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Low: An Honest Advent Devotional
Amidst the bright lights and wrappings of a sentimentally saturated Christmas season, we tend to forget about the gritty, messy reality of the Advent story as it was experienced 2,000 years ago. In this honest Advent devotional, best-selling progressive Christian author John Pavlovitz reminds us that God came to meet us in the low places of our lives — and that Jesus continues to come low this Advent season. When we plant our feet firmly in the dirt of everyday life, we see Jesus meeting us in the low places: when we live humbly, when we seek forgiveness, in our grief and suffering, when we act on behalf of someone else, when we pray. As we walk the road of Advent, Jesus reminds us the invitation is not to escape this world to an elevated Heaven somewhere else, but to bring Heaven down. “God with us” is Jesus, getting low. Each devotional includes a scripture and Advent reflection on Jesus meeting us on the ground.
64 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2019
About the author
John Pavlovitz
15 books230 followersJohn Pavlovitz is an American Unitarian pastor and author, known for his social and political writings from a post modern Unitarian universalist perspective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 27, 2019
One of the best reflections for Advent I have ever read.
August 30, 2019
Advent is a rather brief season easily overlooked as we speed our way toward Christmas. There are liturgical attempts to slow things down, but it remains a challenge. Advent is a preparatory season, during which we examine ourselves, our context, our world, and ask where God fits into all of this. How might we prepare ourselves to receive the good news that the Messiah has been born in Bethlehem.
Every year publishers invite us to purchase guides and devotionals. Often they are set out either on a weekly or daily basis, and are fairly defined . Such is not the case with John Pavlovitz's contribution. At least my "Advanced Review Copy" doesn't have a guide to use (though page 3 of my version says "Weekly Themes to Come" suggesting that something is missing from my version). With that caveat, I will focus on the brief reflections present in the book as I have it. But, before that I should introduce you to the author.
John Pavlovitz is a progressive Christian blogger/speaker/ author and sometime pastor. He is the author of two prior books A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community and more recently Hope and Other Superpowers: A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto. I've not read the former, but have read and reviewed the latter.
The devotional follows the train of thought present in the earlier book, it offers a progressive, politically activist vision of the faith. Each reflection fills two pages. Pavolvitz builds his reflections on Scripture but not necessarily text that we usually attribute to Advent. Nevertheless, one can use this as a daily devotion, for the purpose of discerning the implications of the season for the world in which we live.
Why the title? It refers to what he notes in the final devotion to the "low places: the places of grief and of reverence, of caregiving and prayer, of peace and rest." (p. 59) In essence this is a devotional for Advent that recognizes that this isn't necessarily the merriest of seasons. For those needing permission to live in those low places, this is a worthy guide.
Every year publishers invite us to purchase guides and devotionals. Often they are set out either on a weekly or daily basis, and are fairly defined . Such is not the case with John Pavlovitz's contribution. At least my "Advanced Review Copy" doesn't have a guide to use (though page 3 of my version says "Weekly Themes to Come" suggesting that something is missing from my version). With that caveat, I will focus on the brief reflections present in the book as I have it. But, before that I should introduce you to the author.
John Pavlovitz is a progressive Christian blogger/speaker/ author and sometime pastor. He is the author of two prior books A Bigger Table: Building Messy, Authentic, and Hopeful Spiritual Community and more recently Hope and Other Superpowers: A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto. I've not read the former, but have read and reviewed the latter.
The devotional follows the train of thought present in the earlier book, it offers a progressive, politically activist vision of the faith. Each reflection fills two pages. Pavolvitz builds his reflections on Scripture but not necessarily text that we usually attribute to Advent. Nevertheless, one can use this as a daily devotion, for the purpose of discerning the implications of the season for the world in which we live.
Why the title? It refers to what he notes in the final devotion to the "low places: the places of grief and of reverence, of caregiving and prayer, of peace and rest." (p. 59) In essence this is a devotional for Advent that recognizes that this isn't necessarily the merriest of seasons. For those needing permission to live in those low places, this is a worthy guide.
