Daily Advent Devotional

Divine Peace for AllIsaiah 40:1-11This passage from Isaiah is found among the chapters attributed to Isaiah of the Exile, who comforted the exiles living in Babylon (circa 587-538). When the Babylonians conquered Judah, they destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and forcibly relocated part of the Israelite community (primarily leaders and power brokers). After losing both the land that God had promised to their ancestors (Abraham and Sarah) and the Temple, the exiles began to wonder if God had forgotten or abandoned them. How would they survive? Would they ever return to Jerusalem? Out of the despair, the Divine called a prophet to “comfort, comfort my people” (v 1a) and to deliver those words of hope. God had not abandoned them; there would be a future for their descendants and a return to the land promised to their ancestors. The prophet declares that a highway should be prepared for God “in the wilderness” to lead the exiles back to their homes. Where the exiles only saw impossible obstacles to a new future, God would make a way. Mountains will seem like small bumps in the road, and chasms will become bridges to the future (v 4a). There will be no stumbling along God’s highway; everyone will be able to travel the road safely (v 4b). Human powers and efforts to oppress others will fail when God’s word and justice become a reality (vv 6-8).Today, with chaotic and ultrafast changes, many people experience being in “exile” even though their location has not changed. While many may not be seeking a physical return to a tangible location/geography, everyone who knows some form of exile wonders about God’s presence and longs for the assurance of a future filled with Divine compassion and comfort. The prophetic words of this unknown voice offer a vision of what God wants for them. Their “return” may be a “coming home” to God, to the safety known by a baby in their mother’s arms. Their return may be a liberation from what has been holding them back. Their return may be a restoration of dignity that comes with no longer begging for what others take for granted. People still yearn to hear words of “comfort” and to be reminded of God’s concern for all of creation, even the “least of these.” We must work for a time when: “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace (shalom) will kiss each other” (Ps 85:10).

Faithful ResponseJeremiah 33:1-16Scholars typically date the book of Jeremiah to a time of great upheaval in the history of the people of Israel, usually during the waning days of the 7th century and up to (or even after) 586 BCE. Thus, Jeremiah can be understood as both a pre-exilic and an exilic prophet. The words attributed to him were first addressed to those living in Jerusalem before the Babylonian invasion and destruction of the city and Temple. Then, he prophesied to the exiles in Babylon.Our reading is part of a larger oracle of hope/restoration (vv 10-16) amid Jerusalem’s despair over the threat of the Babylonians. With confidence, Jeremiah proclaims that people will once again bring thanksgiving offerings to the LORD at the Temple; they will sing their praises with these familiar words: “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for LORD’s steadfast love endures forever” (v 11b)! The LORD promises that the desolation found in the land will be transformed into a “pasture for shepherds resting their flocks” (v 12b).Perhaps the promise God is making to the people is not about a political change or returning to the way things were. Rather, it is a way of reminding the people of Jerusalem that they can make this new vision a reality. If they live by the Torah, loving God, neighbor, and self, they will ensure that the land is filled with “justice and righteousness.”  In the USA, many feel a comparable sense of despair. Fears about the weak economy, unemployment, the national debt, wars and rumblings of war around the globe, and environmental destruction make it feel like we are under attack. Some religious voices prey upon fears and tell them who is to blame for these ”attacks” as a way to enforce their moral views and to secure their positions of power. In these tumultuous times, we can also find words of hope in Jer 33:14-16. A faithful response to the fears and angst many feel is not to blame, deny, or give up; a faithful response is to remember that we have the power to create societies of “justice and righteousness.” How we live our lives (as individuals and as communities) can help God’s desire for restoration and wholeness to become a reality. With our words and actions, we can proclaim that the “LORD’s steadfast love endures forever!”

Unprecedented PeaceIsaiah 11:1-10This reading comes from an 8th century (BCE) prophet, Isaiah, whose mission was to the southern kingdom of Judah. The beginning of the 8th century BCE had been a time of prosperity for Judah, but everyone did not share this wealth. While the powerful were enjoying a life of luxury, most of the citizenry of Judah was struggling to survive. The ruling class imposed heavy tax burdens on them and required forced labor and military service. Survival was all that the people could hope to do.The prophetic vision, found in Isa 11:1-10, echoes the dreams of people desperate for a better life. Since the fate of the nation of Judah was controlled by their human ruler and their relationship with God, the best hope that Isaiah could offer was a promise of a time when a just and righteous ruler would be in charge (vv 3 & 5), one who would “decide with equity for the meek of the earth” (v 4a). All the suffering of the poor would end, and their oppressors would be punished (v 4b). This new ruler would usher in a time of unprecedented peace, reflected not only in nature (vv 6-7) but also in the political realm (vv 9-10).This vision of the “peaceful realm” (particularly vv 6-7 & 9) is also found in Isa 2:4, Isa 11:6, and Micah 4:3. The dream of a restored “Israel” was still incomplete; they remained under foreign control with no hope of self-governing. The “root of Jesse” was intended metaphorically, not restricted to a person of Davidic lineage, but rather a ruler who embodied the characteristics attributed to David and other “good” kings in Israel’s history. This could even be a foreign ruler/power. Most important was the vision of a world in which natural enemies worked in mutuality for the common good, and everyone knew a life of wholeness (shalom) that only came from God (v 9). What would it take for you to experience the kind of wholeness described in Isa 11:6-9 (and other places in the bible)? How do we live in right relationship with God and with all of Creation? Is that even possible in this 21st-century world? Is Advent about envisioning the “impossible” – shalom – and then working to make it a reality?

