It's our final reflection of this series of the podcast. We're going to take a break from daily episodes for a while. I hope that in these small moments every day you've been able to find hope. Hold onto that hope. Even when you feel weak, even when you wander remember - it is Christ who goes before, who searches for you to bring you back. It is his strength, it is his hope. And the hope he brings - is for you Today's Bible passage: Luke Luke 15:1-7 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A new digital booklet of readings and reflections for January is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We're nearing the end of our Christmas reflections, and coming to the end of the year. Have you been thinking about 2024, and all you hope it will bring? Perhaps all you want is a smoother ride than in 2023. And what will happen If that doesn't happen? If the storms follow you into the new year? Where will your faith be? Where will God be? Today's Bible passage: Luke 7:11-17 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A new digital booklet of readings is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The story of Jesus is not just about his own life and death, but about ours too. And how the meaning and the direction of our life and death is completely changed when we encounter Jesus. Consider this passage from Jesus ministry - and see that when Jesus came to help his people...he could really help. Today's Bible passage: Luke 7:11-17 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

It can be tempting to put down the story of Jesus after his birth – we can pack it away with the rest of the decorations until next Christmas, and not have to think about it anymore. But the story of Jesus didn’t end in the manger. It didn’t conclude with the shepherds, wise men, and angels. That was just the beginning. These final reflections look forward to Jesus’ ministry as an adult. Will you look beyond the wonder of the Christmas story, as he shows us why we can have hope in him? Today - we see Jesus as a grown man - and as a healer. Today's Bible passage: Luke 4:38-41 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Merry Christmas. Thank you for joining us for a few moments today as we look to God's word. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, know that this hope - this hope promised long ago, fulfilled in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago - a baby who would bring peace, who would rescue his people and set them free - this hope is for you Today's Bible passage: Luke 2:36-38 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

"Our God is tender and caring." Pause this weekend as you consider this week’s reflections. How does the idea that God is tender and caring change things for you? Talk to God about the places in life where you are waiting. This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The story of Christmas is not just the birth of Jesus - it's the reaction. We're about to meet a man who has been waiting. All his life. He has trusted in God, and now he's about to see that all that he trusted in, all that he waited for had come true. Today's Bible passage: Luke 2:25-32 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Good news is worth sharing. The angels shared in a way only angels can - we've heard Mary and Zechariah sing their praises, and now it's the turn of the shepherds to take what they've seen and respond in the way that comes from the heart. Today's Bible passage: Luke 2:16-21 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Are you winding down with your work, with your responsibilities before Christmas? Maybe you have so much on you can't even think about Christmas. But sometimes Christmas puts a halt to everything you're doing, no matter how busy you are. Today's Bible passage: Luke 2:8-15 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to This Hope is for you. We can sometimes miss the message of Christmas, even when it's being read out to us. Words we've heard again and again at Carol services throughout our lives. We can listen, but we don't always hear. We don't always notice the hope. Today's Bible passage: Luke 2:1-7 This hope is for you is a Scottish Bible Society Podcast. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version® A digital booklet of all the readings and reflections in this podcast is available over at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bible.scot/thishope⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