Daily Advent Devotional

Phillips Seminary
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Phillips Theological Seminary is once again providing this Advent Devotional for you and congregations. We continue to be blessed by the response to the booklet and the way that it is used. Many have shared that you use the booklet to assist with sermon preparation, in church small groups and Sunday school classes, as a daily congregation-wide devotion, and for personal and family devotion time. We have asked four writers to write on the theme for each week of Advent. We are so grateful for staff, scholars, and alumni that are willing to contribute to this devotional. The writers are: Week One, HOPE: the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe Jr., President and Mouzon Biggs, Jr. Professor of Methodist Studies Week Two, PEACE: the Rev. Mike Miller, Alum, Senior Minister at Marion Christian Church (Marion, Illinois) Week Three, JOY: the Rev. Jenny Wynn, Director of Advancement Week Four, LOVE: the Rev. Dr. Allie Utley, Assistant Professor of Liturgy and Practical Theology. Our readers for this podcast are Ashely Gibson, Executive Assistant to the President and Board, and Matt Dean, Online Social Media Specialist. This year's cover graphic, The Path to Christmas, ws created by fourth grader Eden Berman. We are grateful that you choose to join us in reflection and thoughtfulness by reading the Advent Devotional. In Gratitude, Malisa PierceAssistant Vice President of Advancement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 25/12/2025

    Pondering

    ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVE December 25 Rev. Allie Utley, PhD Pondering Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. Luke 2:16 Can you imagine giving birth in an outdoor stall? And then, as you begin to re- cover, a group of shepherds show up and tell you that an angel told them that your baby is the Son of God and Messiah? You aren’t surprised by the announcement. The angel has come to you as well. But every time someone says it out loud—you are the mother of the Holy One—it feels shocking and overwhelming. Can you imagine mothering this child? An all-powerful, all-knowing deity, now fully dependent on you for shelter, nourishment, care? This is the mystery of Advent: God comes as a vulnerable baby. The Son of God is also the son of Mary. Then and now, God entrusts the work of love to human hands. God needs us—our arms to cradle, our voices to sing, our lives to bring grace and mercy to a weary world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  2. 24/12/2025

    You Are Family

    ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVE December 24 Rev. Allie Utley, PhD You Are Family Titus 3:4-7 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:6-7 We are a people born of water and the Spirit. In our baptism we are claimed by God and grafted into a family of faith. One of my favorite songs for worship is Mark Miller’s “Child of God.” In the last verse, he writes, “No matter what the world says… you are a child, you are a child of God… There is nothing and no one that can separate you from the truth that you’re someone—you are family; you are meant to be a child of God.” Baptism is historically associated with the seasons of Lent/Easter/Pentecost rather than Advent/Christmas/Epiphany. But I love that the daily lectionary includes this passage about being heirs of God, being part of the family of God, because in Advent, we do think a lot about genealogies and generations. I think the inclusion of this passage invites us to think about the communities that hold us—our chosen families. How might we draw closer to one another in this season of waiting? What relationships need tending, mending, or nurturing? How does belonging to God’s family help us prepare to receive Christ’s love? And how might this fam- ily work toward the fulfillment of God’s kin-dom of love and justice? In this season and the next, may your belonging be deep, your connections tender, and your waiting full of love. That’s a Christmas celebration comprising proclamation of God’s jus- tice-working actions and a celebration of what God is doing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  3. 23/12/2025

    Who am I?

    ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVE December 23 Rev. Allie Utley, PhD Who am I? 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?” 2 Samuel 7:18 This chapter of 2 Samuel opens with King David pondering how to best play host to God: “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God re- mains in a tent.” David plans to build a house for the Lord. If you know your Bible well, you will not be surprised that God isn’t interested in a permanent dwelling place. God declares to David, You will not build me a house; I will build you one. God promises to establish David’s family line, to make his name great, and to plant his people in a home of their own. David’s response is a performance of humanity: “Who am I, O Lord God, that you have brought me this far?” He might have been wondering: Who am I to be held by your promises? Who am I to bear a legacy of faith? Who am I to be given a place in your unfolding story? As we approach Christmas, many of us are thinking about homes and houses too. Where will we gather? For whom will we make space? What traditions will we tend? Making plans for Christmas brings up questions of place and identi- ty. I recently spoke with a group of young adults trying to navigate the pressure of holiday expectations: how to honor family traditions while creating their own rhythms, how to choose where to dwell and whom to prioritize. Perhaps David’s story invites us to hold our own questions about home lightly. God reminds David—and us—that the truest “house” is the one God is build- ing: a household of promise, presence, and peace that transcends cedar walls and travel plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  4. 22/12/2025

