Joy To Your World - Children's Advent DevotionalSample

This is the first Sunday of the Advent season. The word advent actually means the “coming” of Christ. If your church has an Advent wreath, they will probably light the first candle today, the candle of “hope.”

 The prophet Isaiah lived about eight hundred years before Jesus was born, but some of the words he wrote made it seem like he knew about Jesus already. We call his writing “prophecy” because the words gave people God’s message about what would happen in the future. Sometimes his words were a warning, but other times his words gave hope. Isaiah knew that a Messiah was going to be born one day. He just didn’t know when that would happen. He probably would have been surprised to know it would take almost eight hundred years! 

Isaiah told the people, “The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 29:19). In the Bible, “meek” people are those who allow God to control and guide their lives. In the New Testament, the word actually describes a bit, which is a small piece of metal, in the mouth of a strong, powerful horse. Just as the bit is used to guide the powerful horse, God is able to guide a “meek” person who allows God to use their strengths for his good purpose. 

Isaiah taught that a person who allows God to lead will have a new and great joy in their lives. That great joy is found in the Holy One of Israel—Jesus. 

Think of yourself as that strong and powerful horse that accepts the bit into its mouth. Will you let God “guide” you? If you will be “meek” today, there is a “fresh” joy that God can give your Christmas season.