December 27, 2020
Pros: each devotional is very short, so it's easy to keep up. There's a reading guide you can find online for deeper thinking, reflection, or discussion. Very focused on how God came low to meet us in all our human sufferings. Focused on how we can accept and love ourselves despite difficulties. Very focused on how we should get low with other people, and love them like Christ. I feel like so much of what we get in church or Christian books is all about us and God, and very rarely about loving others the way Christ loved, so it's refreshing to get some text that really values that. Not very Christmasy, so you could use it at any time of the year.
Cons: the readings are labeled by days of the week instead of dates, which I thought was silly, since Christmas always comes on the 25th, but doesn't always come on a Sunday. Some of the devotionals were a bit shallow (comparing angels appearing to the shepherds to an infomercial?), or a bit too much focused on us instead of Christ (for my tastes), or almost entirely taken up by the author's object lesson with a little bit about Jesus thrown in at the end. I also sometimes had a hard time connecting the Bible verse that began a devotional to the devotional's content.
Some favorite bits:
"...this is the story of an olive-skinned baby, born amid the smell of damp straw and animal dung because no human-worthy welcome could be found; of a child of young Palestinian Jewish parents, desperately fleeing politically ordered genocide. It is the story of a poor, itinerant, street preaching rabbi spending his days dining with the lepers and prostitutes, enlisting the doubters and the backsliders, and comforting the bleeding and the grieving. It is divinity coming low to inhabit humanity."
"Over and over, when someone meets Jesus, transformation and restoration are waiting; there is something wondrous to be witnessed. The very birth narrative of Jesus is the image of the most profound of intersections: God and earth meeting, and the latter being completely altered."
"Today, look for direct, tangible, and close ways to bring news that is good, and joy that is great, to all people in your path."
"Every person around you has their Herod--that terrifying and persistent thing that assails them, the relentless fear-bringer that will not let them rest. With a listening ear or an act of simple kindness, step into their urgency and their unrest today. Bring the hope that offers them escape and helps them see a day beyond this one--and find a way to get them to Egypt."
"Rest in the knowledge that even in the squalls and whiteouts and places where the path seems unclear, you'll end up where you need to be."
"...realize that these are what you are invited to birth into the world: compassion, forgiveness, courage, honesty."
"He would grow to teach of the wisdom of childlikeness, the elevated status of humility, the counterintuitive love of one's enemies...The religious leaders then (as now), were so preoccupied with morally policing the world that they ended up missing Love when it showed up in a different package than the one they'd planned on receiving."
"When we find ourselves in these storms or circumstances or troubling thoughts, we can rest in the knowledge that the things that cause our shaking, in the eyes of a God who sees and loves and accompanies us--are nothing more than a little chop."
"...lots of stuff that used to matter greatly to me on my spiritual journey has simply lost its appeal and relinquished its luster. These days I don't care much for having an ironclad theology or an airtight apologetic. I know many people who have such things. Now I simply want my presence on the planet to result in less pain, less inequality, less poverty, less suffering, and less damage for those sharing it with me."
"Today I read that an estimated 250 children are born every minute, about four per second. Four distinct, beautiful lives arriving in the width of a breath. In the time it takes to blink, staggering potential is released--again and again and again. Right now. In this second. As you read these words, birth is taking place. Light is breaking in. Possibility is being born."
Cons: the readings are labeled by days of the week instead of dates, which I thought was silly, since Christmas always comes on the 25th, but doesn't always come on a Sunday. Some of the devotionals were a bit shallow (comparing angels appearing to the shepherds to an infomercial?), or a bit too much focused on us instead of Christ (for my tastes), or almost entirely taken up by the author's object lesson with a little bit about Jesus thrown in at the end. I also sometimes had a hard time connecting the Bible verse that began a devotional to the devotional's content.
Some favorite bits:
"...this is the story of an olive-skinned baby, born amid the smell of damp straw and animal dung because no human-worthy welcome could be found; of a child of young Palestinian Jewish parents, desperately fleeing politically ordered genocide. It is the story of a poor, itinerant, street preaching rabbi spending his days dining with the lepers and prostitutes, enlisting the doubters and the backsliders, and comforting the bleeding and the grieving. It is divinity coming low to inhabit humanity."
"Over and over, when someone meets Jesus, transformation and restoration are waiting; there is something wondrous to be witnessed. The very birth narrative of Jesus is the image of the most profound of intersections: God and earth meeting, and the latter being completely altered."
