This advent season we are talking all about how God loves us so much that He sent Jesus! I love that Jesus came as a little baby and was born in a manger!

Make the noise of your favorite animal that you think was in the manger!

The challenge for today can stretch a few days if you need. We challenge you to find 3 manger scenes as you are out and about. Look when you’re going on a walk or riding in the car! Keep looking until you find 3. Ready…set…GO!

Click here for today’s video!

Reminder, this week’s verse is “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2 NIV

On Sunday at check in, kids will have a chance to recite the verse they memorized to be entered to win a prize so come ready to share!

All week we have learned what the prophets promised long ago. They told these promises in a time where things just weren’t how they were supposed to be, people were longing for things to be different.

We too may feel that at times, today we want to challenge you to have a conversation with your parents. Begin by asking the following question and make sure to answer yourself.

What do you wish was different about our world?

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah’s prophecy paints a picture of Contrast - deep darkness pierced by brilliant light. It’s not a gentle glow gradually increasing; it’s sudden, startling, impossible to miss. For people who’ve been stumbling around in the dark, that kind of light changes everything.

READ

Let’s take a moment to read Isaiah 9:2-7

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”

REFLECT

Darkness in Scripture isn’t just about the absence of light; it’s about confusion, fear, hopelessness, and death. It’s about being lost with no sense of direction, isolated with no sense of connection, stuck with no sense of possibility. We live in a world that knows darkness well. We see it in headlines that leave us anxious, relationships that leave us wounded, injustices that leave us angry. We feel it in our own moments of doubt, failure, and pain.

However, the same light that dawned before a people walking in deep darkness, is the same light that is still burning and alive today. Jesus didn’t just bring the light, He is the light. Light reveals, heals, and transforms. Just as a lamp guides our steps, Jesus’ light directs us toward peace, justice, and righteousness. It illuminates the hidden parts of us that we’d rather keep in the shadows. Not to shame us, but to reveal the truth– we are broken and in need of a Savior. We are flawed but deeply loved and redeemed. 

Jesus’ light also heals. “You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy” shows that His coming brings restoration where there was once despair. The joy Isaiah describes is not shallow happiness but the deep gladness of a people who have been rescued. Advent reminds us that Christ’s light doesn’t just expose darkness, it heals it. The child born in Bethlehem is proof that God’s light brings wholeness, turning mourning into celebration and scarcity into abundance.

Not only does darkness have to flee, but Jesus’ light brings about transformation. We are called to be children of light… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Jesus’ light reshapes who we are. His light shines through us so others can see God’s glory. Just like the moon doesn’t create its own light, it reflects the sun. So should we reflect the light of Christ.

“...you have shattered the yoke that burdens them”... A yoke is a wooden beam or frame that farmers used to connect two animals (like oxen) so they could pull something heavy together, usually a plow or cart. It kept them side by side, sharing the load. Jesus didn’t just lighten the yoke for us, he shattered it. How freeing!

This Advent, we’re invited to pay attention to darkness, both in the world and in our own Hearts, not to despair over it, but to make room for the light. Jesus entered a dark world, and

His light is still breaking into dark places. Where there’s injustice, His light exposes it and empowers us to seek change. Where there’s grief, His light sits with us in it and promises redemption. Where there’s sin, His light reveals it not to shame us but to free us. The darkness hasn’t disappeared from our world, but it no longer has the final word. The light has dawned, and darkness cannot overcome it.

Reflect on the names of Jesus… Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

• What “darkness” in your life or world needs the light of Christ’s love expressed?

PRAY

Jesus, light of the world, thank you for entering our darkness and bringing hope we couldn't create for ourselves. Shine your light into the dark places of my heart, the anxious places of my mind, and the broken places of our world. Help me carry your light to others who are stumbling in darkness. Amen.

READ

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." Isaiah's prophecy paints a picture of contrast—deep darkness pierced by brilliant light. It's not a gentle glow gradually increasing; it's sudden, startling, impossible to miss. For people who've been stumbling around in the dark, that kind of light changes everything.

Let’s take a moment to read Isaiah 9:2-7:

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”

REFLECT

Darkness in Scripture isn't just about the absence of light; it's about confusion, fear, hopelessness, and death. It's about being lost with no sense of direction, isolated with no sense of connection, stuck with no sense of possibility. Anyone who's experienced depression, grief, or despair knows this darkness isn't metaphorical—it feels oppressively real.

The darkness Isaiah described was political, spiritual, and emotional. The nation was under threat, people were oppressed, hope was scarce. Sound familiar? We live in a world that knows darkness well. We see it in headlines that leave us anxious, relationships that leave us wounded, injustices that leave us angry. We feel it in our own moments of doubt, failure, and pain.

But here's the promise: "On those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned." Not "might dawn someday" or "will eventually show up." Has dawned. Past tense. Accomplished. Done. When Jesus was born, this prophecy found its fulfillment. He didn't just bring light; He is the light. "I am the light of the world," He said. "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." That's not a minor improvement or a helpful perspective shift—that's a complete transformation of reality.

The light of Christ's love expressed in the Incarnation does several things darkness can't tolerate. First, it exposes truth. We can't see clearly in the dark, so we stumble over obstacles, mistake shadows for threats, and miss opportunities right in front of us. Light reveals reality—both the dangers we need to avoid and the good we've been missing. Second, light provides direction. It shows us the path forward when we've been paralyzed by confusion or fear. Third, light creates safety. Things that terrify us in the dark lose their power when light exposes them for what they really are.

But here's what's particularly beautiful about Christ as light: He doesn't just illuminate our circumstances; He illuminates us. In His light, we see ourselves as we truly are—broken, yes, but also deeply loved. Flawed, yes, but also redeemed. The light of Christ doesn't condemn us; it reveals the path to healing.

This Advent, we're invited to pay attention to darkness—both in the world and in our own hearts—not to despair over it, but to make room for the light. Jesus entered a dark world, and His light is still breaking into dark places. Where there's injustice, His light exposes it and empowers us to seek change. Where there's grief, His light sits with us in it and promises redemption. Where there's sin, His light reveals it not to shame us but to free us. The darkness hasn't disappeared from our world, but it no longer has the final word. The light has dawned, and darkness cannot overcome it.

RESPOND

Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.

• What "darkness" in your life or world needs the light of Christ's love expressed?

• Where have you already seen Christ's light breaking into dark places?

• How might you become a reflection of Christ's light to others walking in darkness?

REST

Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:

Jesus, light of the world, thank you for entering our darkness and bringing hope we couldn't create for ourselves. Shine your light into the dark places of my heart, the anxious places of my mind, and the broken places of our world. Make me a carrier of your light to others who are stumbling in darkness. Amen.