who share who God is, He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. Let’s be the dads who share what God has done, From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. Let’s be the dads who share God’s purpose, His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Harvest House Publishers.
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
For more information, please visit http://harvesthousepublishers.com.
Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“Because God Always Shows Up“
- It’s interesting to me that my story for picking this devotional aligns with even how today’s devotional begins. After my birthday in October, my wife is ready to put up the Christmas tree.
- Today’s devotional kicks off by saying:
- How are you feeling about today? about this month? about this year?
- I know we’ve been through a lot over the past few years between COVID and now the economy stresses, feels pretty crazy right?
- Similar to our author, when my wife wanted to put up the tree, I was good with it because I needed something to celebrate and the tree points to Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and so much joy!
- Let’s be the dads who are able to take special moments like this and use them as “discipleship moments“!
- Let’s be the dads who know what we celebrate Christmas and then can ask our families questions like: “Why do we celebrate Christmas?“!
- Let’s be the dads who are willing to stop, listen, and discuss the answers.
- Let’s be the dads who are living intentional lives as Christians so that our wives and kids and extended family pick up it.
- What types of answers do you think this could generate? Could it trigger a deeper conversation?
- Let’s be the dads who are ready as the Bible says in and out of season to give a reason for the hope that is within us!
- Let’s be the dads who are ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us and to the answers, our wives and kids may or will ask!
- Let’s be the dads who are prepared, so as not to be surprised when someone doesn’t get it and so ask the deeper questions like why?
- Today’s devotional gives us an example of just such a case:
- As we head toward Christmas there are so many things we do but ever considered or shared “why?”?
- Let’s be the dads who dig deeper into the why than the Sunday school-type answers so that we are prepared to give answers when asked!
- Let’s be the dads who can give more!
- Let’s be the dads who realize that the pieces of Jesus’ story are part of the much bigger puzzle!
- Let’s be the dads who take time to step back and see the big picture and not miss it by focusing on a single piece of the puzzle!
- Today’s devotional closes with the following thoughts and a challenge to take up:
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