November 30

For the last decade, my family sat together every evening of Advent and read our Jesse Tree lesson. Then, the kids would take turns hanging the daily ornament on the tree. The first tree we used was just our family Christmas tree—it always goes up the day after Thanksgiving (no black Friday shopping for this gal). After awhile, we bought a miniature tree that exclusively holds our Jesse Tree Ornaments. It has been a wonderful way to keep our focus on God during the bustle of the holiday season. Whether you have your own ornaments to hang or are just here for the daily devotional, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

The daily scripture readings are the ones my family uses, however I didn’t want to jump through any copyright hoops to use the lesson that goes with them, so I am going to write a little something myself. Bonus points if there is some connection to caregiving, but that won’t always be possible.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2 ESV)

This prophecy from Isaiah is coming on the heels of destruction—its a sign of hope breaking through despair. A stump amid a forest razed in judgment sits lifeless and forgotten. But God promises new growth and life, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, that will bring forth the Messiah.

Family caregivers may find this especially comforting. When our workload piles up, our joy is lost, and with no end in sight, we may feel our work is as futile as tending to a stump. It may cause us to question if anything good is coming out of our labors. But advent reminds us that we belong to a living God—one who brought life to the barren, hope to the enslaved, and restoration to the lost.

Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, however. While this story appeals on a deeply personal level, it is also meant for jew and gentile (everyone). We will begin tomorrow, the first Sunday of Advent, learning about the creation of the world. We will see the majesty of God’s work before learning how sin changed everything. We will also see God revealing his plan for the future, in his timing—one that would give us Jesus, Savior of the world.

Prayer for today:

Heavenly Father, help me to prepare my heart for the coming Advent season. Open my eyes and ears to learn about the plan you have for the Branch of Jesse and how you will complete that which you have promised. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.