December 15 David Crown             The youngest, a shepherd, and a flawed man. Yet keeping with so many others, God used him despite his flaws. David became a great king, leading the Israelites for a very long time. He led well. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would come from King David’s line. Matthew’s Gospel […]

December 14 Hannah Wine Glass             Hannah knew shame—she was childless in a culture that prized motherhood as the only reason for women to exist. Her shame was so great that she cried and prayed silently, though her lips moved, causing the priest to want her gone thinking she was drunk. It took great trust to

 December 13 Moses Burning Bush             Moses was a murderer, a fugitive from justice, and had a speech impediment. Not the person one would choose for the big task of leading the enslaved Israelites to freedom. But God saw something in Moses that was not obvious to others. God looked into his heart and saw a

December 12 Ruth A Heart             Ruth was an alien, an immigrant, a pagan, and a widowed woman—nothing lower in the world. She had no one to aid her in that time of famine. Ruth chose to follow her mother-in-law, a Jew, to a new land, forsaking her gods and all she knew. There she followed

December 11 Joseph Colorful Coat             Was he spoiled being the only child of his favorite wife? His brothers sure thought so. He was the baby of a large family until Benjamin was born after Joseph had been sold for twenty silver pieces and sent to Egypt, by his resentful brothers. Joseph’s gift of dreams and

December 9 Leah Glasses             Leah was the unloved wife of Jacob. She saw how he doted on Rebecca. Even though Leah had giving Jacob sons, he still loved her sister and not her. That had to hurt. When have you felt unloved, overlooked, discarded? How did that feel? Did you sulk or do some self-analysis

December 8 Jacob Ladder             Jacob was a man with issues. He was dishonest and frightened. While on the lam, he had a dream—a ladder appeared to him that reached to heaven. On the ladder were angels. Then Jacob heard the voice of God promise that he would always be under God’s protection. A rather dramatic

December 6 Hagar An abandoned woman and child             She was abused, beaten, maltreated because of who she was—a slave. Not only a slave but a woman of differing ethnicity, who was blessed with a pregnancy. Finally, she and her child were put out of the house driven into the wilderness with no means of food

December 6 Hagar An abandoned woman and child             She was abused, beaten, maltreated because of who she was—a slave. Not only a slave but a woman of differing ethnicity, who was blessed with a pregnancy. Finally, she and her child were put out of the house driven into the wilderness with no means of food

December 5 Sarah  A smile             Sarah laughed to cover her doubt. She was incredulous at the thought of having a child at her age. Doubt—the feeling that paralyzes us or causes us to laugh to cover it. Discernment is needed. Why doubt a trustworthy source? Why trust a dubious source? Can extraordinary events happen—a child late