We are all imitators. Children and adults alike pick up the traits of those around them. You don't have to travel far to notice the regional accents we develop. We adopt the patterns of others without even realizing it! Instead, Paul tells us to be intentional about the way we live. He encourages us to pattern our lives after those who pursue Christ above all. We are to walk as citizens of heaven.

It's hard to boil your life down to one thing - but take a moment and try. If you were to summarize all your activities and efforts into one statement, how would it end? "There's one thing I do, I..." In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul says his “one thing” is pressing on toward knowing Jesus. However, he goes on to say that all Christians should share this same goal and live in the same way.

As we start the New Year, you may be re-evaluating your priorities, habits, and goals for the year. What's most important? That can be a difficult question to answer! But for Paul, the answer was clear: his relationship with Jesus. In fact, he said he counts everything else garbage compared to knowing Jesus. In this week's passage, Paul talks about his desire for a growing relationship with Jesus.

This time of year, our eyes are drawn to all sorts of things. Look at those Christmas lights! Look at the present I got! Have you seen one of these before? In this week's Divine Birth Announcement, God uses Simeon and Anna to call our attention to something more important. We are to look at Jesus and see God's salvation for all people.

The most hope-filled moment of each 24-hour period is the dawn. After a long night, there's nothing as thrilling as the sun breaking its light over the horizon and across the sky! That's the metaphor the Holy Spirit uses to announce the arrival of baby Jesus. As the Rising Sun, Jesus brings light to our darkness and guides us to God's salvation. The dawn of God's merciful salvation has come!

It can be hard to know exactly how to respond to the birth of Jesus Christ. In Luke 1:39-45, we have the unique opportunity to see Elizabeth's response to the presence of Jesus in the womb. The text tells us that she is "filled with the Holy Spirit" as she announces the great blessing of Jesus' presence. Considering her words, we learn three Spirit-filled responses to Jesus' arrival as a baby.