In Luke 1:1–25 we meet a couple waiting in the long silence of God, learning that hope is found not in what they see but in the God who hears their prayers. Zechariah and Elizabeth remind us that even in our own seasons of delay, God is quietly preparing something far better than we imagined—both for us and for the world.

As you look out on the world, what are you seeing and hearing and feeling? Those who have given their allegiance to Christ are a new creation, which has tremendous implications for how we look out on the world.

In Galatians 5, the apostle Paul instructs us to walk by the Spirit, in relationship with God, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, thereby serving one another in the family of God. In Galatians 6:1-10, he gives us three ways to serve one another, three ways of “doing good.” Does doing good make any difference?

Paul writes, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of

the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). When we walk by the Spirit, we walk with God, in

relationship with him, and the Spirit motivates, empowers, and directs us. Then

what happens? If we don’t walk by the Spirit, what happens?

If we have given our allegiance to Christ, we’re free—free to love God and others, that is. However, freedom to love doesn’t necessarily mean that we will love. Thankfully, we find what we need in Galatians 5:13-18.

If Christ has set us free, it helps to know what he has set us free for. In the United States, we prize freedom. Here, more than most other places in the world, you are free to do whatever you want to do whenever you want to do it. Is that what Christ has set us free for?

Think about the expectations, both cultural and personal, that you have tried to meet. Think about the expectations you’re trying to meet now. What do you think it would be like to be free of such expectations?

Not a few of us want to get the right formula and do it right and feel very wonderful. One of the problems with such an approach is that getting the right formula and doing it right never excludes the possibility of disaster. Deep down, we know this; therefore, rarely do we feel very wonderful.

What were you made for—and how can you know if you’re truly living that purpose? On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus gave His disciples a profound answer. At its heart, it’s simple: we are created to be a people of love for our neighbors and the nations. Are you becoming a person of love?

In Esther 9, the story seems to resolve with God’s people victorious over their enemies—but it also raises new questions. What do we do with a salvation that comes through violence? Why does the Old Testament contain so much of it? And how should we understand all of this in light of Jesus’ teaching, and even more, his death and resurrection? As we walk through Esther 9, we’ll also wrestle with these questions and consider what they mean for following Jesus today.