Steadfast LoveJoel 2:12-13 and 28-29This passage contains the words of Joel with which most people in the pews are familiar: “Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit” (vv 28-29). The first chapter of Joel describes the destruction wrought upon Judah by the locusts, God’s “great army” (v 25b), and the prophet’s call to repentance, which continues into the second chapter. In this section, the idea is put forth that it is not too late for God to have a change of heart (v 14), based on the prophet’s reminder to the people of God’s nature: “gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing” (v 13). The Holy desires shalom not suffering.Our reading is found amid God’s promise of future restoration for the people. When God decides to bring an end to their suffering, all that the locusts have taken away God will replace, making the land green and fruitful again (v 22). Beginning in the 23rd verse, the prophet calls the people of Zion to celebrate how God has brought them back to life with refreshing rain and abundant grain. Once these wondrous things have taken place, Judah will no longer “be put to shame” (v 26b), in the presence of their friends and enemies. God proclaims that this should prove, without a doubt, that God is “in the midst of Israel” and that there is no other god besides the LORD (v 27).We must use great care when interpreting a text like Joel for a 21st century audience. While some of the images in this week’s reading are empowering and hopeful, there are also some very disturbing ones, which could easily be used to support an “us vs them” theology. Many people today may want to see the world judged and punished by God, but we are not free to take those matters into our own hands. That is God’s job. If, as this text describes, one day every person will be the recipient of God’s emboldening spirit, then perhaps there will not be anyone who does not “call on the name of the LORD”; all will be saved. With humility and awe, we would be wise to examine our own lives to make certain that we are not the ones who contradict the image of a God that is “gracious and merciful . . . abounding in steadfast love” (v 13). We must work for shalom in a broken world.

Shalom: Peace with JusticePsalm 146“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!” (v1) In this prayer, we are reminded of the Divine’s actions that seek a world of “shalom.” The Holy “executes justice for the oppressed; gives food to the hungry. . . sets the prisoners free; opens the eyes of the blind. . . lifts up those who are bowed down; loves the righteous. . . watches over the strangers; and upholds the orphan and the widow.” This description teaches us that the best way to praise the Holy is by working with the Divine to create a world in which “shalom” becomes a reality.Throughout the Hebrew Bible, God is consistently portrayed as requiring justice (e.g., Deut 10:18; etc.). Showing concern for the oppressed, the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger is a common theme among the commandments found in the Torah. Israel is taught to take care of the most vulnerable because that is what God did for them in the Exodus and because that is how they will image God to the world (Gen 1:26-27) and be a “blessing” to others (Gen 12:2-3). The word “shalom” in Hebrew means much more than just peace; it has a greater sense of wholeness. Shalom seeks the well-being of all. Shalom embraces justice, reconciliation and nonviolence. Shalom is the experience of being in right relationship with God, which would mean that you see yourself, your neighbors, and all of creation as God does – inherently good and worthy of respect. This psalm and other biblical texts teach us that, when there is brokenness anywhere within the human family, no one can know wholeness. As those made in the Holy’s image, we are called to be agents of this divine shalom in the world, creating peace with justice for all.

God’s Desire: WholenessIsaiah 2:1-5During the 8th century BCE, Judah enjoyed a time of economic prosperity, but the riches were not shared with everyone. Those in power, both political and religious, allowed the worship of other gods in Judah; some even encouraged this practice. Such behavior was a breach of the covenant that God had made with the descendants of Abraham and Sarah. As the prophet Isaiah observed the people’s unfaithfulness and the desecration of the Temple, he shared God’s disappointment and anger. It seemed that there was no hope, that the Temple was doomed to be controlled by foreign influences. As the capital city, Jerusalem was the place where decisions were made that affected the lives of all the citizens of Judah. The current economic situation was also contrary to God’s desires for God’s people. The rich were getting richer off the sufferings of the poor. Whereas Solomon had envisioned the Temple and Jerusalem as shining ideals of all that Israel’s God wanted (I Kgs 8), the center of Judah’s worship and political power was a seat of corruption.In this scene of despair, Isaiah dared to speak a word of hope and encouragement. There would come a day when “the mountain of the LORD” would once again be a beacon of justice and peace. Instead of oppressive decrees coming from Jerusalem, God’s commandments would be proclaimed. The city would be an example of what the LORD envisioned for all of creation: shalom (wholeness). So amazing was this prophetic vision that Isaiah’s words suggested the impossible; God would do something that was beyond human imagination. Justice would reign for all people (v 4a). Weapons of destruction would be converted into tools of production (v 4b). Peace would settle over the nations, and all would live in harmony (v 4c).As we move through the 2024 Advent season, can these words offer us hope? Do we not need an assurance that the current situation (e.g., high unemployment, economic instability, wars, and rumors of wars, etc.) is not the final word nor God’s desires? What can we do to help further God’s desires for the world to become a place filled with justice, peace, and wholeness?