Every year my church distributes an Advent devotional booklet. Each devotional, each page is written by one of the members of our church. I love reading them because it helps me to see a side of that person that I didn’t know before; or perhaps knew but didn’t realize how deeply they were moved by the event they describe. In other cases, it’s a way of getting to know a person that I’ve never met.

I’ve saved each booklet over the years because they have become a history book of our church members. When I look back at some of the devotionals, I remember those people from years past. The person who used to be in a Bible study with my husband and I is now an ordained minister. Another was in an abusive marriage but is now happily married to a man whom she loves and is loved dearly by him. There’s also the couple fighting the battle of their lives since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. And then there’s that person who questioned every detail in the Bible, each discrepancy, and each conflicting story - she now writes devotionals through an online ministry called, “In His Path.” 

Time changes people and others witness the changes from a spectators seat. It’s sometimes very sad to watch the changes and other times it’s a beautiful transformation, God has the perfect plan for our lives when we let Him take over. I tried so hard to find the gaps in the Bible that I almost missed the Gift. I tried to make study difficult instead of simply allowing the Holy Spirit to take up residence within. I’ve discovered the Gift is not only what we receive when we read the Bible, although there are many treasures there, the Gift is also the (present) presence of God that is unveiled through each Word.

This advent season I pray that you take time to inventory your heart. Who lives there? If you are still trying to take control of your life and mold it into something of this world; perhaps you should dust off your Bible and find where your Hope is truly found.

Written by the Holy Spirit through Brenda Bates – December 2005