    The Turning

    ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVE December 22 Rev. Allie Utley, PhD The Turning Luke 1:46b-55 …indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. Luke 1:50 There is a group of researchers at Samford Center for Worship and the Arts studying the experiences of young people in worship. According to their web- site, “the purpose of the Young People and Christian Worship (YPCW) study is to listen deeply to how young people, including teenagers and emerging adults (aged 13–29), experience public Christian worship in a range of liturgi- cal contexts—Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, and charis- matic.” In a recent survey, they found that one of the favorite songs among young people in the Roman Catholic and Mennonite traditions is Canticle of the Turning, a hymn text based on the song of Mary*. It inspires me that young people connect with Mary’s vision of a God who subverts the world order. From generation to generation, God casts down the proud and powerful and shows preferential love to the marginalized. From generation to generation, God promises that the tyrants of this world will fail and fall. But even if we trust in this promise, we can struggle to see beyond the evils of our day. We might remember that Mary sings about the mighty work of God while she is still pregnant. She embodies expectancy and hope. Advent is a season of tension for us as well: God’s love is breaking in, and still, we wait for its fullness. Where might you catch a glimpse of that turning today? And as you wait, how might you live as though God’s love is already reshaping the world? ________________________________ *Emily Snider, “Young People and Christian Worship: Seeing the Liturgical Assembly through the Eyes of Teenagers and Emerging Adults” (Societas Liturgical, Paris, July 30, 2025). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  5. 21/12/2025

    The Origins of Love Incarnate

    ADVENT WEEK FOUR: LOVE December 21 Rev. Allie Utley, PhD The Origins of Love Incarnate John 1:1-18 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 The poetic first verse of the Gospel is something of an origin story. We often read this passage on or around Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus: God taking the form of a baby. Christ comes to us, fragile, small, dependent. But the writer of John reminds us that Jesus’ life doesn’t begin at Christmas; it reaches all the way back to the beginning of the cosmos. His very being is eternally woven together in the very being of God our creator. In advent, we wait for the coming of the Son of God through whom the love of God was, is, and will be revealed. That doesn’t mean the Hebrew people didn’t know God’s love, or that Jesus is the only way God makes love known. But one reason I claim Christianity as my faith is that I am moved by this mystery: that God would become human, that God would take on vulnerability, tempta- tion, even suffering. In Christ’s coming, God draws close not only to reveal love, but to know our lives fully. There is no part of you, no part of me, that is hidden from that knowing love. This knowing can make us feel loved, but it can also make us feel vulnerable and exposed. Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation. What might it look like to open ourselves to that love and to allow ourselves to be truly known? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  6. 20/12/2025

    Between Memory and Hope

    ADVENT WEEK THREE: JOY December 20 Rev. Jenny Wynn Between Memory and Hope Psalm 126 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy. Psalm 126:2a Rituals are an important part of our faith. They provide structure and meaning in our lives while helping to manage anxiety and stress. When we feel disori- ented, rituals can help reorient us to what matters most. Rituals connect us to our faith story. They remind us of who we are, where we have been, and where we are going. Most importantly, rituals remind us of God’s presence in our lives and that we belong to God. Psalm 126 reflects a period after exile. Joy erupts in the Psalm as the com- munity looks back on their deliverance. The psalm goes beyond an exercise in longing for “the good old days.” It remembers the joy of the past, but it also orients the readers toward anticipating joy. It engages both rituals of celebra- tion and lament, using them to point to an ever-present God who meets us in our sorrow and our joy. How can you engage in the rituals embodied in this psalm by acknowledging the pain while also celebrating what has been lived? You might consider lighting a candle and naming a loss that you have expe- rienced this year, then name a hope for the coming year. As you engage in these rituals, remember that you are not alone. Remember the promise of the psalmist: “Those who go out weeping, bear- ing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves (v. 6).” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  7. 19/12/2025