"Today, look for direct, tangible, and close ways to bring news that is good, and joy that is great, to all people in your path."
"Every person around you has their Herod--that terrifying and persistent thing that assails them, the relentless fear-bringer that will not let them rest. With a listening ear or an act of simple kindness, step into their urgency and their unrest today. Bring the hope that offers them escape and helps them see a day beyond this one--and find a way to get them to Egypt."
"Rest in the knowledge that even in the squalls and whiteouts and places where the path seems unclear, you'll end up where you need to be."
"...realize that these are what you are invited to birth into the world: compassion, forgiveness, courage, honesty."
"He would grow to teach of the wisdom of childlikeness, the elevated status of humility, the counterintuitive love of one's enemies...The religious leaders then (as now), were so preoccupied with morally policing the world that they ended up missing Love when it showed up in a different package than the one they'd planned on receiving."
"When we find ourselves in these storms or circumstances or troubling thoughts, we can rest in the knowledge that the things that cause our shaking, in the eyes of a God who sees and loves and accompanies us--are nothing more than a little chop."
"...lots of stuff that used to matter greatly to me on my spiritual journey has simply lost its appeal and relinquished its luster. These days I don't care much for having an ironclad theology or an airtight apologetic. I know many people who have such things. Now I simply want my presence on the planet to result in less pain, less inequality, less poverty, less suffering, and less damage for those sharing it with me."
"Today I read that an estimated 250 children are born every minute, about four per second. Four distinct, beautiful lives arriving in the width of a breath. In the time it takes to blink, staggering potential is released--again and again and again. Right now. In this second. As you read these words, birth is taking place. Light is breaking in. Possibility is being born."
January 3, 2020
I was bad at reading this daily through Advent season, and so I ended up just reading one entry every day I remembered. There are 4 full weeks of entries included plus an entry for Christmas Day.
My favorite thing about this advent devotional is that it’s intentionally not “merry, happy, jolly” Christmas! Sometimes the holidays are stressful, hard, or depressing, and this advent devotional allows us to get low with those feelings. For someone who’s disliked Christmas lately because of all the hustle and bustle, this is what I needed to read this year! I will definitely keep this book somewhere I can find it next year to read again!
My favorite thing about this advent devotional is that it’s intentionally not “merry, happy, jolly” Christmas! Sometimes the holidays are stressful, hard, or depressing, and this advent devotional allows us to get low with those feelings. For someone who’s disliked Christmas lately because of all the hustle and bustle, this is what I needed to read this year! I will definitely keep this book somewhere I can find it next year to read again!
December 28, 2019
A small group of reflective friends and I were reading this daily throughout Advent this year (2019) and set up a little facebook private group to converse about our experiences. My Advent and Christmas seasons have been more meaningful, thoughtful and relational for having done so.
Pavolovitz brings the wisdom, challenge and authenticity of faithstuff in our era together in brief daily reflections that are both personal and social, which is religion and/or spirituality at its best, in my less than humble opinion.
I'll probably do this again next year, too. <3
Pavolovitz brings the wisdom, challenge and authenticity of faithstuff in our era together in brief daily reflections that are both personal and social, which is religion and/or spirituality at its best, in my less than humble opinion.
I'll probably do this again next year, too. <3
December 26, 2020
Going Low to Go High
The author does an excellent job of pointing out the down-and-dirty aspects of the Christmas story and the need to go to, and be aware of, the low places Jesus went to, not just during Advent, but always. He shows how Jesus, in his birth and throughout his life, was one of The Least Of These. His mission—our mission as his followers, subjects in God’s kingdom—is to them first and foremost. We can never be reminded of this fact too much. Highly recommended.
The author does an excellent job of pointing out the down-and-dirty aspects of the Christmas story and the need to go to, and be aware of, the low places Jesus went to, not just during Advent, but always. He shows how Jesus, in his birth and throughout his life, was one of The Least Of These. His mission—our mission as his followers, subjects in God’s kingdom—is to them first and foremost. We can never be reminded of this fact too much. Highly recommended.
December 24, 2020
This was our Church's 2020 Advent Devotional, and I have to say it was kind of perfect. The chapters are all very approachable, short meditations about the way Jesus came to be with us in the human moments of our lives, the messy, sad, heart wrenching parts. It was a very hopeful, reassuring, contemplative devotional that met this season of waiting and preparation - the one without any parties - very well.
