Lectionary Reading Advent 2
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 40:5
Reading. Isaiah 40:1-11 Here is a gentle voice of comfort to a nation in ruins. Israel had a law of Jubilees, that every 50 years there would come a time of restoration. Among other things: Debts would be forgiven, Slaves would be released and the lands allotted to each tribe would be restored. It was a sign that Israel would once again be drawn together as a nation. An added word of encouragement in this prophecy was that a Jubilee of the Lord was coming; a time when God would be revealed as King and would come and lead the nation. These would have been great words of hope to a nation who knew that it was struggling simply to survive. God was the great Creator and everything was ultimately under his control and so despite the struggle to survive this proclamation offered a new beginning.
There is also a timeless message that comes through, and that is that all things are transient, only God is eternal. Though the grass may wither and the flowers fade God will always be able to remain supreme. The bleak days will pass and good times will return. In all circumstances God is still in charge and we can trust that God to shepherd us into a time of peace and safety. Everything has a season, God’s providence still remains. Thus the announcement, “Here is your God!”, touches just the right chord to give that hope and new beginning which is celebrated at Advent.
Prayer. Gracious God, as we prepare once again to celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, Help us to look ahead to his new coming amongst us and so live in hope of that great day. May our lives reflect all that Jesus has won for humanity, may we love and serve according to his will. Let our eyes be open to see those in need and may our hearts be softened so that in all ways we will reach out to love and care in your name. May we recognise in the situations that we face that the great Shepherd of the sheep is close at hand. Amen
Reading. Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13. This psalm looks forward with hope to the time when the promise of God to restore Israel would come to pass. The psalmist is writing at a time when it was the pagan armies who ruled the people. In that rule God’s people were humiliated: Thus the common phrase we note in the psalms, “Where is your God?” Despite the humiliation, all of Israel looks to the time when God would appear and speak the comforting words of peace to his people. In a time of great humiliation, the psalmist captures what must have seemed like a dream even to the most ardent believer with the verse that says, “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky”. Psalm 85:10-11 (NRSV) For the psalmist the whole atmosphere will be changed when God once more takes charge of the land. As we read these words we have come through a year which has disrupted life as we knew it before, everything seems to have changed, nothing seems the same. It is easy to lose hope for a better future. Imagine what it must have been like for God’s people to have suffered under successive tyrants, and yet they did not give up on the promises of God. They learned to trust and to persevere. This season of Advent gives to us a Christians renewed hope, for we have known of the coming of Emmanuel and we have experienced the forgiving power of his love. So we too wait in hope and trust that one day in the unknown future the Lord Jesus Christ will appear. When he does the whole creation will be changed and like the psalmist we too will celebrate for God’s salvation will be at hand and his glory will fill our land.
Prayer. “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will exult in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NRSV)
Teach us dear Lord to wait patiently for the fulfilment of your promises. Lead and guide us so that we do not dwell on our concerns, nor become anxious or distressed. May our trust never waver as we keep our eye on your faithfulness. May our hearts rest quietly, knowing that you are always near; your hand always ready to protect and guide as we trust in you alone. Amen
Collect. Almighty God, who sent your servant John the Baptist to prepare your people for the Messiah: inspire us, the ministers and stewards of your truth, to turn our disobedient hearts to you, that when the Christ shall come again to be our judge, we may stand with confidence before him; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and for ever. Amen.
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