    Joy Breaks Through

    ADVENT WEEK THREE: JOY December 19 Rev. Jenny Wynn Joy Breaks Through Isaiah 52:7-9 Break forth; shout together for joy, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem… Isaiah 52:9 Advent draws us into a liminal space, a threshold between what is and what is yet to come. Advent invites us to voice our longings along with our bold decla- rations that our broken and fragmented world can be made whole. Advent draws our attention to those who have existed and continue to exist in difficult and painful liminal spaces. It is into such places that the prophet Isa- iah spoke. The prophet knew the deep pain that the Judeans in exile voiced when they cried, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me” (Isa- iah 49:14). Yet into this despair, God speaks words of hope, words brimming with joy. Isa- iah responds to their fears with profound assurance that God was still moving, still working toward renewal. “Break forth; shout together for joy, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusa- lem (v. 9).” This is Advent’s promise: our whispered prayers in uncertainty are not the end of the story. We are not alone, God still has need of us, not as passive waiters, but as joyful, active participants working for the peace we long to see through acts of compassion, justice, and love. Where might God be calling you to participate in bringing wholeness to bro- ken places this Advent? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min

  8. 18/12/2025

    More than Crumbs

    ADVENT WEEK THREE: JOY December 18 Rev. Jenny Wynn More than Crumbs Matthew 15:21-28 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Matthew 15: 27 Mary Oliver wrote in her poem “Don’t Hesitate,” “Joy is not meant to be a crumb.” This wisdom echoes Matthew 15:21–28, where a Canaanite woman seeks mercy for herself and her daughter, who is tormented by a demon. She cries out loudly to Jesus. Her cries are met by Jesus’ silence. Annoyed the disciples urge him to send her away for being too loud. Jesus finally speaks, saying, “I was sent only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Undeterred, she kneels and pleads. His reply is harsh and cuts deep, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Nevertheless, she persisted. This outsider refused silencing, even by Jesus. With an expansive vision of God’s household, she fought for her and her daughter’s place in it. Her bold reply, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” opened his eyes. He praised her faith. Her daughter was healed. This woman helps Jesus to see how wide God’s welcome ex- tends. In Advent, this brave woman teaches us. Standing between what was and what could be, she joined the endless chorus crying out to Emmanuel. She clung to a crumb of hope, believing her world and her daughter’s world could change. Her voice joins countless others still crying for a different way, namely the way of justice. She reminds us never to settle for crumbs. God’s welcome, mercy, and joy were never meant to be mere crumbs for anyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 min
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Phillips Theological Seminary is once again providing this Advent Devotional for you and congregations. We continue to be blessed by the response to the booklet and the way that it is used. Many have shared that you use the booklet to assist with sermon preparation, in church small groups and Sunday school classes, as a daily congregation-wide devotion, and for personal and family devotion time. We have asked four writers to write on the theme for each week of Advent. We are so grateful for staff, scholars, and alumni that are willing to contribute to this devotional. The writers are: Week One, HOPE: the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe Jr., President and Mouzon Biggs, Jr. Professor of Methodist Studies Week Two, PEACE: the Rev. Mike Miller, Alum, Senior Minister at Marion Christian Church (Marion, Illinois) Week Three, JOY: the Rev. Jenny Wynn, Director of Advancement Week Four, LOVE: the Rev. Dr. Allie Utley, Assistant Professor of Liturgy and Practical Theology. Our readers for this podcast are Ashely Gibson, Executive Assistant to the President and Board, and Matt Dean, Online Social Media Specialist. This year's cover graphic, The Path to Christmas, ws created by fourth grader Eden Berman. We are grateful that you choose to join us in reflection and thoughtfulness by reading the Advent Devotional. In Gratitude, Malisa PierceAssistant Vice President of Advancement Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Phillips Seminary
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    160
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Phillips Theological Seminary
  • Show Website
    Daily Advent Devotional