Worldwide Christmas December 3, 2025 Devotional

PHILIPPIANS 2:9-11 | ⁹ Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, ¹⁰ so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What will happen when Jesus returns? It will mark the end of all divisions, the consolidation of all competing authorities. We live in a world of lines and boundaries, marking areas of power and control. In politics there are so many systems, so many competing claims. In law there are many voices and many judges. Our world is a place of disagreement, conflict, and war, where freedom is fragile and must be constantly defended. In fact we are suspicious of over-mighty authorities, lest they become despotic or authoritarian. But the author to the Philippians tells us that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. This instant consolidation will be good news. We will only have to listen to one voice, obey one power, and acknowledge one authority. That voice will be the voice of truth, that power will be the power of love, and that authority will be divine.

Eventually, when Jesus returns there will be peace everywhere. If you could name one area now where you would love for peace to come, where would it be?

What has your experience of authority been like? Oppressive? Just? Mixed?

Do you instinctively tend to trust or mistrust authority? Why is this?

Gracious God,

Give me a healthy respect for healthy authorities and a healthy suspicion of distorted ones. Help me trust in Your authority now and when history concludes.

Amen.