Waiting for Christ's return is more than mere waiting. It’s waiting in faith. It’s how the saints of the Old Testament were saved. They had to look forward and trust that God would be faithful to His promise to save them from their sins. In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef examines what it means to wait expectantly for Christ.
This devotional is adapted from MY Journal, Leading The Way’s monthly devotional magazine. Sign up now for a free six-month subscription to MY Journal—Dr. Youssef’s gift to you.
If you would like more insight into today’s devotional topic, listen to Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon series It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, But Why?: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW
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As you celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas, infuse your traditions with new ways to remember His promise of redemption—and prepare for His ultimate return.
In Preparing for the King, a vibrant 20-page Advent booklet featuring a special 4-part devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef emphasizes God’s faithfulness to send a Savior and the striking Scriptural comparisons between Christ’s first and second coming. Reflect on eye-opening Scriptures that point to Jesus as the one and only Savior foreshadowed for thousands of years—and be encouraged to prepare for the King at Christmas and in your everyday life.
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the daily devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] the Way. God's Promises Never Disappoint by Dr. Michael Youssef. When you have a moment,
[00:00:15] read Luke chapter 2 verses 25 through 35. Waiting for the return of Christ is more than
[00:00:23] mere waiting. It's waiting in faith. In fact, it's how the saints of the Old Testament
[00:00:28] were saved. They had to look forward and trust that God would be faithful to His promise
[00:00:33] to save them from their sins. This promise was first given after Adam and Eve sinned in
[00:00:38] the garden. God promised them a Redeemer who would be born of a woman. They didn't realize
[00:00:44] it would be a long wait, but they passed on that expectation all the way to Abraham, who
[00:00:50] looked for the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God. Jesus said of him,
[00:00:57] He saw it and was glad. And Abraham passed this promise on to Isaac and Jacob, who passed it
[00:01:06] to Judah, from whose line the Messiah would come. Then in Exodus, God's people looked for the
[00:01:12] Lamb of God. In Leviticus, the Great High Priest. In Numbers, the Smitten Rock. In Deuteronomy,
[00:01:20] the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet, the Prophet,
[00:01:23] and each book proclaims His coming from Genesis to Malachi. In Joshua, Christ is the Captain of the
[00:01:31] Lord of Hosts. In Judges, the Judge of the World. In Ruth, He's the true Kinsman Redeemer. In Samuel,
[00:01:40] the Coming Anointed One. In Nehemiah, the Rebuilder of Broken Lives. In Esther, the Protector of His
[00:01:48] People. In Job, He is our Comforter in Times of Trouble. In Psalms, the Good Shepherd. In Daniel,
[00:01:56] He is the Son of Man coming on the clouds in glory. In Haggai, the Desire of All Nations. In Zechariah,
[00:02:04] the Branch of Yahweh. And finally, in Malachi, He is the Son of Righteousness with Healing in His Wings.
[00:02:13] Then the Scripture went silent all the way to Simeon, who praised God, saying,
[00:02:19] My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations,
[00:02:24] a light for the revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.
[00:02:30] You see, expectations that are firmly set on the promises of God in His Word will never disappoint.
[00:02:39] God the Son promised that He's coming back in power and glory. He's coming back to fulfill the
[00:02:46] hopes of His children who are awaiting their full redemption. If this is the generation that sees His
[00:02:52] return, will you be ready? Let's pray together. Lord, we want to keep watch for Your coming and live
[00:03:00] in a way that honors You by the power of Your Spirit at work in us. We look forward to the day when we will
[00:03:07] hear those precious words, Well done, good and faithful servant. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
[00:03:18] To take a deeper dive into today's devotional topic, check the show notes for links to additional
[00:03:24] resources. And while you're there, subscribe to the My Devotional podcast so you never miss an episode.
[00:03:33] My Devotional is a ministry of Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. To learn more, visit
[00:03:39] ltw.org today.