Following the Star

Pause

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place?
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

from “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant & Chris Eaton (1992)

 

Listen

“Bless the Lord God of Israel because he has come to help and has delivered his people. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house, just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago. He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us. He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and remembered his holy covenant, the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham."

Luke 1:68-73

Think

My mom is the tenth child of ten children. Our family has lots of stories that have been told over and over again. One of the most miraculous ones is of my aunt Ascension’s birth. She was born prematurely in the winter of 1927 in the mountains of New Mexico with no hospital. My great-grandmother helped deliver her, then she kept her alive by creating an incubator made of heated bricks and a shoebox. Seems unreal, but it is true and part of our family’s narrative of God’s faithfulness to our family. She went on to live a full life and brought so much joy to us all.

What are the stories of God’s faithfulness you have heard over and over again? Take a minute to think about your own life. Where have you experienced mercy? When has God been present for you or someone you love?

This passage is about Zechariah’s experience of God’s faithfulness. Develop and expand your own narrative of God’s faithfulness. Take a few steps back; distance can help us gain perspective on our current situation. Finally, share these stories with others.

Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks

Pray

God of us all, thank you for those who cared for me from the beginning of my life. Help me to recognize your faithfulness while I go about each minute of my day. Thank you! Amen.

Go

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

from “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant & Chris Eaton (1992)