The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. --Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB The most significant thing about this wonderful passage is where we find it in the Bible. The Book of Lamentations tells of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which took place over 587 and 586 BC when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar overran the city. The surviving inhabitants either fled to other countries, were carried away to Babylon as slaves or remained under the brutal rule of an occupying force. Lamentations does not name its author, but it is generally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. For many years Jeremiah had warned the people and their leaders about their unfaithfulness to God. Jeremiah knew that being chosen by God did not translate to a free pass. He knew that actions had consequences. If God's people were not faithful to God's instructions, bad things would happen. But even...
And when the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord”, and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” — Luke 2:22–24 Luke shows us the Holy Family in a simple yet profound act of obedience. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple, fulfilling the Law’s requirements for purification and dedication. The One who gave the Law humbly submits to it through His earthly parents. Advent has revealed the humility of Christ in His birth; now, the early days of His life reveal the humility and devotion of Mary and Joseph as they honor God with quiet faithfulness. Their obedience is not flashy or public—it is ordinary, steady, and sincere. God often works through these quiet acts of faith. The offering they bring—a pair of turtledoves or two young pi...
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the Child, He was named Jesus—the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived. — Luke 2:21 On the first day of a new year, Scripture draws our attention to an intimate and quiet moment in the life of Jesus—His naming. Eight days after His birth, according to Jewish custom, the Child was circumcised and given His name: Jesus, the name spoken from heaven before Mary ever felt His first movement, before Joseph ever dreamed of His coming, before the world knew that God was drawing near. The name Jesus means “The LORD saves,” and with it, the mission of Christ is declared. Advent and Christmas have told the story of His arrival; now His name tells the story of His purpose. This small moment reminds us that God’s plans unfold with intentionality and tenderness. Nothing is accidental. Jesus enters fully into human customs and family life, bearing a name that proclaims His identity. As the year begins, we are invited to remember that t...
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