Reading: Isaiah 53:4-5

Devotional: "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." Jesus didn't come to a perfect world but to ordinary, broken people. He entered through a family that had no room for Him, laying in a feeding trough instead of a crib. God specializes in showing up in messy places. When the enemy has you cornered and you think it's over, God says, "It's not over." Just when you're at the end of your rope, your Advocate and Defender rescues you. You are not forsaken—not for a minute. The Lord is in this place, even in the mess, even in the pain. Dry bones can awaken because healing is at the heart of Christmas.

Reflection Questions:

Where do you need God's healing presence in your life right now?
How can you recognize God's work in your "messy places"?