GPS: Grow, Pray & Study Guide
For week starting on December 21st, 2025
“Those Who Lived In A Land Of Deep Darkness-On Them Light Has Shined”
“To understand Mary’s humanity and her central role in Jesus’s story is to remind ourselves of
the true miracle of the Incarnation—and that is the core Christian conviction that God is with us,
plain old ordinary us. God is with us in our fears and in our pain, in our morning sickness and in
our ear infections, in our refugee crises and in our endurance of Empire, in smelly barns and
unimpressive backwater towns, in the labor pains of a new mother and in the cries of a tiny
infant. In all these things, God is with us—and God is for us (Rachel Held Evans).”
Dear Lord, thank you. We rejoice in your gift of light and grace in this dark world. Amen.
Monday December 22 – “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
Isaiah 9:2-7
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep
darkness-on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the
yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have
broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments
rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to
us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be
endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with
justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of
hosts will do this.” Rejoice, for the Lord has brought light into the darkness of our world!
Tuesday December 23 – “Sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
Psalm 99
“O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works
among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above
all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and
majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, O families
of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his
name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.” Sing as you rejoice, for the Lord has brought
light into the darkness of our lives!
Wednesday December 24 – “Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord.”
Psalm 99
“Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations,
‘The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the
peoples with equity.’ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all
that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for
joy before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the
world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.” Join the rejoicing song of the natural
world that surrounds us, for the Lord has brought light to us on this earth!
Thursday December 25 – “For the grace of God has appeared.”
Titus 2:11-14
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and
worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and
godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity
and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.” Rejoice in the grace
of God as we live in hope in this world!
Friday December 26 – “There was no place for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:1-20
“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be
registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of
Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth
in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the
house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and
who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And
she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.” The Lord of life, born into the humility of a
stable, calls to each of us with grace and peace.
Saturday December 27 – “Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:1-20
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by
night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am
bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child
wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’ When the angels had left them and gone into
heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that
has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary
and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had
been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told
them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”
Mary took it all into her heart as she rejoiced in the grace of God and rejoiced in the new life of
Jesus.
