This scripture should bring deep relief to people. Despite what the world will tell you, salvation is not something we earn, achieve, or maintain by effort. It is not a reward for being a “good person.” It is a gift—freely given— by God, received through faith.

Before our sin, before human failure, and before our fears, Jesus, the Son of God existed. He did not come into being because God needed a backup plan. He was not created like Adam, nor was he a reincarnated version of one of the fathers of our faith (Abraham, Elijah, etc.). Lies like this abound in the world today to confuse us into thinking that Jesus wasn’t who he said he was. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

The day had finally come. The Messiah was born in the city of David. All the years of waiting had come to an end. God’s promises were fulfilled, the prophecies were proved true, and the heavenly host celebrated.

Mary’s life was about to be changed and it would also change the world forever. With an answer that echoed through the generations, she accepted God’s plan for her life to conceive and bear a son. This son was not going to be from her betrothed. It would be of the Holy Spirit so that the child would be called holy—the Son of God.

The wait for the messiah was almost over. The birth of John the Baptist was foretold by an angel of the Lord. He would be a forerunner to the promised Messiah, making ready the hearts of men.

Rebuilding after loss is hard whether you have lost a loved one, lost a career, or lost your homeland (like we read in our last two devotionals). There are lessons to learn, choices to make, and a need for a plan. God’s people do just that in Nehemiah—they rebuild with the Word and a new promise.

One of the most difficult times to trust God’s plan is when we see or experience hardship. Habakkuk was struggling with the same thing. He knows that more devastation is coming if Babylon is allowed to take and disperse Israel. In his anguish he poses a question that we hear every time we see tragedy on the news, struggle with illness, or see the wicked go unpunished—why does God allow evil?

Advent is a season of waiting, which is one of the hardest things for us to do. We wait for healing, for prayers to be answered, and we wait, hoping things will be better tomorrow than they were yesterday.

This is one of four Suffering Servant Songs that prophesied the coming Messiah. It explains how the Holy One will suffer and die for our sins but triumph over death fulfilling the promises of God.

There are many times in life that we are called to step out in faith. We cannot see the end of our journey the way God can and we must trust in his ability to work things together.

At the end of his life, King David had his son Solomon anointed as the next king over Israel. Then he admonished him to keep to the ways of the LORD, walking in his statutes, his rules, his commandments and his testimonies. David knew personally how important it was to not break God’s commandments and he made certain he passed along this lesson to his son.

Yesterday we talked about the time the Israelites told their prophet Samuel they wanted him to anoint a king to rule over them. God sent a man to Samuel that would save his people from the Philistines. Saul looked the part: he was handsome, tall, and from a wealthy family, however, his heart was not for the LORD.

The people of Israel wanted a king. They told their prophet, Samuel, that they wanted him to appoint someone that would “judge us like all nations.” We see in Chapter 9 that they get Saul who was a man of good looks, tall stature, and from a wealthy family. He was just what the people wanted—but he was not what they needed.

This story is one of my favorites. There are so many things I could say about it in relation to Advent. Most often, authors point out the kinsman redeemer Boaz and how it reflects the way Jesus redeems us. However, my mind is stuck on something else today—genealogies.

The people of Jericho had already heard of the mighty works God had done for Israel bringing them out of Egypt and they were afraid. Even as a pagan people they could recognize that the LORD God ruled in the heavens above and the earth below. It is no surprise that they shut up the city inside and out when they saw the Israelites coming to camp outside their walls.

The Ten Commandments, also known as part of the Mosaic Law, were given to Israel shortly after their escape from Egypt. The other two parts of the Mosaic law detail the ordinances and plan Israel used to build, then worship in the tabernacle, make offerings, and host festivals. These laws reveal the character of a holy God, as well as set his followers apart from other nations.

The Israelites felt caught between impossible circumstances. They faced the sea on one side and knew that Pharaoh was chasing them down from the other. There was nothing they could do in their own power that would save them.

As Jacob came to the end of his life, he called his sons to his side so that he may bless them. Together they make up the twelve tribes of Israel and we will see the different roles of each tribe foreshadowed in these words.

Jealousy leads to deep division within Jacob’s family. It is no wonder when you consider the rift that lay between his first two wives—sisters Leah and Rachel. The entire family is caught up in competition to be blessed by God with more children and blessed with Jacob’s loving affection.

Jacob was running for his life. He had deceived his father, stolen his brother’s birthright, and now Esau held plans in his heart to kill him.