category: Advent Advent Reflection: Day 22 By ĆŪ¶¹Ö±²„ University On November 12, 2020 Sunday,Ā December 20 2 Samuel 7:1ā11, 16; Romans 16:25ā27; Luke 1:26ā38 āWhen the angel came to her, he said, āRejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!ā She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might beā (Luke 1:28-29 Common English Bible). Angels play many roles throughout Scripture. They announce and they instruct; they guide and they protect. As announcers, divine angels deliver urgent news, or tidings, just as human messengers do. Naturally, the ones visited are eager to know whether the angel bears good news or bad news. All the while, fear is the typical response to an angelās visit. According to Luke 1:12, Zacharias was gripped with fear when an angel appeared to him, and we all know that the shepherds were āsore afraidā when an angel appeared to them in the field at night (Luke 2:9 KJV). Mary was afraid too when Gabriel appeared to her. While the Common English Bible says that she was āconfused,ā many other translations say that she was ātroubled.ā Be that as it may, the next thing that Gabriel says to Mary according to Luke 1:30 is, āFear not!ā It seems fair to suggest then that at least Gabrielās appearance prompts Maryās fear, even as his words prompt her confusion. I wonder if her fear has to do with not knowing āwhat kind of greeting this might be.ā We donāt receive urgent messages often. Most news can wait a while. For example, only once has a colleague at GardnerāWebb University appeared at the door of my classroom with urgent news while class was in progress. āThis has to be something big,ā I thought. It was, and as the face of the messenger suggested, it was bad news. Even with the possibility of good news, we are prone to expect bad news, arenāt we? We are prone to be afraid when a messenger shows up at our door. When weāre called out of class because, the messenger says, āThe principal wants to see you,ā we assume that we are in big trouble. A call from the doctor is sure to be bad news, right? I know that if an angel paid me a visit, I would assume that my time on earth was up. Yet, we long for good news, and for God to interrupt our routines with its urgent announcement. May the urgent and good news of Christ be real for you this Advent and Christmas season. May we expect it and receive it. Amen. Cal RobertsonProfessor of Biblical Studies
Post 2025 Advent Devotion: Day 25 Thursday, December 25 Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14 Christmas has arrived! The decorations are up, the shopping is over, meals are being prepared, and time with loved ones fills our homes with joy. For Brit and me, this has always been one of our favorite times of year. We treasure the gatherings, the laughter […] ĆŪ¶¹Ö±²„ University | December 25, 2025
Post 2025 Advent Devotion: Day 24 Wednesday, December 24 Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14 Christmas is a time to remember who God is and what He has done. The writer of Psalm 96 reminds us of who God is by giving us a description of Godās unmatched character. In this psalm we are told of Godās greatness (v. 4), of […] ĆŪ¶¹Ö±²„ University | December 24, 2025
Post 2025 Advent Devotion: Day 23 Tuesday, December 23 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29; Galatians 3:6-14 When David sat before the Lord in 2 Samuel 7, his prayer was full of humility and awe. āWho am I, O Lord God,ā he asks, āand what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?ā Looking back over his life, on Israelās redemption, […] ĆŪ¶¹Ö±²„ University | December 23, 2025
