Advent reflections – Be Still…

Isaiah 9:2-7 – A Child is Born

Here’s the Advent reading you’ve been waiting for. If you love Handel’s Messiah as I do, then some of these words immediately transform into a melody in your head. You can sing along with the song, For Unto Us A Child Is Born, here, just follow the notes for your part!

The opening line has quite a message, too. “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.” Who is Isaiah talking about? Plenty of people walk in darkness every day. Some things never change. Since Jesus is the light of the world, this simple sentence packs a lot of hope. We can only pray that those lost in darkness will not only see the light, but that the light will expose and cleanse their hearts. Continue reading “Isaiah 9:2-7 – A Child is Born”

Psalm 146:5-10 – Time to Praise

Read Psalm 146:5-10

Our theme of joy is fueled greatly by this wonderful psalm of praise. For each petition, I found myself exclaiming, “Yes!” God does all of those things. He actively interacts with his people, and some things never change. James 1:17 has a beautiful picture of our loving, giving God. “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

The gift of His Son, Jesus, is the perfect gift we celebrate this time of year. That’s why we wrap presents and give them to our loved ones. A delivery arrived just today, and I was anxious to pull out gifts and set them aside for next week. It’s sad to know many people don’t know about the gift of a Savior we celebrate. Christmas to them is just lights, candy canes, and more stuff, throwing in a little holiday cheer! Continue reading “Psalm 146:5-10 – Time to Praise”

Isaiah 61:1-11 – Joy

Read Isaiah 61:1-11

Our Advent journey continues, and we’ll be encountering more prophecies this week. Did you recognize the first few verses of Isaiah’s prophecy? When Jesus preached in his hometown of Nazareth, he was given the scroll of Isaiah, and the text he read was the first two verses of our reading (see Luke 4:16-21).

How profound it must have been for Jesus to read those words, speaking about himself. This prophecy is another example of a refreshing message speaking about both Jesus’ first coming and his return. In other words, it speaks of restoration, both spiritual and physical. The physical has yet to happen completely, but the spiritual was our awakening or transformation into followers of Jesus. Continue reading “Isaiah 61:1-11 – Joy”

Zephaniah 3:14-20 – Jesus’ Promise

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20

The entire book of Zephaniah is only three chapters, so it’s a quick read. Zephaniah paints a harsh, maybe even terrifying, picture of how the people in Judah are facing doom. The tone of messaging changes in today’s reading to bring hope. It’s time to “be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!” It’s a good reminder for us to rejoice amidst our temporary pain and affliction.

Oh, how wonderful those words would have sounded. At last, a prophecy the people would want to hear. Imagine hearing that your dread and fear would be taken away. The people who had suffered so long had something to hold on to—their hope for a savior. This prophecy even tells them to “cheer up!” Continue reading “Zephaniah 3:14-20 – Jesus’ Promise”

Isaiah 35:1-10 – Ultimate Hope

Read Isaiah 35:1-10

Isaiah delivers a powerful yet beautiful prophecy. His message of hope for restoration came just in time. In the preceding 34 chapters, Isaiah had delivered a message of judgment on both Israel and Judah for rejecting God. These positive words would have been more than welcome.

We can’t help but get lost for a moment in the flowers’ blossoming display this time of year. In many locales, like where I’m from in the States, there is snow, snow, and more snow for as far as the eye can see. I even wore my snowflake shirt in their honor. I don’t miss a cold Christmas. I thought I would. Continue reading “Isaiah 35:1-10 – Ultimate Hope”