Filled with the Spirit, Zechariah lets forth a poem of praise. His son would help prepare the way for the coming Messiah. And this messiah would bring light to those who sit in darkness. This is the good news of Jesus’ incarnation, that light has come and it shines forth even in the gloom of despair.

God is on the move and not only that He is moving into the neighborhood. This move toward humanity marks a coming shift as God’s Kingdom will not look like the Kingdom of man. But this is good news for those who feel lost or less than.

Mary was not expecting the visitor she received, nor the message that would be brought, but even in this her faith in God fueled her peace. Mary proves to be an example to us of what it means to say yes to God even when we do not fully understand.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had experience in losing hope. They had no children and assumed those days were long gone. For many in Israel, hopes of a savior seemed just as lost. God had been so quiet and yet in the midst of silence would come a rumble of unexpected hope. Luke’s account of Jesus’ life begins with the unexpected and the quiet beginnings of hope would begin to stir once again.

We have all heard the phrase, pride comes before the fall, and yet we are still surprised when the fall comes. When we become blind to our faults, our faults seem to find us. If we consume the wrong things, they end up consuming us. This is the lesson that Haman would learn too late. The very power he was pursuing, would end up consuming him.

All the plans were coming into place and yet one sleepless night would change everything. It can often seem as though God is absent, quiet, or just missing from the world around us, but He is always there and He is always working. On a night when King Ahasuerus could not settle his mind and sleep, Haman would be humbled.

All the plans were coming into place and yet one sleepless night would change everything. It can often seem as though God is absent, quiet, or just missing from the world around us, but He is always there and He is always working. On a night when King Ahasuerus could not settle his mind and sleep, Haman would be humbled.

Three days after her conversation with Mordecai, Queen Esther finds her way into the court of the King. While she had made a decision, action would still be required and this action could lead to death. Esther would eventually share a meal with the King and Haman. But we soon find that a place at the table is not enough for Haman, he wants more. Haman’s pride would be his undoing, and in his life, we have much to learn.