How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger bringing good news,
Breaking the news that all’s well,
proclaiming good times, announcing salvation,
telling Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Voices! Listen! Your scouts are shouting,
thunderclap shouts,
shouting in joyful unison.
They see with their own eyes
God coming back to Zion.
Break into song! Boom it out, ruins of Jerusalem:
“God has comforted his people!
He’s redeemed Jerusalem!”
God has rolled up his sleeves.
All the nations can see his holy, muscled arm.
Everyone, from one end of the earth to the other,
sees him at work, doing his salvation work.
~Isaiah 57:7-10 MSG (The Message)
We find our world in much despair. A pandemic rages. Food lines increase daily. Inequality is ever-present for our Black siblings. People sit on death row. Fires and floods persist. Gun violence continues. Illness spreads. Grief and loss are our constant friend. The list could go on and on. Despair can come before we even finish our morning coffee; some of us wake up with dread. All of us certainly don’t have to go far to hear depressing bad news of discomfort and anguish. We are overwhelmed by it in the media every day.
And yet, most days I find myself hopeful. How can that be? It seems to foolish in this moment to hope. Still, I return to feelings of hopeful expectation.
Isaiah wrote the italicized words above to an exiled people living outside their homeland who knew lament and grief all too well. And yet, Isaiah makes a case for a hopeful outlook: "Your God reigns! God has comforted his people!"
What do I hope for?
A vaccine.
Food and shelter for all.
Safety and security.
A reversal of global warming.
Job opportunity and fair wages.
Equality for everyone.
Love of enemies.
Is it folly to hope? Does this seem naive? I don't think so. In the midst of our hope, is one central hope: the Messiah has been born. With that hope, all other hope seems possible.
The Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God made flesh, the One in whom God delights. This is the good news for each and every one of us. As we walk in darkness, light is coming. Christ is coming, and we celebrate his birth this season.
We are anticipating not only the birth of the Christ child, but also the second coming of Jesus. Anticipating Christ’s second arrival forces us to remember the world is not perfect...yet.
We walk in darkness. We are in exile. We cry in lament.
We hope for the light. We are expecting the coming of Jesus who will make all things right. Advent is a wonderful antidote to despair. Advent is hope.
And, yes, it might seem upside down, but it was the way it was meant to be. As followers of Jesus, despair cannot be our response. We must wait in hopeful expectation.
And this might be surprising: hope is not a feeling but what one does. Jesus invites us to join him in his redemptive work. In hope, we rebuild and heal a broken and disfigured world. We are called to bring good news and announce salvation even as we go about our daily life. Thanks to the wondrous child, the bruised become the healed; the wounded become healers. During the season of Advent we are preparing for the light. As we worship and study and read and fellowship and pray, laugh and cry, we will be ushering in a new thing: "Your God reigns! God has comforted his people!"
Advent Activity: Dried Citrus
Winter reminds me of oranges and grapefruits. I remember as a child my family ordering boxes of citrus fruits from older youth in support of their school fundraisers. A large cardboard box full of sweet smelling, round orbs would sit in our carport for weeks. Every morning, my dad would grab another piece and we'd share it for breakfast. As you anticipate and hope this month, take time to slow down and savor the good things, including fruit!
To dry citrus for beauty and aroma:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slice the citrus into 1/8"-1/4" slices.
Pat the slices dry on a paper towel.
Optional: add whole cloves to the slices for added color and fragrance.
Arrange slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 5 to 6 hours, turning and checking every hour.
You can string it as garland or simply place it in a bowl on your table. It will continue to dry and make your house smell wonderful!
Photo by Catalin Apostol on Unsplash