Peace
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.”
Isaiah 7 10-16
This is the last Sunday of the Advent Season. This is the previous week for shopping and preparing for Christmas morning. Unfortunately, this week can bring so much stress and hassle that we can miss the whole point of the season – hope, love, joy, and peace.
In this week’s text, we see a king and nation worried about the threat of impending war and devastation, but God has reassured them that the protection God promised will come will be sufficient.
What about you? Are the promises of God’s hope, love, and joy sufficient to provide you with the soul-calming peace that only God’s promises can provide? Be kind to yourself this week. Slow down and take a look around to take it all in. This is a mystical time.