It is a long stretch I know, beloved reader, to come out of the Advent & Christmas season to be so abruptly into the First Sunday After Christmas. A larger stretch is for me, as the writer, to shift gears and think about post-Christmas before Christmas has arrived! Ah!!! The perils of writing a week or more ahead.
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)
It is appropriate and fitting though that we consider what Christ’s birth will mean years down the road. I was struck, because I am in a Christmas frame of mind, that the bridegroom is decked with a garland and the bride is wearing a string of pearls – reminiscent of Christmas decorations. I for one do not think Christmas decoration need to be taken down so quickly. I subscribe to the “Twelve Days of Christmas” and prefer to wait until all of the blessings of the Christmas season have been bestowed.
“For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.” (Verses 11)
Isaiah spoke/wrote what he did on strength of faith. He may not have known how it would come about, but he knew that it would. He knew his God Yahweh would make it happen one way or another. Since his trust and faith was great, he did not have know how it would come about.
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” (Chapter 62, Verses 1 – 3)
You will notice we have shifted to the next chapter of Isaiah. There is some question as to who the “I” is. One option is the prophet continuing to speak and prophesy. Another is that it is a different voice, Jesus the Messiah perhaps speaking about what He will do? Yahweh/Adonai speaking a Divine purpose and goal? But the truth is that human hand wrote it down, and that Jerusalem & all of Israel and Judah suffered more up to the point of Jesus birth. So the question comes to me – what does this mean for us? Here just around the corner from Christmas? Read it again, beloved reader, and imagine now that Jesus the Messiah is quoting these words as He quoted from the scroll that was unrolled in the synagogue/temple of His home town. But this time imagine that instead of “Jerusalem” the Messiah is speaking about you. That is what it means for us!!
May the blessings and joys of Christmas continue to come to you now, and into the New Year! Shalom & Selah!
A Simple Desire 
Your comments are welcome