by Will Peycke
“What do you want for Christmas?”
“What are you asking for this year?
We’ve all heard (and probably asked!) this question. Especially for kids, the Christmas season is all about asking and anticipation.
Ever since a box of books arrived at the church office, here’s what I’ve been asking the Father: for the families of our church (mine included!) to wonder at God’s love for them in Jesus this Christmas.
That box of books? An advent devotional for families titled Wonders of His Love.
The most important, most impactful family ministry program of our church does not take place on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings in the church building. It takes place every morning and evening in the homes of our families as parents read and talk about God’s words with their children. As much as I value our committed team of volunteers and the work they do, the influence God has given parents in shaping their children’s hearts is unmatched. And that’s exactly the way it should be!
But family Bible reading, or family worship, is hard. (The best things always are, they say.) It’s hard to do well. It’s hard to do consistently. It’s just hard to do.
Enter Christmas… and that box of books. The advent season offers us a gift-wrapped opportunity to worship God in our homes and to grow the habit of regular family worship. Who doesn’t want more Christmas celebration and time together as a family?
No, this advent family devotional book is not a silver bullet or a magic pill. It won’t automatically transform your family worship times into beautiful scenes of Christmas joy, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men. (Just read my advent post from last year!)
But here’s what it can do: it can give you a meaningful, achievable goal and a plan to pursue it. It can help you to establish rhythms that prioritize what is most important during a chaotic holiday season. It can be a tool that helps you point your family to Jesus and the “wonders of his love.” And over the course of four weeks, it just might help you to start a new habit (or revitalize an old one) that you can carry into the New Year. Family worship during advent can be a great “jump start” to help you lead your family in reading the Bible and praying together regularly even after the Christmas decorations are put away. (If you need help or resources for this, just let me know!)
The Wonders of His Love devotional books are available for free at the resource center. If you are a parent with kids at home, pick one up this Sunday! Oh, and one more thing: our advent sermon series this year is also titled “Wonders of His Love” and will parallel the themes from the devotional book.
Advent starts early this year (the Sunday after Thanksgiving!), so this is your chance to check out the book and make a plan for how to use it: before school? After dinner? At bedtime? Each week includes craft and activity suggestions to help make family memories together, so plan some extra time together on the weekends. If you have older kids, invite them into the planning process with you. If you are a grandparent, consider asking your kids if you could send them a book (get one for you, too) and read it with your grandkids each evening over a video call.
However your family celebrates advent this year, I pray you will wonder together at God’s love for you in Jesus.
