First Day of Advent! A Heavenly Herald

Today is the first day of Advent — the season of waiting, anticipating, preparing, and rejoicing for the coming celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Meditate today on the history-shattering even of the birth of Christ. Start this Advent season with song! What are you doing today to mark the beginning of Advent? We’re celebrating with a gift to all our loyal readers – a free eBook, On This Holy Night by Max Lucado, Rick Warren, David Jeremiah, John Maxwell, Bill Hybels, and John Hayford.

If you haven’t already claimed your copy, get it today and share with friends and family by sending them to www.FaithGateway.com/advent

Today’s Advent Day 1 devotion from Billy Graham:

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. — John 10:10

Christmas is not just a date on the calendar. It is not just an annual holiday. It is not a day to glorify selfishness and materialism. Christmas is the celebration of the event that set Heaven to singing, an event that gave the stars of the night sky a new brilliance.

Christmas tells us that at a specific time and at a specific place, a specific person was born. That person was (in the words of an ancient Christian creed)

“God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God.” That person was the Lord, Jesus Christ.

And from the lips of Him who came fell these words: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Like piercing trumpets, these words heralded the divine. They declared that Heaven had come to our rescue and that God had not left us to stumble alone on Earth’s pathway.

What a wonderful and glorious hope we have because of that first Christmas!

Excerpted with permission from Hope for Each Day Morning and Evening Devotions by Billy Graham, copyright Thomas Nelson.

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Your Turn

Don’t you wish you could hear the Heavenly Herald singing that celebrates the rescue of mankind by the birth of Jesus Christ? Christmas carols such as Joy to the World and Handel’s Messiah give us a glimpse of the majestic worship service in Heaven that we’ll join. Play Christmas music in your home and in your car! And sing! Join the conversation on our blog! We’d love to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily