24
Save the Best for Last
Wes Weiss
Wednesday, December 24
Isaiah 7:14
"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel."
Revelation 21:1-6
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. ”He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
I’ve titled this last day - Save The Best For Last. No I’m not saying this is the best devotional (keep reading). I hope you’ve enjoyed this Oasis Advent journey as much as I have. Way to go for signing up. I hope this has created a new habit for you and you can make devotional time a part of your everyday…..for the rest of your life.
Well here we are! The last day of our advent readings! As a staff, we’ve loved preparing them and sharing this journey with you. For many of us, the anticipation of these days has been building for weeks. Whether you’re starting your celebrations tonight or tomorrow, it’s a season filled with expectation. But maybe, for some, this isn’t a festive time - it’s a quieter time, or even a season marked by brokenness and loneliness.
For the Israelites Jesus’ birth was a moment that they had been anticipating for centuries. They lived through exiles, famines, wars, oppression, and all kinds of trials from a world infected with sin; waiting for this promise to come true…and it did. Their long-awaited Messiah was born—Jesus.
Why is that significant? Because a second advent is coming. There is something even better to come. That’s what Revelation 21 is talking about. Just like Israel waited centuries for their saviour to come, Revelation reminds us that another day is approaching when Jesus will return—not to inaugurate His kingdom (He did that on the first Christmas)—but to fulfill it completely.
That first Advent is proof of God’s faithfulness. As He said in verse 5 from above, His words are “trustworthy and true.” This promise is our assurance; even as we live in a world that’s both beautiful and broken. Whether you’re feeling joy, excitement, tension, or loneliness this season, you can trust that God will deliver on His promise to return—just as He delivered on His promise to send a Savior.
But in the waiting, don’t forget the name, “Emmanuel,” which means that God is with us. He is with us now, giving us strength and hope for whatever we face. So as we close, let’s join Christians throughout the centuries in praying the words of Revelation 22:20:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The best is yet to come!
We hope you've been encouraged and challenged by this Advent journey. You've started a valuable habit, so now let's keep it going! We recommend the YouVersion Bible app where you will find daily devotionals and plans that you can follow, much like this Advent reading plan experience. You can also set Oasis Church as "my church" in the app, and we will recommend plans that relate to our Sunday morning services and Life Group content.