This year I want to focus on the characters, people, in the Advent story.  God chose them to show us characteristics of our own character that He wishes to develop in our lives.  Prior to Jesus’ birth, his earthly cousin’s birth was foretold.  He was the man who came to be known as John the Baptist.  His parents were elderly and were of the priestly line.   “When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.”  Luke 1:5  They had no children as Elizabeth was barren.  Luke 1:6 describes them, “ Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.”    God chose godly righteous people to be John’s parents.  God wanted John to have training in the Law of Moses and grow with respect and love for Him.  Zachariah and Elizabeth carefully obeyed God’s laws and sought to please Him in all they did.  God knew they would train young John in the same way.   Being righteous means to be in right standing with God, virtuous.

What about you? Would God choose you for a special project because he needed someone who was righteous?  How do we become righteous?  Jesus told the crowds in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”   Jesus told us to seek His righteousness first.  Romans 3:22 tells us “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”  Through faith in Jesus is how we obtain right standing (righteousness) before God.  The method of righteousness that Zachariah and Elizabeth used to attain righteousness was by keeping the Law.  That way no longer applies to us as Christ provided a better way thought faith in His death and resurrection.  Philippians 3:9 “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”   Do you have righteousness that comes through faith in Christ?  God wanted to use righteous Zachariah and Elizabeth.  We must have saving faith the brings God’s righteousness to us, then God will use us for His purposes and our good.  Know Jesus today- it is a good way to start the season, wearing His righteousness.   Show others the righteousness of Christ in all you do.  That is the project He has for each one of us.

Linda