Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

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Read

Luke 1:68-79 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.

He has raised up a mighty savior for us
in the house of his servant David,

as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,

the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.

By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,

to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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Reflect

Do you know about birthday weeks? Some people hold the idea that they’re so special one day is not enough to celebrate their birthday; it takes a whole week. Birthday weeks are part of the whole “look at me” culture, people who seem to think they will cease to exist if they are not in the spotlight. Constantly posting “selfies” on social media to glamorize even mundane events, is also part of this culture. When a celebrity who has dropped out of the spotlight is arrested for DUI or punching a paparazzo, don’t you sometimes wonder if it’s just to make sure people are paying attention to him or her? Pushing your birthday week on others likely means somebody else’s birthday is ignored. Always being the center of attention means that attention is not on someone else, someone who may be more deserving. Some people do the “look at me” thing less publicly, demanding the full attention of just a few people. Zechariah, a loving and wise father, did not want his newborn son to be an attention addict. He knew the Messiah was far deserving of the spotlight, so his greatest wish was that his child, John, would point the way to the Messiah.

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Pray

God, cleanse me from any unhealthy desire for attention, and may all that I do and say point others to Christ Jesus.

Go with God!