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This week’s verse is “And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38 ESV

Reminder, 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!

This week’s verse is “And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38 ESV

Think about a time when you were asked to do something you thought you didn’t have the ability to do, or were afraid to do. Maybe it was to speak in front of a group of people, lead a group project, or try out for a team. These moments can be scary. However, for me, when these times come, I always remind myself of who is writing my story, and his name is Jesus!!! He directs our lives so our response can be “Jesus, I trust you,” just like we see in Luke chapter 1.

In this story, Mary was brought the news by an angel that she was going to give birth to the Savior of the world and she was to name him Jesus! At that moment, Mary was scared because she didn’t have all the answers about what would happen or how it would unfold. But it’s important to look at her response in this story. It could’ve been easy for Mary to say “no, I can’t do that,” but instead her response was “let it be to me according to your word.” Even though she didn’t know all the answers, she trusted the One that did. She trusted that the Lord knew what He was doing and that He had a plan that was way bigger than what she could see in the moment.

Sometimes in our lives, God will ask us to do things that don’t make sense or that may seem uncomfortable. He might ask you to be kind to someone that is getting picked on, or be bold in your faith when it’s not the popular thing to do. While these can be scary situations, we don’t walk alone. When we choose to say “yes” to Jesus, He will be with us every step of the way.

Picture this wild-eyed prophet out in the desert, wearing camel hair and eating locusts. There's something about John the Baptist that makes us uncomfortable, and I think that's exactly the point. He's not your typical religious leader. He's not polished or professional. He's raw, urgent, and uncompromising. And his message? "Prepare the way for the Lord."

Let’s take a moment to read Mark 1:1-8:

“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

REFLECT

John wasn't asking people to prepare a worship service or decorate a sanctuary. He was calling for something far more challenging—prepare your heart. The Greek word Mark uses for "prepare" is hetoimasate. It's an active, intentional verb. It's not passive waiting; it's purposeful clearing away. Think of it like getting your house ready for an important guest. You don't just sit on the couch hoping things look better. You clean, de-clutter, and make space. John's baptism of repentance wasn't just a religious ritual. It was a public declaration: "I'm ready to let go of what's been blocking me from God." People were confessing their sins—bringing into the light the things that had created distance between them and God.

This Advent, we're exploring how God's love becomes expressed through the Incarnation. But before we can fully receive and express that love, we need to ask an honest question: What's in the way? Maybe it's un-forgiveness. You're still carrying the weight of what someone did years ago, and it's hardened your heart. Maybe it's pride. You've convinced yourself you don't really need God's help, you've got this figured out. Maybe it's busyness. You're so consumed with doing that you've forgotten how to simply be with God. Or maybe it's fear. The kind that keeps you playing it safe instead of stepping into what God's calling you toward.

John's message wasn't meant to shame people. It was meant to free them. Because here's the beautiful truth: God's love is coming whether we're ready or not. Jesus is going to show up. But our capacity to receive that love, to be transformed by it, and to express it to others—that depends on the condition of our hearts.

The good news John proclaimed was this: "Someone stronger is coming. Someone who will baptize you not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit." In other words, the preparation isn't the end goal—it's making room for the real work God wants to do in you.

This week, as we journey through stories of preparation (Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary and Joseph) we'll see that God is always preparing people to receive His love in ways that transform everything. But that preparation requires our participation. It requires our "yes." It requires us to get honest about what needs to be cleared away. The invitation of Advent isn't just to remember that Jesus came. It's to prepare for how He wants to come again, into your daily life, your relationships, your struggles, your dreams. God's love expressed through the Incarnation isn't a historical fact to acknowledge; it's a present reality to encounter.

So what needs to be cleared away? What confession needs to be spoken? What repentance needs to happen? Don't rush past these questions. John stood in the wilderness crying out because he knew something glorious was coming, and he wanted people to be ready for it. The same is true for us. Something glorious is coming. Actually, Someone glorious is coming. The question is: are we making room?

• What specific area of your life feels cluttered or blocked from God's presence right now?

• How might confession and repentance actually be gifts that create space for God's love rather than sources of shame?

• What would it look like practically this week to "prepare the way" for God's love to be more fully expressed in your daily life?

PRAY

Lord, we confess that our hearts aren't always as open to You as we'd like them to be. Show us what needs to be cleared away—the hurts, the habits, the distractions that block us from receiving Your love. Give us courage to say yes to the work of preparation, trusting that You're making room for something beautiful. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

READ

Picture this wild-eyed prophet out in the desert, wearing camel hair and eating locusts. There's something about John the Baptist that makes us uncomfortable, and I think that's exactly the point. He's not your typical religious leader. He's not polished or professional. He's raw, urgent, and uncompromising. And his message? "Prepare the way for the Lord."

Let’s take a moment to read Mark 1:1-8:

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

REFLECT

John wasn't asking people to prepare a worship service or decorate a sanctuary. He was calling for something far more challenging—prepare your heart. The Greek word Mark uses for "prepare" is hetoimasate—it's an active, intentional verb. It's not passive waiting; it's purposeful clearing away. Think of it like getting your house ready for an important guest. You don't just sit on the couch hoping things look better. You clean, de-clutter, and make space. John's baptism of repentance wasn't just a religious ritual. It was a public declaration: "I'm ready to let go of what's been blocking me from God." People were confessing their sins—bringing into the light the things that had created distance between them and God.

This Advent, we're exploring how God's love becomes expressed through the Incarnation. But before we can fully receive and express that love, we need to ask an honest question: What's in the way? Maybe it's unforgiveness. You're still carrying the weight of what someone did years ago, and it's hardened your heart. Maybe it's pride. You've convinced yourself you don't really need God's help—you've got this figured out. Maybe it's busyness. You're so consumed with doing that you've forgotten how to simply be with God. Or maybe it's fear. The kind that keeps you playing it safe instead of stepping into what God's calling you toward.

John's message wasn't meant to shame people. It was meant to free them. Because here's the beautiful truth: God's love is coming whether we're ready or not. Jesus is going to show up. But our capacity to receive that love, to be transformed by it, and to express it to others—that depends on the condition of our hearts.

The good news John proclaimed was this: "Someone stronger is coming. Someone who will baptize you not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit." In other words, the preparation isn't the end goal—it's making room for the real work God wants to do in you.

This week, as we journey through stories of preparation—Elizabeth and Zechariah, Mary and Joseph—we'll see that God is always preparing people to receive His love in ways that transform everything. But that preparation requires our participation. It requires our "yes." It requires us to get honest about what needs to be cleared away. The invitation of Advent isn't just to remember that Jesus came. It's to prepare for how He wants to come again—into your daily life, your relationships, your struggles, your dreams. God's love expressed through the Incarnation isn't a historical fact to acknowledge; it's a present reality to encounter.

So what needs to be cleared away? What confession needs to be spoken? What repentance needs to happen? Don't rush past these questions. John stood in the wilderness crying out because he knew something glorious was coming, and he wanted people to be ready for it. The same is true for us. Something glorious is coming. Actually, Someone glorious is coming. The question is: are we making room?

RESPOND

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

• What specific area of your life feels cluttered or blocked from God's presence right now?

• How might confession and repentance actually be gifts that create space for God's love rather than sources of shame?

• What would it look like practically this week to "prepare the way" for God's love to be more fully expressed in your daily life?

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:

Lord, we confess that our hearts aren't always as open to You as we'd like them to be. Show us what needs to be cleared away—the hurts, the habits, the distractions that block us from receiving Your love. Give us courage to say yes to the work of preparation, trusting that You're making room for something beautiful. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.