Advent Devotionals

“Rejoice in the Lord always!” – Philippians 4:4

Day 15 –  Joy Above Disappointment

Reading: Luke 1:5–25
Theme: God brings joy to what feels impossible.

In the quiet shadows of a long disappointment, Zechariah and Elizabeth had given up hope of children. Their prayers, once fervent, had likely faded into silence. But Advent reminds us that even when hope seems buried, God is still listening—and still working.

When the angel Gabriel appears in the temple, his announcement shatters the silence: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard." What follows is not just the promise of a child, but the promise of joy—“You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” (v. 14)

God’s grace often enters through the places we deem barren—our empty hopes, our impossible situations, our waiting rooms of despair. The birth of John the Baptist is a signal flare in the darkness: God hasn’t forgotten. In Advent, we prepare for the joy that breaks into barrenness, the joy that comes with Christ.

There’s a story told of a woman in an inner-city neighbourhood who, for years, tended a small patch of earth between two crumbling buildings. The soil was poor, choked with debris, and shaded most of the day. No one believed anything worthwhile could grow there.

But every morning, without fail, she came with her trowel and her watering can. Neighbours scoffed at her hope—until one spring, green shoots began to appear. By midsummer, sunflowers stretched to the sky, and tomatoes hung ripe on the vine. The barren place had bloomed.

When asked how she managed it, she simply said:
“The ground was broken, so I just gave it time, love, and faith.”

Advent invites us to believe that God is still planting joy in barren places—still working miracles where we’ve stopped looking. Even in the silence, even in the waiting, God is preparing something good.

Let this season rekindle your trust that nothing is impossible with God. The silence will not last forever.

Prayer:
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, O Lord. Where I have given up hope, speak again. Where I feel barren, breathe life. Make me ready to receive your joy. Amen.