Daily Devotional — 23 December 2025

Scripture:
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” — John 1:14 (NLT)

Two days before Christmas, we stand quietly at the edge of a mystery.

God did not arrive wrapped in gold or seated on a throne. He came through wood.

A manger—rough, splintered, ordinary.
A carpenter’s home—tools, sawdust, calloused hands.
And one day, a cross—raw timber bearing the weight of the world’s sin.

Wood is not rare in the universe. Gold is. Diamonds are. Yet Scripture repeatedly ties redemption to something simple, grown slowly, shaped patiently, and often overlooked.

Wood comes from life.

God chose the ordinary material of life to accomplish the most extraordinary act of salvation.

This matters for us—especially when our lives feel unremarkable, worn down, or unfinished.

You may feel like you are living in the “in-between” right now. Not at the celebration yet. Not at the breakthrough. Just waiting. Just holding steady. Just doing faithful work in quiet places.

That is where God loves to work.

Jesus did not skip the manger to get to the cross. He did not bypass obscurity for glory. He sanctified the ordinary by entering it fully.

And if God can redeem the world through wood, He can certainly redeem your waiting, your weariness, and your unseen faithfulness.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for choosing the humble and the ordinary. As I wait for Christmas, help me trust that You are at work in the quiet places of my life. Shape me patiently. Strengthen me faithfully. Use even the rough edges for Your glory. Amen.

Closing Thought:
Before the crown came the crib.
Before the resurrection came the cross.
And before glory, God always enters the ordinary.

Stay faithful. Christmas is almost here.