Advent

December 12, 2022

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

The Hebrew Bible is filled with references to the coming of Immanuel in human form, which means God with Us. God is always with us, but sometimes, we must be reminded of God’s presence. I am not much of a social media person. I enjoy seeing reports and pictures of the adventures of my family and friends and reading pithy statements that go to the heart of living our love. I also like quirky cartoons and the adventures of pets. I could make a much longer list of the things I ignore. One thing I have noticed recently is the quest for stability in a fractured world.

While Christmas is said to be full of hope, peace, love, and joy, for some reason, it is also the source of great anxiety, depression, and a sense of loss. Some of these feelings are easy to identify, for example, losing a loved one. In other instances, our reactions are harder to understand and may take some self-examination. While the world invests much energy in celebration during this time, the story of Advent is more solemn. We recognize the need for hope, peace, love, and joy in our lives, which seem to be missing in large measure. We recall the gift of Immanuel, God with us, in the birth of a tiny baby, and we look forward to the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God when, as the book of Revelation 21:3 tells us, God will tabernacle with us, in other words, pitch God’s tent among us. Our job is to address the world’s needs so that when Christ returns to earth, he can celebrate Sabbath with us when he arrives because we, with the Spirit’s help, have finished our work toward being that beloved community.

Prayer: Lord, grant us your peace and joy as we live in hope while perfecting our ability to love as you love.  Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.