November 30th, 2025

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

What a joy it is to begin this Advent season with you!  Each day during Advent, we will have the opportunity to look up scripture and read what someone in our church family wrote in response to that scripture.  We hope that you will follow along on this journey as we prepare to celebrate the greatest birth that has ever or will ever occur.

The scripture for today begins our Advent journey as Isaiah prophesied that “to us a child is born, to us a son is given.”  It goes on to describe this child…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  It lets us know that there will be no end to His reign and that it will be just and righteous.

Yet, what really strikes me in this scripture, perhaps for the first time, is the word “US.”  Why include that the baby was born to us and given to us?  He wasn’t just sent to one day rule the world, but He was sent to US.  I don’t know of any other leader that I have felt was sent directly to me, but isn’t that what this is saying?  He was sent not as a far away leader, but as a Savior to us which means you and me.  Everything in Advent and Christmas must come back then to US, not that we did anything to deserve it, it was given to US.