Advent Devotional December 15, 2025

Scripture

Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.

4 Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.

6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your saving help within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 Do not, O Lord, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever.
12 For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.
14 Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt.
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God.

Devotion

The Rev. Dr. Charissa Clark Howe '14/'16/'23

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry." These opening words of Psalm 40 have echoed through my heart countless times this year. Like the psalmist who faced overwhelming circumstances—whether political crisis or personal affliction—I have been through a season of profound challenges. 2025 brought waves of loss and change: beloved family members passing away, a brother-in-law's near-fatal accident, an unexpected goodbye to a cherished pet, and the bittersweet transition from our home of twenty years to move closer to my new call.

In moments of grief and uncertainty, it’s easy to connect with the Psalmist’s “miry bog.” But this Psalm isn't primarily about despair - it's about testimony. The psalmist doesn't just receive deliverance; they proclaim it: "I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation. . ." This movement from crisis to proclamation shows us that our struggles become our testimony. When God lifts us from the pit and puts a new song in our mouth, we're not meant to keep silent. Our deliverance becomes a witness to others still waiting in their own miry clay.

The family members I mourned this year lived long, beautiful, God-filled lives. My brother-in-law's miraculous recovery and my new neighborhood and church have become sources of joy. When we face seasons of struggle, there is opportunity for testimony on the other side.

As we enter this season of waiting—for deliverance, comfort, God—perhaps you're experiencing overwhelming circumstances. Or maybe you're in a peaceful season—though challenging times eventually find us all. This Psalm reminds us that God's deliverance isn't about survival—it's about transformation. Our struggles become stories of hope, our pain becomes proclamation, and our deliverance becomes a testimony of God's faithfulness.

Prayer

Faithful God, in seasons of waiting and struggle, remind us that You hear our cries. Transform our pain into proclamation, our grief into gratitude. As we journey through Advent, help us recognize Your deliverance in our lives and give us courage to share our testimony of Your faithfulness. Amen.

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