Advent For Those Grieving | No. 23
ADVENT DAY TWENTY THREE
1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed meto bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
our healer, our comforter
The baby we celebrate at Christmas, that baby in a manger, He is our good news, our hope. He is good news because He came to bring freedom, to set us free. Freedom from death and sin and all that is broken. Jesus came to bring life. And He came to bring healing and comfort.
He alone binds up our broken hearts. He alone brings true and lasting comfort. He alone gives beauty where we see only ashes. He alone turns our mourning into gladness. He alone restores, redeems and rescues all that is broken.
He heals our wounds, comforts our sorrows, gives us beauty for ashes so that in Him we would be firmly planted, that we might be "oaks of righteousness" -- rooted deeply in our love and trust for the One who has restored our hope and given life to our "faint spirit."
the promise
He heals that which is broken. He comforts those who mourn. He gives beauty for ashes. He gives gladness for mourning. He gives to those hurting, hearts of worship.
prayer
Father, thank you for sending Jesus to be my healer and comforter, my rescuer and redeemer. My heart feels utterly broken this Christmas as I watch all those around me celebrate and I seem to only see and know what has been lost, what is missing. Would You heal my heart? Would You give me beauty for ashes? Would you give comfort that only You can give? Thank you for the deep roots You are planting in my heart, roots that will yield much fruit for Your glory.
