We move into week 3 of Advent as we WAIT WITHin the words of Isaiah 12.2-6. In her blog post on this passage, Audrey West, Assoc. Professor of NT at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago writes: “Foreign invaders, political instability, and crises of one kind or another formed the context of Isaiah’s proclamation. The people to whom he was sent and those for whom this book was originally composed lived in a world that was unpredictable and out of their control. The front page of the newspaper and the crawl at the bottom of the television newscast suggest that in many ways our own world is quite similar to theirs. To be sure, the details are different — the Taliban was not a threat to Judah in the days of Isaiah, and Assyria does not dominate our own headlines — but the news of the day reminds us that always there are events happening on a scale far beyond our reach and our ability to control them. Whether the threat is widespread, such as the worldwide economic crisis, or whether it is personal, such as illness, the loss of a job or the death of a loved one, it is no small thing to stare the menace in the face and say, “I will trust, and will not be afraid.”
We have been waiting for several weeks now. It is important to have people who can watch over us in love as we wait for new things to be born within us. Our Kitchen Tables can help us name new realities as they emerge and help us to live into our unfolding sense of being God’s beloved children. If you do not have a community in which you share your faith questions, maybe this is the time for you to consider taking a next step in faith and joining one.
What events in our day feel overwhelming and scary to you? In the midst of your fear and joy what might be revealing itself to you that you might be ready to shout out loud, or even just whisper quietly? With whom might you share your answers to these questions this week? Do your best to make that happen.
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