Isaiah 8:22

At Christmastime, Advent calendars serve as tangible reminders of expectation slowly moving toward fulfillment. Likewise, the Old Testament records how the failures and weaknesses of God’s people created a longing and a need for a perfect King to come. This four-day plan reminds us that Jesus’ birth wasn’t an isolated event but the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish His kingdom forever. In Christ alone we find our long-expected, perfect King.

Following God isn’t about striving; it’s about trusting. Join Melissa Spoelstra for this 5-day study and discover that Isaiah’s words reveal you can trust God more than your own human effort or the counterfeits the world suggests. You won’t be striving harder, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is worthy of our utter dependence. In Him you'll find the comfort and peace you need to sustain you.

Immediately in the first chapter of the Bible, we read how God created light. And further on in the Bible, light is often used as a metaphor for God’s domain as opposed to the domain of sin and death. Jesus even calls Himself “the Light of the world”. Light and darkness thus have an important place in the Bible. This reading plan presents a selection of verses about this topic.

This Advent Guide comes from students, faculty, and staff at Belmont University. Advent is that season of waiting that carefully and purposefully helps us to realign our priorities and to glimpse, anew, our place before God. Our humble hope is this guide helps people focus more fully on Jesus Christ through the Advent season.