Matius 2:3

Christmas is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of all, Jesus. Looking at the story of Christ's anticipated arrival at Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to be the fulfillment of God's promises and faithfulness. All our hopes and prayers are answered in the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

Our Christmas story starts with the angel’s annunciation to Mary and concludes with the visit of the Magi. In these reflections and applications of the Christmas narrative I will mostly refer to Luke, as his is the fullest of the gospel accounts.

The Christmas story is one surprise after another. But sometimes the details become so familiar that they lose their impact. These short prayer devotionals help you to dwell deeply on the most unexpected and significant event in history: that God himself became one of us. Each prayer is written by David Mathis, executive editor for desiringGod.org and pastor at Cities Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

It seems we’re all in need of a good hug, real connection, and something delightful to celebrate right now. Our prayer is that this Advent devotional will offer you and your family a way to connect, learn about the real Christmas story, and celebrate Jesus’s birth with new traditions, dinnertime stories, bedtime conversations, and family activities. We hope this Christmas “hug” brings beautiful memories to your home this Advent season!