Scripture:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

Mark 12:30

_

As we enter this season of Advent, a time when we anticipate the coming of our Savior, we are called to reflect on what it means to prepare our hearts and lives for Jesus. The season of Advent invites us to ready ourselves, not just in outward preparations, but in the deep, internal posture of our hearts.

Throughout the coming weeks, we are invited to slow down, reflect, and prepare not just our homes and hearts, but our entire lives for the coming of Christ. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is not a one-time decision, but an ongoing process of aligning every part of who we are with God’s purposes. We practice this with our students in every subject and in every activity. It is our prayer that they will know what this looks like by watching their friends, relatives, parents, teachers, neighbors, and church community. Will you become a part of the community?

Worship with us this Christmas by letting this verse from Mark 12 guide you as we wait together for the coming of our Savior. May we love Him fully and faithfully, with every fiber of our being, and may our love for Him be evident in how we live, learn, and serve this Advent season and beyond.

_

Prayer

Lord Jesus, as we await Your coming this Advent season, help us to love You with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Teach us to give You our full attention and devotion in every area of our lives. May our love for You be evident in our actions, our words, and our thoughts. Thank You for coming to us and for calling us to love You deeply. In Your name we pray, Amen.

You have likely heard us talk about Watermark and the beauty of the home, the classroom, and the church all bending in the same direction as the affections of the heart and mind are being shaped throughout a child’s formative years. As we celebrate this collaboration, we will have a three-week advent devotional—each one aimed at one of these important groups. Up first, we will take a look at students and what this season can mean for them.

_

Scripture:

"The angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus."

Luke 1:26-38

_

Devotion:

Every year during Advent, we are invited into a time of waiting and preparing—waiting for the arrival of Jesus, the long-expected Savior. For children, Advent offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and experience the joy of anticipation. But Advent is not just a countdown to Christmas Day; it is a season rich in history, hope, and prayer. It’s a time for all of us—especially our children—to recognize the significance of Christ’s first coming and to look forward with joyful expectation to His return.

In the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, we can sometimes lose sight of what Advent is all about. But for children, Advent can be a time to discover the depth of God’s love for them, as well as the sacred story of how Jesus came into the world to save us.

In the Scripture passage from Luke 1, we read about the angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary. Imagine what it must have been like for a young girl when she heard the astounding message that she would give birth to the Son of God! At first, she was confused and afraid, but she trusted in God’s plan for her life. Mary waited patiently for God’s promises to unfold in her life, and through her, the world would come to know the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.

For children, waiting is not always easy. We are all used to immediate gratification in many areas of life. But Advent teaches us the value of patience and hope. Just as Mary waited for the birth of Jesus, we too wait—during Advent—for the joy and peace He brings into the world. Advent calls us to learn the spiritual discipline of waiting in hope, knowing that something wonderful is coming.

_

Reflection Question for Children:

How can we learn to wait with hope and joy during Advent, just like Mary did, even when we’re excited for Christmas to arrive?

_

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. As we acknowledge this Advent season, help us to wait with joyful hearts, to prepare our hearts for His coming, and to share His love with those around us. May our children grow in understanding of the true meaning of Christmas, and may they experience the hope, peace, and joy that come only from You. We pray that this season will draw us closer to You and remind us of the wonderful gift of salvation that we have in Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

_

Devotion:

Advent holds rich lessons for all areas of life—including us, an educational community. As a classical Christian program, we value the tradition of learning that stretches back through the centuries, rooted in Scripture, reason, and beauty. But Advent calls us to something deeper: to wait in expectation for the fulfillment of God’s promises, to live in the tension between the "already" and the "not yet."

Advent is about the hopeful anticipation of Christ’s coming. As Christians, we recognize that Christ is the source of all wisdom and truth. This truth should shape how we approach every subject in the classroom. Whether we are studying history, science, literature, or mathematics, we are called to see these subjects through the lens of Christ.

For example, in literature, we recognize how themes of redemption and human flourishing resonate with the gospel. In science, we see the beauty of creation and the wisdom of a Creator who ordered the universe. In history, we see God’s providential hand at work through the ages. Advent teaches us to see Christ not as a distant or separate reality but as the One who gives all of creation (and academic study!) meaning. The classroom is a place of invitation for students to consider how Christ is present. This Advent, let us encourage them to learn with a sense of wonder and expectancy, knowing that all knowledge ultimately points to Christ.

This Advent, let us take time to reflect on our calling as educators and parents. May we approach our work with renewed devotion, seeking not only to teach knowledge but to form souls in the truth of Christ. May we lead our students not just to answers but to the ultimate answer: Jesus Christ, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace.

_

Prayer:

Lord, during this Advent season, help us to wait with patient expectation for Your coming. Teach us to see Your presence in all that we do as we instruct and learn. May we be mindful of the gifts of learning and growing, and may we always remember that all truth points to You. Grant us the wisdom to teach and the humility to learn, that our education may reflect Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

_

Action Step:

This week, take a moment to reflect on a subject you are teaching or helping your child to learn. How can you point your students to Christ through the material? What ways can you embody the spirit of Advent—waiting with expectancy and hope—in your approach to teaching? Consider how the themes of Advent—hope, peace, joy, and love—might inform your time.

Scripture:

"For neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

1 Corinthians 3:7

_

Devotion:

In the midst of the season’s busyness, as we anticipate the joy of Christmas, we are reminded of the fundamental call to nurture the next generation in the fear and knowledge of God. This nurturing starts in the home, with parenting as a primary and sacred vocation. In a classical Christian community like ours, we recognize that the education of a child is not just about imparting knowledge but about forming character, instilling wisdom, and cultivating virtue.

This is a joint effort between the school and the family, but it is the parents who hold the greatest responsibility and privilege in shaping the hearts and minds of their children. As we reflect on this during Advent, we are called to think about the role of parenting—not only in terms of instruction but also in terms of love, discipline, and spiritual formation. Parenting involves a commitment to raise children who are not only academically successful but spiritually grounded. In this task, we face the daily challenge of balancing discipline and grace, instruction and love. But there is also great joy in the work, for the fruit of faithful parenting is seen in the lives of children who grow up to love and serve the Lord.

As we observe the birth of Christ this season, let us be reminded that God entrusted His own Son to earthly parents—Mary and Joseph. They, too, had a sacred calling to raise the Son of God. Like them, we are entrusted with the children God has placed in our care. As we parent, we do so with the knowledge that it is God who gives growth. We plant, we water, but it is God who makes things grow.

_

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as we enter this season of Advent, we thank You for the great gift of family and the responsibility of parenting. Help us to raise our children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, showing them Your love, truth, and grace. Teach us to nurture them with patience and guide them in the ways of wisdom and virtue. May our homes be places of reflection, prayer, and preparation for Your coming. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

_

Reflection:

As a family, discuss the ways in which you can prepare your home for Christ’s coming. What are some specific practices or traditions to nurture your children in the faith? How can you make Advent a season of reflection and preparation for both you and your children?