Advent (day 9)

The Advent season matures. Light intensifies and the pangs of expectancy swell and ache and press against all the boundaries of our comfort. The seed of hope takes root in us, pushes through the layers of self-absorption, and produces in us a budding desire for peace.

Peace was central to the longing of God’s people. Read to the words of the prophet Isaiah as he speaks of the coming Messiah:

ISAIAH 11:1-10
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

Jesus came to us in the humblest of forms – a child, and in the humblest of places – a manger. He was found only by those who looked for him. As we consider our own longing for peace, we are reminded that we must turn to him in faith. “Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).”

During this Christmas season, which we have polluted with worry and distraction, let us enter into the second week of advent with a quietness in our heart, making preparation in our lives to receive the Prince of Peace, praying with humility, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come."