There are three sets of traditional readings for Christmas. I couldn’t pick just one! So today you have options. Choose the one that fits your celebration. There’s a midnight reading if you need a few moments of peace after a late night wrapping session. There’s a reading for dawn, in case your cat wakes you up earlier than you expected. And there’s a reading for the middle of the day—if you’re just sitting around while your dinner cooks.
And if your guests or your pets or your recipes gobbled up all of December 25, and you are looking at this page on December 26 and feeling guilty—stop it! These pages are not here to give you guilt. They are here to give you refreshment when you need it.
This is the Dawn reading, for those of you who have a quiet home early in the morning.
Psalm 97 (Link to all the scriptures here)
Isaiah 62:11-12
Titus 3:4-7
Luke 2:15-20
Notes
Psalm 97 celebrates God’s rule over all of his creation, especially his ultimate victory over sin and false gods.
Isaiah 62: Notice how God’s words to “the daughter of Zion” are proclaimed to the end of the earth. He is inviting everyone to accept his salvation. “God extends to the nations the opportunity to become part of Zion.” (quote from ESV Study Bible)
Titus 3 is a beautiful summary of the Messiah’s gift to all of us. Look it up in the NLT version for a very clear wording.
Luke 2: Ask the Lord for a new appreciation of this familiar story.
Treasure: Light is sown
Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart. (Psalm 97:11)
They shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord;
and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. (Isaiah 62:12)
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
he saved us… (Titus 3:4-5)
Lord, you say that you have sown light for me—planted it like a seed. I trust that I will see these moments of brightness in your time.
Within this day, may I ponder, glorify and praise you because you have not forsaken me. You have sought me out and saved me and given me your goodness and loving kindness.
Photo Credit: John Gonsalves
Light for a Dark Season 