Sample our Bible reading notes this season
It's easy to get distracted... especially during the festive season.
Daily devotions can keep us on track during the busier times of life. They can offer a moment of peace and serenity in an otherwise hectic day; they can help us to make room for a conversation with God on a daily basis; and they can encourage us to keep running the race as we’re called to. This Christmas, we're inviting you to give our Bible reading notes a try.
We've been publishing Bible reading notes since 1922. Each series has a distinctive approach to suit different needs and preferences, offering a variety of ways to resource your spiritual journey and help you understand and apply scripture to your daily life. You can download a sample of each of our Bible reading notes below, or learn more about each series here.
We hope that they are a source of peace and comfort to you this Christmas time.
New Daylight
The Festival of Nine Lessons by Veronica Zundel
17–25 December 2020
'This series of notes explores the set readings for the Festival of Nine Lessons, with occasional reference to carols and poems... These readings implicitly tell us that God has a plan for all creation, in which the effects of individual and social sin are reversed in a new creation, ushered in by God’s presence on earth in Jesus. They approach salvation not as a process of rescuing individuals out of this world, but rather as a total transformation of this world, beginning with the transformation of individuals who are placed in a kingdom community. As a result, they open our eyes to a wider understanding of scripture and a commitment to caring for God’s world.'
Download New Daylight sample
The Christmas story – and beyond by Claire Musters
20–31 December 2020
'When we look at the Christmas story through fresh eyes, we can home in on details that perhaps we have missed before... And what about beyond Christmas? Both Jesus and John the Baptist grew up to become proclaimers of God’s truth – we will look at their first adult interaction recorded (at Jesus’ baptism) as the year draws to a close, and we then look forward to a new year, which brings us closer to when our Saviour will return again. What should our priorities be as that fresh new year opens up before us?'
Download Day by Day with God sample
21–27 December 2020
The Upper Room has a worldwide readership of some three million and is unique in that all the meditations are written by the readers themselves, who seek to share the insights of their faith with others, thus providing a personal take on each passage and a different style each day.
Download The Upper Room sample
Old Testament texts for Christmas by David Spriggs
21–27 December 2020
'In these notes, we will explore some of these Old Testament passages, consider their significance in the places in the New Testament where they are quoted or alluded to, and reflect on their significance for deepening our understanding of the Christmas events today.'
Download Guidelines sample
God’s messengers by Angela Tilby
'As we grow older, we become more aware of how the choices we have made earlier in our lives have shaped us. This can be a source of pride or regret. But whatever we have done with our lives so far, we should never think of ourselves as autonomous beings. We exist with and for others. This is obvious when we think of those relationships that have sustained us and to which we ourselves contribute. What we are often less aware of is the hidden dimension of our choices, our constant interaction with God.'