Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentence and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.
2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death [a] a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian's defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, [b] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.Isaiah 9:2-7
2 comments:
I think we forget how long the people had awaited the Messiah. God seemingly had been silent since the prophets of old and while the Jews had been afforded the opportunity to return to their land, many were still scattered and all were under Roman rule.
And then, "the fullness of time."
What the prophet Isaiah fortold, what Abraham had been promised, and what all creation yearned for since the fall of man was heralded by the Heavenly Hosts. Indeed, "Glory to God in the Highest; peace on earth, good-will toward men!"
We are doing Advent in our house for the first time this year and I have to say that it has really been convicting to me.....It is real easy to get lost in the machine that is "Christmas" in our society....I'm finding that doing Advent each night has helped to re-focus me after a day of in-your-face consumerism. Brady has enjoyed it...even though he doesn't really get it...every night when he is done with dinner he points to the candles and starts saying "Jeges...Jeges..."....Of course that could just be the Pavlovian response of getting a arrowroot cookie after we read, sing and blow out the candles......and no...I have no idea what arrowroot is.
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