Out Of Gloom And Darkness

Thus says the Lord GOD: But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest! On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant will be no more, and the arrogant will have gone. All who are alert to do evil will be cut off; those whose mere word condemns a man, who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim. 

Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham: Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob and be in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction. (Isaiah 29:17-24)

The prophet Isaiah was quite optimistic.  He said God told him: “The tyrant will be no more, and the arrogant will have gone. All who are alert to do evil will be cut off…Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.”  If only that was true!  Tyrants still abound; the arrogant can be found in all places, especially high places.  We are all guilty of condemning others and doing evil things.  Some of us are even tyrants in our own homes.

This Advent we must recognize we err in spirit, and we need instruction.  Perhaps that’s why we wait for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  When we are in Christ, that is, when we allow Christ to be born in us, we change into an orchard bearing good fruit. We and our neighbors become a forest to raise others out of gloom and darkness through our love and compassion.  This is one purpose of Advent – to make our blind eyes see and find and give joy.  Joy is what we need to recover as 2020 comes to a close.

Deacon David Pierce