Healing Rays of Righteousness

Advent 2021 opened its journey this past Sunday with the prophet Jeremiah declaring God’s promise of restoration of righteousness and justice after a time of barrenness and defeat.    “The days are coming … when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.  In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 33:14-15).   

The apostle Paul encourages the confused, doubting, and discouraged believers of his day by reminding them of Isaiah’s prophecy.  “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.’  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13).      

Advent gives voice to our deep longing for God to show up in our midst as He did in the past.  Our Advent journey begins as we light the candle of HOPE.  The lighting of HOPE rekindles our remembrance of God’s great and gracious promise to humankind of presence and salvation.  The lighting of HOPE also reassures us that God always keeps His promises. 

Like God’s people in Jeremiah day, we too are filled with longing; we too hunger for the transforming presence of God in our midst.  In our times of deepest darkness and despair, it is easy to allow negativity and despair to overwhelm us. 

In both church and non-church conversations I hear a lot of despair and hopelessness.  I agree that the daily news is more tragic than treasure, and the future looks increasingly violent and dangerous.  It is simply unrealistic to believe that all is well in our world today.  It is not! 

Unfortunately,  many people have given in to despair, and being trapped in negativity have little hope for any possibility of good changes happening.  To speak and sing of “hope” seems to these people to be just a lot of wishful thinking, of whistling in the dark.

And so, it was also in the prophet Jeremiah’s day.  And so, it was in Henry Longfellow’s day of the American Civil War when he wrote:

            I heard the bells on Christmas day  Their old familiar carols play, 

                        And wild and sweet the words repeat  Of peace on earth, good-will to man. 

            And in despair I bowed my head. “There is no peace on earth,” I said,

                        “For hate is strong, and mocks the song  Of peace on earth, good-will to men.”

            Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;                                     The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,  With peace on earth, good-will to men.” 

The message of Hope that Jeremiah offered was not based on his confidence in the strength or merit of the people of Judah.  Instead, his Hope-filled message was based on his faith in God. 

Jeremiah believed God and was confident that God was both sovereign and faithful in keeping his promise.  He also had learned that God works in and through every event, even those that seem catastrophic, to make things right and to restore a right relationship with his children.

It was almost six hundred years later when God’s gracious promise to his people was fulfilled.  The promise happened in the birth of Jesus Christ.  He came as God’s Messiah, Redeemer, Savior to all his people, both Jew and Gentile. 

The angels announced his birth as “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  Jeremiah’s hope has become a reality.  The King of Glory has come.

Christmas is the proclamation that this God of Hope is in our midst now.  Christmas is the proclamation of Hope to a people in darkness and despair.  We are God’s messengers of Hope, proclaiming the good news that “To Us a Child of Hope is Born.”

            To us a child of hope is born, to us a Son is giv’n.

                        him shall the tribes of earth obey, him all the hosts of heav’n

                        him shall the tribes of earth obey, him all the hosts of heavens.

            His name shall be the Prince of peace, for-ev-er-more adored,

                        the Wonderful, the Counselor, the great and mighty Lord,

                        the Wonderful, the Counselor, the great and mighty Lord.

            His pow’r, increasing, still shall spread, his reign no end shall know.

                        Justice shall guard his throne above, and peace abound below,

                        justice shall guard his throne above, and peace abound below.

“Come, Lord Jesus” is a prayer that points both backwards and forward – backward to Jesus, the baby in the manger, but also forward to Jesus, the Lord, still entering into our world.

Let us prepare ourselves to be surprised, amazed, and unsettled by the unexpected ways our God appears and acts in our behalf, upending evil and bringing us His peace and joy.

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            “Healing Rays of Righteousness” – December 1, 2021

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley