Advent 2025 begins on Nov. 30 and ends on Dec. 24.
During this season of Advent, join us for weekly devotions as we enter into a time of expectation and anticipation in preparation for Christmas.
Hope beyond hope
By Belaynesh Tadesse
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Meditation
Mary’s response to the angel — “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” — reminds us that faith begins with trust and surrender. Mary did not question; she trusted and surrendered. Her faith teaches us that surrendering to God’s will is the path to true hope.
Mary’s response also provides lessons of hope. She was humble in submission to God. She was confident even in the face of uncertainty and hardship.
She could have doubted. What if Joseph, the man she was formally engaged to, did not believe her? She could have faced public disgrace. As Scripture says in Matthew 1:19, “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”
Instead, Mary demonstrated that hope thrives when we trust in the power of God and the fulfillment of His word.
Surrendering to God is strength, not a sign of weakness. Mary knew that God had a future with hope in mind for her. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Mary was an ordinary girl from a modest town. God chose her for an extraordinary task. This is an example of hope for ordinary people. He uses those with a willing heart, regardless of who we are. During this Advent season, may we be attentive to encourage and instill hope to others in honor of Christ’s birth.
Prayer
Lord, may You help us to listen to Your call and be willing to say “Yes” to be Your servant, to be Your light in this world, and to be Your instruments of peace and love in this troubled world.
Questions
- Are you willing to lay down your questions and doubts, trust Him and say yes to His calling?
- Have you experienced God’s power in making the impossible possible?
- Are you ready to share the message of hope to a colleague or stranger during this season of Advent?
Belaynesh Tadesse is the director of finance, administration and business strategy for the Asia-Pacific region of Habitat for Humanity International.
The birthplace of hope
By Mariah Travis
In His name the nations will put their hope.
Meditation
The beginning of our story takes us to Bethlehem, a small town of humble people who lived from the land, a town with little room for a traveling young couple about to give birth.
In a room meant for sheltering animals, there is little light. You can almost taste the dust and smell the scent that lingers in the air. It was not a place fit for the birth of hope by any human standards, yet God’s thoughts are so much higher. He did not hesitate to bring hope to all humankind in such a humble way.
Hope can shine in dark places like a shelter unfit for a family; it can be bundled up in a manger unsuitable for a human baby. Hope is for all in the land, the poor and the rich, the simple and the wise, those with expectations for good news and those taken by surprise.
Very much like the shepherds who were the first to look inside a humble shelter for the incarnation of hope, we are called to see beyond the dimmed circumstances that surround us. In this Advent season, as we face uncertainty in our work, our environment and our own lives, let us not lose hope. Let us be reminded that possibilities can be found in unseemly places, new ideas can spark in the dark and humble beginnings have never limited God’s light. It can shine and give birth to wonderful new stories.
Just as in the beginning of this story, our mission invites us to go into towns with little room for families in need of shelter and to look inside places that seem unsuitable for our fellow humans. We also must adjust our sight and focus on the hope laid in front of us. As we work together with the families and communities we serve to build a brighter future, let us renew our strength and be expectant of all God can do once again.
As we step into these challenges, let’s do so with our sight adjusted and our faith in Him who is the source of our hope restored. Like the shepherds on that first Christmas night, may we witness and share the good news with all humankind.
Prayer
Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Son to humanity, for the hope You give us through Him. We pray that You open our eyes to see beyond challenging circumstances and look to the future with hope and expectation. As we go to those places that seem impossible to us, give us eyes to see the need and the possibilities. We pray that You use this season of reflection to renew our minds and strengths and build our hope for the future so we can bring hope to those we’ll encounter. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Questions
- In what areas of our lives do we need to adjust our sight to see past difficult circumstances?
- Where do I need to grow hope and expectation in God’s promises for a brighter future?
- Where am I called to be a bearer of hope and good news?
Mariah Travis is a knowledge manager for Habitat for Humanity in San José, Costa Rica.
Hope, the bridge that leads us on
By Ronald Kiconco Ongopa
… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Meditation
I’ve learned to understand faith not just as a concept, but as a conviction. Faith is what I do because of WHO I believe.
As I reflected on this truth for this devotion, I began to see hope as the bridge to what I do. I realized that what I do has never stood alone. It has been shaped by voices from the past and the places I’ve walked through. Through this exposure and these environments, I learned to trust people — to act because I believe and hope in them. But I’ve also come to understand something deeper. People’s strength depends on where they’ve placed their own hope. If that foundation isn’t solid, everything built on it is shaky.
