An Advent Journey - 8th December

Read: Isaiah 40 vs 1-11

It’s just over two weeks to Christmas! At all kinds of levels we find ourselves doing different things to get ready, sorting things at work, thinking about family, planning what we hope to do, who we hope to see, or this year … where we hope to see them.

Today in our Advent Journey we arrive in Isaiah chapter 40. In these verses we find Isaiah getting people ready for the first Christmas and doing so at all kinds of levels. Now here’s the thing Isaiah is bringing God’s word into people’s lives 700 years before Jesus was actually born. It’s a big run in to a big moment.

He speaks to people who are weary and broken (vs 1) ‘Comfort, comfort my people’. He pictures himself calling out in a wilderness ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’. He steps back and reflects upon how frail and fragile people are and how it is only ‘the world of our God’ that ‘endures for ever. We hear of good news’ being proclaimed as God comes to the aid of His people (vs. 9). He pictures God reaching into His people’s lives with the love and care of ‘a shepherd’ (vs. 11) gathering His lambs in His arms.

At so many levels this passage prepares us for Christmas. We hear echoes of John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus in the wilderness. We get a preview of John in His gospel speaking of Jesus as ‘the Word’ who became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We are encouraged to anticipate ‘good news’ a theme picked up by Mark. We await the arrival of the one whose birth would first be announced to shepherds on the hilltops around Bethlehem.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem it wasn’t an event that simply came and went. It was the day that scripture had been building up to for a very long time. As we read these ancient words, once again, they get us ready for Christmas, with real anticipation.

Prayer: Father deepen my faith. Increase my understanding of what happened that first Christmas and why Jesus really is 'good news'. Amen.