Advent Devotional from our DS's wife Robbie Craker

Christmas Day 2009

Colossians 1:19-20

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (NIV)

So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. (The Message)

God himself was pleased to live fully in his Son.

And God was pleased for him to make peace

by sacrificing his blood on the cross,

so that all beings in heaven

and on earth

would be brought back to God. (CEV)

Christmas is awe-inspiring as it begins the journey of Jesus to the Cross which in turn begins the salvation journey for us. We are given a clear understanding of who God is in Jesus – The image of the invisible God; The firstborn over all creation; The one who holds everything together; The one who is full of God!

My prayer is that this Advent Season has taken on a deeper meaning for you as we have focused on this beautiful scripture descriptive of our Savior. Many have sent me stories of what you did that was in front of you to do. Let’s make this our commitment as we go forward to the end of 2009 and begin 2010. The world is in deep darkness but we have the LIGHT! We can’t do everything, but we can do something – and often what we can do is right in front of us.

“Father, thank you for this journey You have taken us on. We’ve met Your Son who has shown us who You are. Now we commit ourselves anew to live by Your Spirit. Amen”