Advent Devotional, Week Three

Author's Note:  This is part three of a four part Advent devotional series for families here at Treasure the Ordinary.  May you be blessed as each of you find ways to prepare your hearts for the celebration of our King's birth.  Merry Christmas!


Week 3 Advent Devotional - "Provision"

Opening Question (Option 1): If you had a thousand dollars to spend on a present for someone, who would you buy for and what would you buy them? 

Opening Story (Option 2):  Parents, take a few minutes to tell each child about the day they were born.  Where was it?  What was happening that day?  How did you feel when you got to see them for the first time?

During our time together today, we are going to look at the place where Jesus was born.  If one of us was going to plan where Jesus would be born, we would have probably picked Jerusalem because it was the capital city  and the most important city in Israel.  But, that's not the city God chose.  Let's read a Scripture from the Old Testament that talks about what city God chose instead.

 

READ: “But you, Bethlehem, David’s country, the runt of the litter—From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel."  - Micah 5:2 (The Message Bible)

ASK:  [younger children] What does it mean to be the "runt of the litter"?  So what kind of city was Bethlehem?

ASK:  [older children] What message do you think God was sending when he chose a small, insignificant city like Bethlehem for Jesus to be born in? 

ASK:  When have YOU felt small and not important?

The enemy loves for us to feel too small for anyone to notice us.  He especially loves to tell us that we are too small for God to care about us.  But, that is not true.  Even the city that Jesus was born in is sending a message, that He came for all of us because He loves all of us, right down to the tiniest of us. 


He also knows every one of our needs, the big ones, and the tiny ones.  He saw Joseph and Mary every moment that they were traveling to Bethlehem, and He was already preparing a place for Jesus to be born.  It may have been just a dirty stable to some people, but to God, it was a safe place, away from the people who wanted to hurt baby Jesus (we're going to talk about that next week!), and it was exactly what Joseph and Mary needed.


ASK:  What is something you need right now in your life that we need to pray about?  It can be a physical need, or something your heart needs.

Close with prayer over your children.  Parents, this is a great opportunity to emphasize to your children that God sees each of them individually and knows every bit of their hear needs.  But, He still likes to hear our voices when we talk to Him.  And He also likes to speak to us in return.  Make sure you lead your kids in a time of listening as well as praying.  You may want to play a worship song at this time and encourage your children to write down what they hear God saying to them (younger children can draw a picture of what God is saying) so they learn to treasure His voice.  

A Worship Leader's List of Inspiring Worship Artists

As a worship leader, I'm often asked about where I find music, what I'm listening to at the moment, what my favorite CD is...and I don't mind.  It's great fun to me to point people in the direction of quality, life-giving music. 

To that end, here is an incomplete (sorry, there are just too many) list of some of my most reliable sources of personal inspiration... (click on artist titles to link to website).

For personal worship and "soaking" times:

• Laura Woodley Osman - A beautiful "free worship" style that stirs my heart every time I listen.  My favorite is the "In Love" CD.
• Barry and Michelle Patterson - A married couple who have tapped into something amazing.  I have worn out one of their earliest projects, titled "Birth," for the last 10 years...and it still captivates me.
• All Sons and Daughters - Another married couple who burst on the scene recently with an amazing rock/folk/worship blend I've never heard before.  There's not a non-gorgeous song in their line-up, and they all have powerful messages.
• Rich Mullins - Yes, I still love him, twenty years after he's gone to be with Jesus.  I think he's probably got Heaven's choir good and warmed up by now, he and his hammer dulcimer.
• Enter the Worship Circle - A ground-breaking group that changed how I approached worship about 12 years ago, and they are still making great stuff. 
• David Nevue - He's one man on a piano who lets the keys sing for him.  His music brings rest to my soul, and he plays hymns the way I do in my dreams.
• Shane and Shane - If I was a man and could play the guitar, I would name myself Shane and join this group.  They are sincerely good, and their acoustic stuff is their best, which is rare and wonderful.
• Anthony Skinner - Not your average artist.  He has amazing insight in to the heart of the Father.  I also use a couple of his songs for corporate worship.
• King David - Thousands of years later, he's still got it.

For corporate worship:

• Bethel Music - Our church doesn't go a week without singing at least one song (usually more) from the group of artists that have emerged from Bethel Church, in Redding, California.  They not only record great sounds, they are capturing the heart of God for a generation of people.  The worship leader within their group that I find myself relating to the most as far as worship leading goes is Jeremy Riddle.
• Brian and Katie Torwalt - A married couple who minister deeply to my soul while making my toes tap happily along.  They are pretty new on the worship scene, but already have some well known songs that are touching people's hearts every time we sing them.
• Matt Redmand - I've learned a lot from this man about what it means to lead worship by being a worshipper first.  His ability to put sound doctrine to music is amazing, also.
• Hillsong Music - I don't usually do a lot of their music on a Sunday morning, but I love listening to it, and there is no denying that they have shaped a large part of the worship culture world-wide over the last decade and a half.  On top of that, their newest song, "Oceans," is just a grand slam.
• Rita Springer - Another worship leader who has taught me a lot just by setting the bar high and staying faithful to her God.  When I listen to this woman, I feel freer to be me.  It also helps that her voice is in the perfect range for me as a woman worship leader who is more comfortable in the alto realm.

There you have it.  Go ahead.  Just worship today!