I do like Hannah

"Then Hannah spoke up: “Excuse me, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here near you, praying to the LORD.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.” Then they worshiped there before the LORD."  (1 Samuel 1: 26 - 28)

Lord, following the spirit and example of Hannah, you have been very good to me.  I offer you all my time, talent and treasure as well as all my weakness.  Lead me, guide me and use all for your kingdom as long as I live.

I rejoice in my faith

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  (Luke 1: 45)

What the Lord has spoken to me:
"But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil." (Matthew 6: 33 - 34)

This is a promise with a condition.  What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God?  It means to seek first the King in always and everywhere.  Jesus Christ is the King.  Where Jesus reigns, there is the kingdom of God.  Jesus reigns where His word reigns. Jesus reigns  where the Beatitudes voluntarily observed as the law of the kingdom.

Righteousness is produced in us by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  When we welcome the Holy Spirit in our hearts, He produces righteousness in us.

 "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  (Luke 1: 45)

I believe that God will fulfill to me the promise in Matthew 6: 33.  I believe so because God is all powerful and can do anything He wants.  God is all truth.  He is not a man to lie.  Faithfulness is the very essence of God's character.

I rejoice in my belief and everyday I wait with joyful expectation to receive from God what He has promised..

Nothing will be impossible for God

"And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 
for nothing will be impossible for God."  (Luke 1: 36 - 37)

Elizabeth suffered from advanced barrenness.  In the fullness of time, God made her fruitful according to His plan for her life.  I suffer too from advanced barrenness.  I am yet to be fully productive in God's vineyard.  I believe that God will make me exceedingly fruitful in the fullness of time.  For as God has promised, "Nothing will be impossible for God."  I know that God can do anything.  How do I know that He will do this for me?   I appropriated this same scripture this season last year.  When it is proclaimed again this year, I find myself yearning for the experience of Elizabeth.  This is how I know with certainty that this promise is too for me.  Wait!  Wait with courage!

Wait for God's perfect timing

“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”  (Luke 1: 25)

God fulfills His designs and promises at His own time.

"But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time."  (Luke 1: 20)

Believe what you hear. It is good to wait for God's time.

And they shall name Him Emmanuel

"“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”  (Matthew 1: 23)

Mary is predestined by God to be the Mother of Jesus Christ.  All her privileges stem from this unique choice.  Her fullness of grace, her perpetual virginity, her singular role as intercessor are all consequences of her extraordinary vocation.

We honor Mary as Mother, Virgin, Teacher and Mediatrix of all graces.  Towards the end of the 4th century, Helvidius denied the perpetual virginity of Mary, a belief that was held by the Church for centuries.  St. Damasus was pope at this time. St. Jerome was urged to answer Helvidius.  At first, he declined because he regarded the question below his dignity.  But eventually, he picked up his pen and answered him.  At this time, St. Jerome was the recognized authority in Greek and Hebrew.  He was a Church Father and Doctor of the Church. He is the foremost scripture scholar whose reputation has not deemed by the passage of time.  On the question of Mary's perpetual virginity, whom do you trust?  St. Jerome or the so called "doctors of divinity" from the so many denominations that populate the map today?   The question about Mary's perpetual virginity did not arise again till the reformation.  Heresy is cyclical..

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."  (Matthew 1: 1)

What follows Matthew 1:1 is a long list of the ancestry of Jesus Christ.  How is the roll call?  Very human.  We see saints and sinners.  There is always a black sheep in the family.  And Scripture says that Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call His disciples His brothers.  "He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”  (Hebrews 2: 11)

One great insight I got from the Genealogy of Jesus Christ is that there never was the so called Great Apostasy in Christianity.  The Mormons believe that there was one.  Protestants think that the Church forsook its ancient dogma and practice and therefore the necessity for the Reformation.

The Catholic Church has always been One, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic.  These are the four marks of the Church.

God indeed is my salvation

"God indeed is my salvation; I am confident and unafraid.
For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation."  (Isaiah 12: 2)

Jesus is Savior.  Wherever Jesus is, there is salvation.

"Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.  For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.  The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."  (Exodus 14: 13 - 14)

Salvation is the experience of the profound peace of Christ.  It is deliverance from the distress of fear, worry and doubts.  Salvation comes from Christ alone.

"My strength and my refuge is the LORD, and he has become my savior. This is my God, I praise him; the God of my father, I extol him."  (Exodus 15: 2)

Jesus Christ has absolute power to save us from any evil.  He is the Rock of Salvation (Deuteronomy 32: 15)

"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:
By waiting and by calm you shall be saved, in quiet and in trust shall be your strength."  (Isaiah 30: 15)

Salvation comes from absolute trust in Jesus.