As we venture through Advent, our 2023 Saint Luke Advent Devotional writers will guide us on a journey of love, hope, peace, and joy, illuminating the true meaning of the season. We will discover that the most significant longings of our hearts are not found in gift-wrapped boxes but are gifts from a loving God. These reflections will inspire and elevate your Advent experience as we reflect together on what we truly want this Christmas.

Lauren Baxter is the author of today’s devotional. Lauren has been coming to Saint Luke for almost a year and became a member this summer. She spends a lot of time with her grandchildren and loves to hike/walk. Saint Luke continues to be her strength and beacon of light.

PEACE & GOODWILL

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” -Luke 2:14

When I was still teaching, each year as the holidays approached, my students would get very excited about not only what gifts were to come their way, but also what gift they/their family could get for me. Every student who asked, each and every year, would receive the same answer from me, “Peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” They would inevitably respond with a (some rolling their eyes) "No, what do you REALLY want" and I stated that was all I wanted. Now to them, it seemed like a way for me to say please don’t get me anything (which was the case) and too easy a gift. Little did they realize the rather enormous gift for which I was asking yet how small a gift when it began with just one student. In today’s troubling, tumultuous times, this remains my ask for Christmas, peace on earth and goodwill toward men. A gift we can strive for by gifting it to each other one by one.

Dear God, help me to spread the hope of peace and may it ring true one day here on earth as it is in Heaven.