I was reminded of a young girl named Grace, whom I met while serving with Habitat for Humanity in Uganda. Grace’s life was upended when she lost both parents. She and her siblings lost everything they owned, including their home. Forced into early adulthood, Grace started selling fish to survive. One day, a tourist listened to her story and told her about Habitat, which could mean hope for a home and a future together with her siblings. Grace’s world, however, had taught her something else. “Someone I don’t know, let alone an organization, can’t do that for us,” she thought. Her faith was shaped by her past, and her hope was broken. She dismissed the possibility because it didn’t fit the framework she trusted.
Grace’s story echoes a deeper truth: We act based on who — or what — we believe. And if our belief is rooted in fallen man or painful experiences, our hope can become misdirected.
Jesus Himself faced a harsh environment. Yet “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame …” His faith was anchored in the Father, and His hope was unwavering. It’s the reason the apostle Paul’s urge is to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” Hope in Him becomes the true means to fruitful life.
Thankfully, Grace’s story didn’t end in despair. She found the courage to challenge her beliefs and to walk into the Habitat offices in Kampala, Uganda. That step changed everything for her and her siblings. Without hope, Grace had no chance. With it, she found a new path.
Prayer
Lord, sometimes the echoes of our past and the paths we’ve walked can cloud our vision and hinder our dreams. Help us to live fully in You, to see life through Your eyes, and to fix our gaze on Jesus — the author and perfecter of our faith.
Questions
- How do the environments and relationships we’ve experienced shape where we place our hope, and how does that, in turn, influence our ability to act with strength and trust?
- How does anchoring our faith in Jesus, rather than in our circumstances or past experiences, transform the way we respond to challenges and pursue a fruitful life?
- How does Grace’s decision to challenge her beliefs and seek help reflect the transformative power of hope and action in overcoming adversity?
Ronald Kiconco Ongopa is a director of individual giving at Habitat for Humanity International.
Advent-ure
By Jennifer T. Holmes
But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth; He sends water upon the countryside. The lowly He sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; He saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
Meditation
The word “poor” is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “inferior in quality or value” and “lacking an adequate supply of something specified.” In Job chapter 5, Eliphaz is sharing with Job his judgment on why Job has lost his family, his health and his material possessions. Eliphaz erroneously asserts that Job’s predicament is due to some sin of which Job has not confessed nor repented. In couching his assumptions about Job as encouragement, Eliphaz states in verse 16 that “… the poor have hope.”
Who are the “poor” who have hope? Are they people who are inferior in quality or value? Are they people lacking the essentials for a healthy quality of life, such as safe, decent housing? Is there an assumption that the poor are less deserving or have failed to take actions that could have improved their life conditions, as Eliphaz implies about Job?
This season of Advent can be the impetus for an awakening of consciousness, a birth of awareness about systemic economic injustice. While we know Job’s experience of loss was a test from God to prove Job’s commitment to his faith, the families with whom Habitat partners may be experiencing insufficiencies for the same reasons Eliphaz references in verses 12–15.
When Habitat for Humanity, through the Home Equals advocacy campaign, examines legislation that affects housing affordability, it becomes clear that powerful systems continue to perpetuate economic marginalization. Eliphaz used the words “crafty,” “schemes” and “powerful” to describe the systems in which the poor are relegated to the margins where never enough is the norm. Through advocacy and hands-on labor, Habitat has the influence to “shut the mouth of injustice.”
May this season awaken an Advent-ure in each of us to assess our judgments of our neighbors, to strive against injustice and motivate us to be a source of hope for those who have less.
Prayer
God, send us on an Advent-ure to mourn with all who grieve the loss of safety, justice and peace. Awaken us from our cognitive dissonance so that we can be Your faithful disrupters of injustice. Dismantle our egos and comfort so that we prioritize caring for the least of these who are among us. In the mighty name of Jesus, our Lord, amen.
Questions
- When you read Job 5:12–15, who or what comes to your mind? What Advent-ure will you embark on to challenge the schemes of powerful?
- When you reflect on the grave, unexpected losses that Job experienced and Eliphaz’s assumption of Job’s wrongdoing, can you remember a time when you’ve concluded that someone must be guilty because of a negative situation(s) that they faced? How did you react when you learned that you were wrong? How have you grown since then?
- How can your roles in life be utilized as a source of hope and a challenge to injustice?
Jennifer T. Holmes is a development officer at Habitat for Humanity International. She is based in Michigan, USA.