Daily Readings at Southeast

  Shared joy “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’”  (Luke 1:41-42 ESV) The angel told Mary that her relative Elizabeth was also pregnant. So Mary went to visit her as soon as possible. She was probably eager to share the special news! But before Mary could say anything, Elizabeth already knew about her pregnancy. The Holy Spirit had let her know, and her unborn child leaped for joy. It must have been a remarkable meeting: elderly Elizabeth and young Mary greeting each other with loud cheers, both with a baby in their wombs, and old Zechariah, who was temporarily unable to speak (because he did not believe the angel's announcement). Despite all their differences, they shared the joyful anticipation of their two babies and all the blessings God would give through these children. Mary stayed ...

  Mary joyfully expecting “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”  (Luke 1:31-32 ESV) Every pregnancy is a miracle. New life is created, and a tiny human being develops. Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV) puts it this way: “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” When Mary hears that she will have a child, it is even more special. Her child will be conceived in a supernatural way: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35 ESV) That is quite an announcement... Mary is overwhelmed, but she accepts her role in God's plan without hesitation: “Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38 ESV) Once the news has sunk in a little, she even begins to sing about the...

  Renewed expectation “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people [...] as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old.”  (Luke 1:68-70 ESV) Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, had hoped for a child for years, but they never had one. They were now both very old and had given up on their dream. One day, Zacharias had the privilege to serve as a priest in the temple. This was a beautiful and meaningful task! Then the time for the burning of incense came, and an angel suddenly appeared beside him. What a shock! The angel came with good news: “Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness…” (John 1:13-14 ESV) Finally, Zacharias would become a father, and of a very special child indeed. He had to prepare the people of Israel for the coming of the long-promised Messiah, the Savior of God. Zacharias had great difficulty believing this news. It w...

  Keep hoping when everything goes wrong “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.”  (Micah 7:7 NIV) Micah 7 paints quite a depressing picture. People are killing each other, judges are being bribed, friends cannot be trusted, and even housemates turn out to be enemies. What a hopeless situation! In the midst of this misery stands today's verse: “I wait for God my Savior.” Micah trusts that the LORD hears him and will bring salvation. This trust is not based on circumstances, but purely on God's faithfulness. Micah speaks of “my God,” who finds joy in mercy and who has compassion on His people in distress. Micah knows Him personally. Micah also refers back to promises that the LORD made to Abraham “in days long ago” (Micah 7:20 NIV). Now the people are in trouble—through their own fault, see Micah 7:9—but God's promises are still valid, and therefore Micah has hope for the future. Time is slow when waiting. When we are in g...

  Abraham was glad because he saw a glimpse of Jesus “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”  (John 8:56 ESV) Abraham had high expectations because the Lord God had promised him great things. But his faith and patience were severely tested! Abraham was to have countless descendants, and they would possess a large piece of land. But Abraham lived as a stranger in the land of Canaan and had to move his tents regularly. Moreover, for a long time, he did not have a single child. Abraham was already a hundred years old when he finally received the son God had promised him: Isaac. What a miracle! Isaac's birth was clear proof that God had not forgotten His promises, and that nothing is too difficult for Him—especially since Abraham's wife, Sarah, was also very old when she became pregnant. Almost two thousand years later, another child was born into Abraham's family. His name was Jesus. Abraham never met this great-great-great...grandson, ...

  Welcoming God's promises from a distance “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar.”  (Hebrews 11:13 ESV) The book of Hebrews in the Bible contains a long list of believers who lived centuries before. Their attitude in life was characterized by expectation. They had received wonderful promises from God that were passed down from generation to generation and sometimes reaffirmed by God. For example, the Lord God promised that the great enemy of mankind, Satan, would be defeated (see Genesis 3:15). He promised that Abraham's family would grow into a great nation that would possess a beautiful land in Canaan and be a blessing to other nations. (See Genesis 12:2 and Genesis 15.) These promises were repeated to Abraham's son, Isaac, and to his grandson, Jacob. They already saw the beginning of the fulfillment, but none of these people experienced the complete realization of all the promises. Nevertheless,...

  Day Five: Trust His Faithfulness :  “Do you trust Me?” That question confronts us daily, from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. Because to trust means to rest, and to rest means to trust. Think about it: You wouldn’t anchor your Christmas tree in a stand that’s missing a leg, and you wouldn’t ask someone who’s always late to bring the hors d’oeuvres for the Christmas party .  Whether we realize it or not, we’re constantly evaluating the trustworthiness of the things and people around us. We do the same thing in our relationship with God, subtly negotiating just how much we’ll entrust to Him.  Whether it’s our finances, broken relationships, hidden hurts, or future dreams, we evaluate God’s faithfulness in the past to determine whether or not we can trust Him in our present.  But it’s in the midst of this holiday busyness that our trust or mistrust becomes most evident.  …We’ll stuff ourselves with cookies, pies, and holiday hams if we do...