Wednesday, Week Two of Advent by Martha Schreffler
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.
For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
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Many of my acquaintances view Christians as critical, narrow-minded people who spend a lot of time sitting in judgment on their neighbors. It pains me that it would never occur to them to seek help from a Christian for fear of also being condemned.
As I prepare this Advent season for the coming of our Messiah, how hopeful I find these words of Isaiah. I thrill to know that when Jesus read the opening verses of this passage in the synagogue (Luke 4:18-21) he declared “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”.
Our Messiah does not promote an us/them mentality. He is not about privilege, racism, rape culture and fear of the immigrant. He is the one who binds up the brokenhearted, proclaims liberty to the captives and the opening of prisons to those who are bound. He loves justice and wants all of us to be a people that God has blessed.
When I read that He rejoices and exults in God and is clothed with garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness, I am conscious that He has made me His heir and I am clothed in these things, too. I am as a bridegroom decked with a garland and a bride adorned with her jewels. What a lovely vision and legacy. This is the news that Christians need to “get out there”. This is the living Word that will make a difference in all our lives.
Let righteousness and praise spring forth before all the nations!