My family has loved doing advent devotionals for years, so I decided to write my own. I pray it blesses your family as much as it’s blessed mine.

You can purchase the whole book in print or in an ebook format on Amazon. You can download a printable set of ornaments here or draw or make your own!

Day 22: The Star

Picture / Ornament: Star

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12; Numbers 24:17; Revelation 22:16

Song: O Holy Night

Another Song: Oh What a Glorious Night!

I, for one, have a hard time being patient. I like my food to be ready quickly, my websites to load instantly, and my house to be cleaned spotless in a flash. How about you? How do you feel when you have to wait a long time for something?

This spring we bought four tiny chicks in the hopes of getting fresh eggs. After waiting for four months, there were still no eggs! Week after week, we’d check their coop, looking for eggs. No eggs! Finally, after almost six months, we got our first egg and now we get eggs every day! Three years ago, we planted a little apple tree. Every summer we go out to see if there are any apples beginning to grow, but even after three years … no apples! To this day, we’re still waiting for it to give us apples.

God grows our faith by causing us to wait for Him. Day by day, season by season, year by year we have to wait for things, all kinds of things. We have to trust that some day those chickens will lay eggs and some day that apple tree will bear apples. We have to trust that God will keep His promises in His perfect timing.

Likewise, the Israelite people had to wait for their Savior to arrive. In fact, they had to wait around 400 years from the time of the last prophet Malachi until Jesus Christ was born. Some people call this time the “400 years of silence.” In spite of God’s silence, God was still speaking through His written word and God was still at work, bringing about the right time and place for His Son to be born.

There was a special group of men living east of Israel, wise men who had studied the scriptures and wanted to worship the Savior King. God had not only given these wise men His written word, but He also gave them a special sign, a star, that appeared in the sky at just the right time and in just the right place to guide them to Jesus.

It’s especially amazing that God sent them a star, because Jesus called Himself the “bright morning star.” (Revelation 22:16) Hundreds of years before Jesus lived on earth, it had been foretold that “a star shall come out of Jacob.” (Numbers 24:17) Not only, did God give a star in the sky to shine the way for the wise men, but God sent His own Son to be that prophesied star.

Stars guide people as they travel in the dark. Stars give light in the darkest night. Jesus isn’t an actual star in the heavens, but Jesus is our guide and our light.

Today is a perfect day to thank God for His perfect timing in sending Jesus to be our guide and our light.

Remember … Christmas is all about Jesus!