Scripture:
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.” — Isaiah 11:10
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” — Romans 15:13
Devotional:
Advent begins in the silence — the long pause between promise and fulfillment.
For four hundred years, heaven said nothing. No prophets. No miracles. No new words from God. Just generations of people trying to believe that the story wasn’t over. The ache of waiting pressed on the world like a winter sky, heavy and still.
Waiting is never easy. It’s the place where faith is tested — not by storms, but by silence. It’s one thing to trust God when the sea splits in front of you; it’s another to trust Him when nothing moves at all.
Maybe you know that feeling — the long pause where your prayers echo back unanswered, where it feels like God is still writing the next line but hasn’t turned the page yet. The space between what He promised and what you can see can feel unbearable.
But Advent tells us the silence was never empty. God was still moving — in wombs, in whispers, in the hidden soil of time. Isaiah saw it long before it broke the surface: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse.” Out of what looked dead, life was already growing.
That’s what Advent means — God is faithful in the waiting. He’s not late. He’s precise. Every pause is on purpose. And even when we try to rush Him, He reminds us that the roots of redemption run deep beneath what we can see.
The first Advent came to a people who were tired of waiting, but Hope still came — not fast, but full. And that same Hope still comes to us today.
Application:
Light your first Advent candle and let the quiet settle. Ask yourself honestly:
Where am I waiting on God right now?
Where am I trying to rush Him?
What would it look like to trust His timing more than my own desire for control?
Then whisper this truth into your silence: “God, I trust You in the pause.”
Prayer:
Jesus, You are faithful even when heaven feels still. Teach me to trust You in the silence, to believe that You are working in unseen ways. When I grow restless, slow my heart to match Your rhythm. Let my waiting become worship, and my pause become peace. Amen.
Family Advent Activities
1. The Star Box of Waiting
Find a small box or jar and set it in the center of your table. This week, talk about what each person is waiting or hoping for — healing, peace, direction, reconciliation. Write each one on a slip of paper and place it in the box.
Each evening, light a candle and read one slip aloud. Pray, “God, we trust You in the waiting.”
As you add more slips, tape or hang a small paper star nearby — a quiet reminder that even when the world feels still, His light still shines.
2. Candlelight Quiet Night
Choose one night this week to unplug everything. Light a single candle. Read Isaiah 11:10 or Romans 15:13 aloud, then sit in silence together for a minute or two. Ask aloud, Where are we waiting on God? Where are we tempted to rush Him?
Let the stillness linger before praying together, “Lord, meet us in the pause.”
Recipe Options:
1. Waiting Cocoa (Simple Recipe)
Warm 3 cups milk (or almond milk) in a saucepan.
Stir in 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Whisk slowly until it begins to steam — not boil.
Pour into mugs and add a small marshmallow or cinnamon sprinkle.
While you wait for the milk to heat, read Romans 15:13 and talk about how even small moments of waiting can become invitations to hope. As you sip, share one thing you’re trusting God to do in His timing.
2. Rising Bread of Hope
Use any simple frozen or canned bread dough (or refrigerated rolls). Watch it rise before baking, then read Isaiah 11:1–10 together. As the bread bakes, talk about how hope also rises slowly — unseen but certain. Break bread warm from the oven and thank God for what He’s growing in silence.
