This Christmas I (Nathan) am picking up a tradition passed along by my papa Pete: Every Christmas Eve Papa would sit us down and read the Christmas story from the Bible–he’d make sure we all heard the promises of God before we dove headlong into our presents. As I prepared to do the same thing with my own children, nieces, and nephews I was convicted that I need to tell them more than simply a baby named Jesus was born. The entire point of Advent, and the anticipation of a Messiah, was because there are really three Advents promised by God and we need to live in light of all three at the same time. This episode is a reminder that we can do that starting today, and that it will impact every area of our lives.

A short list of verses to remind ourselves, and our family, of what God has done and is doing:

1. Genesis 22:15-18 (after Abraham puts Isaac on the altar to sacrifice)
2. Isaiah 9:2-7 – The promise of the Messiah – the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light…
3. Luke 4:16-21 – Jesus declares himself the Messiah, echoing what Isaiah
4. John 7:37 – rivers of living water
5. Revelation 22:1-3 – everything will be made right, and those rivers of living water will fill us, flow from us and from the city.