Christmas has a way of softening hearts toward the Gospel. Regardless of whether you’ve been a believer for a long time or you’re a skeptic in search of real meaning this holiday season, Greg Laurie’s all-new book, “Heaven’s Light Breaking: A 25-Day Advent Devotional,” is the perfect way to prepare your heart for Christmas this December.
Laurie’s devotional is divided into 25 brief chapters that take a look at that very first Christmas 2,000 years ago and the timeless truths that remain applicable to our modern lives today. Filled with Scripture and nuggets of easy-to-remember takeaways, each daily devo concludes with a sample prayer that leaves ample space for reflection.
For those unfamiliar with Laurie, his story was recently chronicled on the big screen in the full-length feature film, “Jesus Revolution.” A former addict raised by an addict, Laurie’s Christmases as a child were anything but ideal, and he touches on this throughout “Heaven’s Light Breaking,” expressing a unique empathy for those who feel lonely, forgotten or abandoned during what’s supposed to be the “most wonderful time of the year.” Now the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, with campuses in both California and Hawaii, Laurie — whose life was radically changed by Jesus during his teen years — sprinkles the occasional personal anecdote throughout the book, yet this devotional isn’t about his particular narrative. It’s about the big story arc of the Bible. In fact, Laurie rewinds it way, way back — before Bethlehem even entered the picture. Through his pastoral lens and straightforward communication style, readers discover the consistent thread woven throughout the whole of Scripture: Immanuel, God With Us.
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While this is a truth that the Christmas story brings to light, it’s also an eternal truth for the ages. Acknowledging the many ways culture has repeatedly attempted to remove Christ from Christmas, Laurie reminds readers the Light of the World can never truly be snuffed out.
“If your house is like mine, the Christmas season is busy. It’s joyous, chaotic, lively, and full. So many good things fill the time leading up to Christmas that it’s easy to miss savoring what matters most. That’s why I wrote, ‘Heaven’s Light Breaking,’” Laurie shares. “God entered our world. He walked in our shoes, lived our life, and died our death. God came near. I pray He comes near to you this Christmas season and that this book might play a small part.”
Breaking down the key characters in the nativity, “Heaven’s Light Breaking” reminds us we all have a part to play in the larger story of redemption God is still writing. From Elizabeth and Zechariah to Mary and Joseph, Laurie highlights these two most important couples and the incredible assignments they were individually given. He also contrasts the esteemed magi with the lowly shepherds and the significant roles both play in the Christmas narrative. He even zeros in on the innkeeper and the way he missed out on a miracle because he wouldn’t make room for Jesus.
In the days leading up to Christmas, “Heaven’s Light Breaking” illuminates what really matters, redirecting our hearts toward the things that actually hold eternal significance. What’s more, Laurie’s devotional helps us find our place in the story.
First and foremost an evangelist, Laurie doesn’t close the book before extending an invitation for each and every reader to open their own hearts to the Christ child. As with the more than 70 titles he’s authored, Laurie hopes “Heaven’s Light Breaking” helps readers unwrap and embrace the greatest gift they could ever receive this Christmas. As he explains, it’s easy to get caught up in the trappings and to do lists of the holidays and far harder to carve out quiet pockets of time to relish the reason for the celebration in the first place. With this 25-day devotional, his greatest desire is for readers to inch just a little closer to the baby in the manger so that everyone can experience Immanuel, God With Us this Christmas and all throughout the year.