December 25, 2023
I loved this little book of daily readings. Honest really is the best way to describe it. It encourages the conflicting feelings of joy and sorrow during the Advent season while all the hustle and bustle prepping for the holiday is going on. Well worth reading. Inspiring, hopeful, down-to-earth, real.
January 7, 2024
This is an easy-to-read resource for Advent, but it often misses the gospel. I appreciated John’s thoughts (he’s a genuinely good writer) but it often felt disconnected from the Scripture presented. I enjoyed some of his thoughts but often felt the gospel was missing, replaced with a bit of “be a good version of yourself.”
December 30, 2019
Too much focus on the negative and barely touched the surface of how to find God in the low times and places as the title suggests. 1-2 minute reading is not a deep enough dive to say anything meaningful.
November 25, 2023
Enjoyed this Advent devotional very much. It was good at a time when we were all feeling heavy, during the pandemic, and also when I was personally dealing with a lot.
Would highly recommend for those looking for an honest Advent devotional, if the holidays have you feeling a little blue.
Would highly recommend for those looking for an honest Advent devotional, if the holidays have you feeling a little blue.
December 26, 2019
This is the most impressive Advent devotional I have read. More pieces spoke directly to me than I have ever previously encountered.
December 26, 2019
This devotional was refreshing to read throughout Advent. It added a new depth to the beginning of my day as I looked forward to the joy of Jesus' birth.
December 27, 2019
Brief, succinct and topical. Great advent read.
December 29, 2019
This is a wonderfully hopeful and real advent book.
December 30, 2019
Great devotional for advent.
January 4, 2020
Very well done. Reflective and real.
November 5, 2020
A nice advent read, and a nice change from the usual advent reads. This one is come as you are, and that is much appreciated
December 27, 2020
A refreshing Advent reader. Thr focus on finding God in the 'low' places had new significance in the context of Covid-19.
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January 1, 2021Good choice for an advent reading. I like his honest approach to religion and faith.
January 1, 2021
Good Advent study - makes you focus on why the coming light of Christ is so important.
January 4, 2021
Great Advent devotional for a difficult and challenging year.
January 17, 2021
2021 is the second year I have read this as a Advent Devotional. I like Pavlovitz's perspective.
November 11, 2021
Perfect readings and thoughts for the Season
A scripture and reflection for each day of Advent. I read the whole thing beforehand and look forward to savoring each day during the upcoming Advent season, probably year after year. A treasure!
A scripture and reflection for each day of Advent. I read the whole thing beforehand and look forward to savoring each day during the upcoming Advent season, probably year after year. A treasure!
December 31, 2022
Really IS an honest, thoughtful devotional for Advent season. I appreciate the author's reflective tone; not preachy or overly flowery.
January 1, 2023
This was exactly what I needed this Advent season. Short, meaningful reflections each day.
March 1, 2024
One of the best Advent devotionals I’ve read. It approaches the Advent season from a different perspective that resonates with a Christian navigating today’s world.
September 25, 2026
Wonderful observations of life and how they relate to the advent. Pavlovitz is vulnerable, honest, and shares insight and questions about spiritual/human relationships.
December 25, 2019
As promised, this Advent devotional is relative to today’s world and yet reminds us of the promise of the coming Jesus. I will read this every year.
January 10, 2021
Coming in at 62 pages, "Low: An Honest Advent Devotional" is much "broader" than it is long. The adjective "honest" can be interpreted as "realistic" or "pragmatic" in this case. I assume this to be a signal that the writer wants to circumvent lofty "high" concept grandiloquence and inspire "user-friendly" mental/spiritual wisdom. Pavlovitz largely achieves this purpose. There is a chapter for each day of the Season (oddly, by days that change each year, rather than dates that are constant) that have practical subjects. Examples include "Turbulence is Coming", "A Messy Nativity", and even "Twisted Bowels!" In a conventional manner, each section includes a foundational verse of Scripture germane to the devotional of the day. The treasure of the texts is the richness of the thought process they inspire. As you might guess, the material can be revisited often, not just at Holiday time. The author describes himself as a "writer, pastor, and activist," which is an indication of having a point-of-view that is based in the daily and the divine. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews