Family Scripture Readings for December
Does your family struggle to stay focused on Jesus amid the baking and buying and bustle of the Christmas season? These flexible December devotions for families provide six readings between Thanksgiving and Christmas, then continue with daily readings for the final week of December.
Christmas Isn’t the End of the Story
My desire in writing this is to point your family to Jesus, but not just the baby-in-a-manger Jesus. Often, it feels like reading the story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas morning is the culmination of something rather than the middle of the greatest story ever told.
And so…we begin at the beginning, with God’s eternal light, continue through the story of light diminished when sin entered the world, see glimpses of light through human history, and the promise of light to come.
Before Christmas Readings
There are five short readings to fit in any time between December 1st and December 24th. If your family finds it difficult to get everyone together for daily readings during the month of December, this devotional is for you!
These readings point you to Jesus—the light of the world—through whom we have the light of life.
Christmas Day Reading
The theme of light travels through the story of God’s redemptive plan, with a Christmas reading from Luke 2 to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
After Christmas Readings
Unlike most advent devotionals, these readings continue after Christmas Day. Once the hectic holiday season winds down, there are daily readings for the week after Christmas.
During this week, the daily readings explore the themes of light that we see in Jesus’ life on earth, his sacrificial death, our display of light to others, and the ultimate victory of light over darkness.
The final reading focuses on our need for daily interaction with God, especially through reading his word. We see the light of the world displayed from the beginning of time through eternity, and think about how we can reflect and display God’s light to those around us.
Light of the World Devotional Format
Each reading follows the format outlined below.
- Reading title and how it relates to the theme of light
- A line or two from a well-known Christmas carol or song.
(Try to guess the song name with your family! You’ll find the answer at the end of each post.) - Scriptures that develop the theme of light
- Discussion point or question
- Suggested listening: link to a Christmas song that explores the related theme
Tips for Reading to Children
Slow down. Most of us read too quickly for children to understand and comprehend the material. Read the title, subtitle, and scriptures slowly. Pause at commas and allow time for everyone to think about the meaning behind the words.
Discuss. Stop and talk about the meaning of words your children may not know. Ask them if there is anything they don’t understand.
Visualize. The concepts of light and darkness are easy for children to understand. Encourage them to visualize the imagery conveyed in the scriptures and discussion questions.
Celebrate the good news of great joy this Christmas season!
12 Family Devotional Readings for December
The following images will lead you through the devotional readings.
Bookmark this page for one convenient place to access all twelve readings.
If you prefer to purchase the Kindle edition of this devotional, click the image below to buy it on Amazon. The Kindle book includes the full devotional text, along with clickable links to the suggested music listening.
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December Devotional for Families: Light of the World
