Confident expectation

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Joel 1:12-2:2 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

The prophet Joel’s words cut through the centuries, landing in our Advent with startling urgency. He speaks to a world in crisis, where the familiar rhythms of harvest and celebration have broken down. As we look around our own world in 2025, we might recognise a similar unease. Headlines speak of climate concerns, of shifting global tensions, and of a lingering collective fatigue from years of disruption. It can feel like a long, grey winter for the soul, where hope feels fragile.

Joel’s call, however, isn’t meant to paralyse us with fear. It’s a spiritual alarm clock, rousing us from complacency. Think of the sudden, shared focus in a community when a great storm is forecast. We secure shutters, check on neighbours, and gather essentials. There’s a shared, purposeful energy. Advent is our spiritual storm-watch. This is our time to ‘secure our souls’ through repentance, prayer, and quiet preparation.

The ‘day of the Lord’ Joel announces is not merely a day of judgement, but a day of arrival. It is the coming of the King. The same urgency that calls us to clear the clutter from our hearts is the urgency of a household preparing for the most honoured guest. We sweep away the dust of old grudges and make room for joy. We straighten the crooked paths of our habits to welcome His grace.

This is the joyful paradox of Advent. The seriousness of our preparation is matched only by the brilliance of our hope. The one who is coming is Jesus, the one who shares our fragile humanity and our world’s anxieties. He comes not to condemn, but to save; not to overwhelm, but to dwell with us. In the midst of the world’s noise and our own inner tremors, we can trust His promise to be with us. Our preparation is filled with a thrilling, confident expectation, for the Lord is near.