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The Daily Devotional
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
The Seventh Day of Christmas: The Watchman’s Candle
“Children, it is the last hour!" — 1 John 2:18a
Introduction
Today is the Seventh Day of Christmas, a time when the church remains firmly planted in the season of the Incarnation, even as the secular world prepares to turn the calendar. This evening sits at a spiritual crossroads. It is the Eve of the Holy Name, the anniversary of John Wycliffe’s death, and a moment historically marked by the "Watch Night." This profound tradition is often traced to the Moravian communities of the early 1700s. Impressed by their spiritual vigilance, John Wesley adopted the practice for the early Methodists, calling the faithful to gather for reflection, prayer, and covenant renewal as the old year gave way to the new. Today, we stand in that same lineage—pausing in the "last hour" not just to count down, but to look up.
Reflection
There is a profound difference between merely waiting and "watching." Waiting can be passive and boring—like sitting in a dentist's reception room or idling in traffic. But watching is active, intentional, and filled with anticipation.
Consider the simple, everyday experience of a power outage during a storm. When the lights suddenly go out, everything shifts. The hum of the refrigerator stops; the Wi-Fi signal vanishes; the house becomes incredibly quiet. In that moment, you don’t just sit there indifferently. You become hyper-aware. You light a candle or find a flashlight, and you watch. You watch the streetlights outside for a flicker; you listen for the hum of the transformer. You are in the "last hour" of the darkness, actively anticipating the return of the light.
December 31st is the spiritual "last hour" of our year. Much like those early Moravians and Methodists who gathered to renew their covenant with God, or the crowd in Menlo Park watching Thomas Edison’s lightbulb push back the shadows, we stand in the twilight of the old year. We are not just waiting for a ball to drop. We are keeping the Watch. We are looking back at the year that has passed—with its struggles, joys, and gray areas—and handing it over to God. Simultaneously, we are preparing to invite the power of His name—Jesus, God Saves—into the new year. We are watching for the Light of the World to renew His covenant with us.
Application
Amid the noise of New Year’s Eve—the fireworks, the party favors, and the resolutions—carve out your own "Watch Night" moment. Before you go to sleep or before the clock strikes midnight, find a quiet place away from the festivities. Turn off the electric lights and light a single candle. As you watch the flame, reflect on one area of darkness in your life from the past year that you want to surrender to God. Then, acknowledge that you are carrying the Light of Christ into the New Year. Let this quiet moment be your personal vigil, moving from the "last hour" of the old into the new dawn of His grace.
Conclusion
The calendar may change, but the season remains: it is still Christmastide. As the Seventh Day gives way to the Eighth, we move from the "last hour" to a new beginning. We do not walk into the New Year alone; we walk into it under the banner of the Holy Name, illuminated by the Light that darkness cannot overcome.
Prayer
Almighty God, Lord of our days and years, on this Seventh Day of Christmas, we pause in the "last hour" to offer You our thanks. We remember the Moravians and Methodists who taught us to watch in prayer, and we join our hearts with theirs in seeking Your renewal. As we stand on the threshold of a new year, forgive us where we have stumbled in the darkness, and rekindle the fire of Your Spirit within us. May the name of Jesus be our guide and Your Word be the lamp unto our feet as we step forward in hope. Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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