Isaiah – Hopeful Isa. 9:6 & 7:14
The name Isaiah means "Yahweh saves." Do you know what other name means "Yahweh saves"? Jesus! As a prophet of hope, Isaiah was someone who brought messages from God to His people. Nearly eight hundred years before Jesus was born, God told Isaiah that He was sending a "Chosen One," or the
"Messiah," to deliver the people from their sin. Eight hundred years. That's a long time to wait! Isaiah was specific, too. He spoke of the Messiah being born of a virgin and called Him
"Wonderful Counselor" and "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Isaiah also called Him "Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel means "God with us." Jesus is God, but He temporarily left His place in heaven to become a baby on earth. Jesus grew into a man and lived among other people. Why is this important? It means Jesus understands everything we go through because He went through it himself! So, when you feel alone or your heart is hurting, you know that God knows what that feels like. More than that, He's with you. No matter how you feel or what's going on in your life, you always have hope that God is with you. He is Immanuel. Thank God for the hope He has given to you through the gift of His Son! Share that hope with someone today.

Song for today: Hope for Everyone by Matt Maher

David – Faithful              2 Sam. 7:12-16 & Luke 2:4-5
Not only is Jesus God's Son, but He also had parents during His time on earth. Jesus' dad, Joseph, adopted Him into the family lineage of David, and His mom, Mary, was also of the bloodline of David. In case you wondered, this is David, the same shepherd boy who defeated Goliath! Can you believe it? Jesus became a long-distance grandson (twenty-eight generations) of David, fulfilling a prophecy spoken hundreds of years earlier about the coming Messiah as a descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
People who lived when Jesus was born knew who David was.
He had grown up to become a king and write the book of Psalms.
But even more important, David's faith grew, and he became known as "a man after [God's] own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14).
Whenever Jesus was called "the Son of David" in the Bible, it was by people who had faith that Jesus was the promised Messiah, or the long-awaited Deliverer. They believed Jesus had the power to deliver them from suffering and illness. When He arrived, they were filled with hope and joy. We have that same hope!

Song for today: O Come, O Come, Immanuel by The Baileys

Zechariah -  Luke 1:13-19
Zechariah was a priest who served in the temple and obeyed God. For a long time, Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, could not have children. But that did not stop Zechariah from praying for a child and believing he and Elizabeth would have one. One day, when Zechariah was an old man, an angel named Gabriel appeared to him. The angel said, "Your prayer has been heard." Zechariah was going to have a son. It was a miracle!
Read Luke 1:13-19. Notice that the angel told Zechariah to name his son John and said that John would become great in the sight of the Lord. When John grew up, he prepared the people for the coming Messiah, Jesus. Though we don't know exactly what Zechariah asked for when he prayed, this passage shows that God answered Zechariah's prayer in a much bigger way than just by giving him a baby.
God used Zechariah's son to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus! We should be preparing the people around us for Jesus’ return!

Song for today: Joy to the world by Citizen

Elizabeth – Patient Friend and Mentor Luke 1:39-45
Elizabeth was Zechariah's wife and an older relative of Mary, Jesus' mother. God used Elizabeth's pregnancy as a way to provide comfort to Mary. As a woman not yet married and still a virgin, Mary was scared when Gabriel told her that she would give birth to Baby Jesus. She knew it was unacceptable to be pregnant before marriage. That's why the angel Gabriel comforted Mary by telling her that Elizabeth, her much older relative, was six months pregnant with a child she also did not expect. The Bible says that Mary hurried to Elizabeth's house when she heard the news. We can only imagine the comfort and guidance Mary was looking for. She needed someone to talk to, someone to help her through her pregnancy. And what did Elizabeth do when Mary arrived? She welcomed her with open arms! As Mary's older relative and a woman Mary looked up to, Elizabeth invited Mary to stay with her for three months. Together, Elizabeth and Mary celebrated the miraculous baby boys God had given them. Today think of who God is calling you to mentor or comfort.  Pray for them today. Reach out in a call or text!

Song for today: Noel by Lauren Dangle

Mary – Humility       Luke 1:26-38
Mary was Jesus’ mother. How amazing is that? Why do you think God chose her for something so important? Mary wasn’t rich, royal or famous.  Mary was young and poor.  Mary also lived in a tiny village of little importance. More than that, she was a virgin. Does that sound like someone you might choose to be Jesus' mother? Probably not. But Mary was humble. The Bible says that God honors those with humble hearts, people who put God first even when it might cost them something.  A humble person behaves as if only God is watching. God chose Mary, a young woman who was not very important in the eyes of the world, to be the mother of the Savior of the world. Why? Because Mary only wanted to please God and bring honor to Him. When Mary answered the angel Gabriel she said, Mary said she was God’s servant. How can you honor God today?  How can you strive to make Him famous instead of bringing attention to yourself?

Song for today: O What a King by Katy Nicole

Joseph - Integrity         Luke 1:18-24
Joseph was a young carpenter, engaged to Mary, when she told him she was going to have a baby. Joseph had a big decision to make. Since they were not yet married and Mary was pregnant, he knew the Jewish people would not approve and Mary would be in trouble. Because Joseph cared for Mary, he made a plan to protect her and end their engagement quietly. But then, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. "Don't be scared to marry Mary," the angel said. "The baby is from the Holy Spirit."
God picked Joseph to become Jesus' dad on earth. In Jewish culture, not many men would raise a child who was not his. In spite of what others thought, Joseph was a man of integrity. In other words, Joseph didn't just say he believed in God; he also did what God wanted him to do. Joseph raised Jesus as his son, teaching Him to be a carpenter and loving Him with his whole heart. Joseph could have left Mary to raise Jesus on her own. But instead of doing what people around him expected, he did what God wanted him to do. As a result, Joseph had the unbelievable privilege of being Jesus' dad. Pray today about being a person of integrity.  Ask God to help you do the right thing instead of the expected thing.

Song for today: Mary Did You Know by Pentatonix

Gabriel - Courage         Luke 1:30-31
Gabriel is an angel, a messenger of God. He visited Daniel in the Old Testament to send him a prophetic message about the "Anointed One" (Daniel 9:25). He visited Zechariah in the New Testament (see Day 3) to tell him that his son, John the Baptist, would get the people ready for Jesus. Perhaps Gabriel's most famous encounter was when he visited Mary (see Day 5) to announce that her son would be "the Son of the Most High." Can you imagine? Whenever Gabriel appeared in Scripture, he delivered good news about the anticipated coming of Jesus, the Messiah. The Bible paints an extraordinary picture of what real angels were like. For example, Daniel was so scared when he saw Gabriel that he fell facedown. Zechariah, upon seeing Gabriel, was "terrified and overcome with fear" (Luke 1:12). That is because Gabriel is strong-an angel who "stands in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). Yet he is also a creature of God's peace. Gabriel reassured each person he spoke to: "Do not be afraid." Sent by God to prepare Mary for Jesus' birth, Gabriel's message to us is also clear: In Jesus, we have nothing to fear. With God, we can be courageous.  Pray about what is making you feel fearful.  Lay it at Jesus’ feet.  The Commander of Heaven’s armies isn’t afraid to fight for you!

Song for today: Light of the World by Lauren Daigel