Psalm 146:5-10; 1 Samuel 2:1-8; Luke 3:1-18 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 146:5-10; 1 Samuel 2:1-8; Luke 3:1-18 on biblegateway.com
Devotion
Today’s lesson from 1 Samuel records the song of Hannah, which she sang after the birth of the son she’d prayed and waited for so fervently. The words reflect her understanding and firsthand experience of God’s mercy and justice. As we await the birth of Christ, we contemplate the nature of his ministry – setting the captives free, giving sight to the blind and food to the hungry, upholding the widow and orphan. What act of compassion might each of us perform today to prepare our hearts for his coming?
Prayer
Gracious and merciful God, guide us by your Spirit to someone in need, and give us the courage to expend ourselves in whatever ways required. Amen.