2020 Daily Devotion - Day 264

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The great Lutheran pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, imprisoned by Hitler during World War II, writes to his fiancé about one of the many lessons he learned from life in prison:

“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside is not a bad picture of Advent.”

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Letters and Papers from Prison; in a letter to his fiancée, Maria von Wedemeyer from Tegel Prison in Germany, November 21, 1943)

Our salvation is never something we accomplish. Even faith is not something we do. The door is opened from the outside and this is what Jesus came to do. During this Advent season, we are reminded that because of our sinful condition, we are in bondage to sin and must be rescued. This is why Christmas is so wonderful. We celebrate that He has opened the door to our freedom from “sin, death and the power of the devil”.

Galatians 1:3-5 ESV
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we are so very grateful for You coming to us, in Jesus, to open the door to our prison cell. We could never do this, but You have. Help us this Advent and Christmas, to celebrate this good news. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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