Listen

"You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way. You will tell his people how to be saved through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn from heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace.”

Luke 1:76-79

Think

Zechariah spoke these words about his son, John the Baptist. Those are pretty big words! Ever felt like you can’t live up to others’ expectations of you? Well, I have. When I was younger, a pastor I looked up to would always say, “I expect great things from you,” right before saying goodbye. I thought, Ummm, no pressure, I’ll get right on that…  At 16 I barely knew what I was going to do each day, let alone how to do something “great.”

Now I have two children, and this pastor says the same thing to them. I hear it a bit differently now. See, it was the belief that he and others had in me that helped me press forward. Some days it is easier than others. In some ways, I think waking up every day and loving the world over and over again is “great.”

Who in your life may need some light in the darkness in the form of encouragement? You can’t see the stars in the light but you have to look up in the darkness to see the stars shining.

Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks

Pray

God who knows my potential, help me to embrace who you have created me to be and all I still have to learn. May I shine the light for others to do the same. 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)