Joseph was in prison, not because of anything he had done, but because of the circumstances of his life. And when it didn’t seem like there was any hope for him in the future, Joseph was faithful with the gifts that God had given him and in the place that God had placed him.

Simeon had been awaiting the Lord’s Messiah all his life. He had lived a long and faithful life. But the highlight came at the end, when he finally saw Jesus. And in that moment, his joy came over him. He knew the hope of the world was in his arms.

On a quiet night in the small town of Bethlehem, a child was born. With that birth, the message of this joyous occasion was announced to a group of shepherd. And the message was meant not just for the, but for the whole world. This small child would bring joy and peace to a world that was suffering. He brings peace for our suffering world, if we allow him to.

John’s birth was necessary in the preparation of the coming of Jesus. The events surrounding John’s birth is amazing in and of themselves. Zechariah had been left speechless after his encounter with the Angel in the Temple. And it isn’t until he is naming his son that he is able to speak again. This scene leaves everyone in awe. And it leaves Zechariah with a song of praise.

Unexpected news is not always that great. Sometimes it may even cause us to question what is going in life. For Mary, it meant a change in her status to the world. Who would believe her if she told them what the Angel had said. But the news that the angel brought was one worthy of rejoicing over. The King was coming. And his kingdom would be forever.

It had been years since the Lord had spoken to anyone. There was a general sense of despair among the Israelites over this absence from their God. But God was not ignoring his people. He was waiting. And the wait was over and time had come for hope to return to the people. This hope began with the coming of John. John would prepare the way for one that was greater. Like Elijah before Elisha, John would return the hearts of the people back to the Lord.

How excited are we when we are rescued from a disastrous situation. Maybe we find money that we didn’t know we had just in time to pay our rent for the month. Or maybe a friend showed up at our house at just the right time. When those things happen, we often want to tell as many people as we can. As Christians, we have all been saved from disaster. And the salvation that we have been given from our bondage to sin is reason enough to not only praise the Lord, but to share the story with the world.

The author of the 100th Psalm provides three commands that we are to follow. They are simple commands to worship and joy and thanksgiving. All of them are directed to the Lord. As God’s people, we are expected to have a certain attitude when we enter into the presence of God. The entering into God’s presence is not to be taken lightly. Instead, we are to examine ourselves and see the goodness of our God. It is not always easy, but the Psalmist shows us reasons we should rejoice in the Lord. He made us. We are His. He is good and has unending love and faithfulness toward us. Let us be thankful for this.

Every great story has an end. For Elijah, his ending is the beginning of something new. One of the great challenges of our lives is being able to recognize our own end, and pass on the reigns to the next generation.

Everyone has a breaking point. For Elijah, his came when he was threatened by the most powerful queen in Israelite history. The fear that gripped him caused Elijah to wander into the wilderness and desire death. Fear in our lives can cause us to do something similar. But it is in these moments that God shows up if we allow him to.