The Unimaginable - Advent Devotional Day 5

Scripture
"A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
    a branch will sprout[a] from his roots.
2 The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,
    a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    a spirit of planning and strength,
    a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in fearing the Lord.
He won’t judge by appearances,
    nor decide by hearsay.
4 He will judge the needy with righteousness,
    and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land.
He will strike the violent[b] with the rod of his mouth;
    by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be the belt around his hips,
    and faithfulness the belt around his waist." - Isaiah 11:1-5

Reflection
Future promises. They can feel out of reach, unattainable, maybe even unimaginable.

As Isaiah chapter 11 begins, we are reminded of the exile of God’s people and the Davidic monarchy that was cut down. No hope, just the dead tree “stump of Jesse”. It must have seemed like all was lost. And yet, Isaiah has a promise for the future of Israel. Life will come again through this dead stump, and a king will be born! And this coming king isn’t just any other ruler, but one that will bring God’s heart to humanity.

It would take several hundred years for the prophecies of Isaiah 11 to come to pass. These “future promises” would have felt unfulfilled to the people of Israel - living in exile, a people without a ruler, lost and feeling forgotten. Yet, still choosing to continue living with this hope of these future promises. The people did not let the anticipation of the prophecy come to an end, but perpetuated the expectation for generations. And then, finally, the miracle of miracles came to fruition in the birth and life of Jesus!

In awesome humility, Jesus became one of us, so that we could be reconciled to him. Jesus didn’t come for selfish gain. He didn’t come to overturn the government. He didn’t wave his hand and kill off all the “bad guys”. He came showing that God didn’t give up on humanity. He lived his life guiding us to the big picture - that God loves us all and wants to be in a relationship with each of us, and he invites us in to pass that love on to the world around us. As the words of Isaiah describe what would be radical ideals, Jesus saw the rich the same as the poor. Jesus did not buy into rhetoric or follow the masses, but wisely and rightly guided through wisdom and love. With his words and actions, he changed hearts and minds forever.

As we continue to reflect this Advent season and celebrate the coming of our Lord, let us not lose hope in God’s promises, but choose to persevere with expectation, living our lives the way Christ lived his - with love and acceptance for all. In this way, we can allow the “unimaginable” to come a little closer, and the veil to become thin. Giving life and hope to the world that so desperately cries out for it - as we look to the future fulfillment of creation’s promised destiny. Where there will be no pain, suffering, separation; but healing, and wholeness, and love. Where justice, peace, and mercy will have the final word.

Prayer
Jesus, I celebrate that you make yourself known to me during this Advent season. I pray that over these next days, I can look back and see how you are shaping and changing my heart and mind to be more like you. I hold on to this hope in you. Amen.