Advent 2

More Advent! Our mornings this weekend have been opening our day's advent card, finding out what our activity will be (things already planned and must-dos that are now Advent-dos) and then reading the Bible verse.  I have realized that I have never read to my kids from a "real" Bible until now - we've only ever read children's bibles together.  So not only do we hear the Good News but my kids are finding out how the Bible is set up and what chapters and verses are... I feel a bit bad-mother-y for not having shown them a bit sooner.

Anyway, once we've found and read the verse, we get to hang up one of the decorations on Grandma Johnson's Advent Calendar and suddenly our morning has had Christmas anticipation, the Word and Family! So great.

And so, today's meditation:

Isaiah 9: 2 - 7

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as people rejoice when dividing the plunder.

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.
Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
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.

I could go on and on and on.  This passage made my heart glad.  Deep-down glad. I hope we all know what sweet relief and joy it is to be walking in darkness, in the shadow of death even, and to see, finally, a great light.  To see light dawning.  We do feel bigger, more of our own selves and our hearts rejoice, leap and dance with the goodness of it all.

That's what Jesus coming is! That light, the light that saved you, that light is Jesus showing up. Every time. Probably even if we think that light is the right medication or a restored friendship or a child becoming possible, probably that's all still Jesus.

And once Light comes, we get to burn all the stuff that got wrecked while we stumbled around in the dark.  I think I so often keep a few mementos of that journey, you know, just in case I need that outfit or those boots for later.  But this Light - This Light. This Light is everlasting and the promise is we can be done with all of the rest.  I don't know how to make sense of this when I think about how regularly I re-feel the darkness, but I like wondering about it.

And then I like remembering who arrives! A child.  A wonderful counselor - the source of all wisdom and True. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace.  Peace.  A strong, always-around source of our rest. That's who we get. That's who we're waiting for all over again, and then receiving again.  That is who we celebrate.

Finally, these last verses are always to me, the part that explains everyone who can't bring themselves to love Jesus:  doesn't this say he will take over the whole government? doesn't this say his kingdom will be upheld forever? That day Jesus died and he wasn't in charge of anything and all the people who loved him were left empty-handed and not in power and not in charge and not kingdom-makers - that day, this felt like a lie.

Again, I don't really know how to explain that one. I'm quite certain super-smart scholarly types have really good books about it all. What I do know is the promise that living in Jesus' kingdom means living under justice and righteousness - that part is Good News to this heart.

Good News indeed.