From the Stem of Jesse

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Isaiah 11:1-4

Advent is fairly new to me as far as beginning to understand what Advent is, why I have missed it, and why I now truly want to spend time in the quiet of Advent, letting the busyness and commercialism of Christmas be replaced with a longing, an expectation, and joy as I await the Christ.

Advent, from the Latin words advenire (to come to) and adventus (an arrival), refers to the coming of Christ into the world. Advent is a season, a season bringing light into this darkened world and into my own life. I prepare for Christmas, the day upon which Christ’s birth is celebrated and His First Coming into this world. Advent season is a longing to be renewed in a sense that Jesus came to save me from my sin and death. I want to live this life with meaning and purpose…His desires for me. The longing and hope I feel is that I will see Him and follow Him. He did come for me. He then died upon the Cross for me, taking my sins with Him. He was resurrected three days later, coming again, leaving the Holy Spirit to live with me. Now, I anticipate Christ’s Second Coming, the return of Jesus. I want to prepare for His Coming to meet me at the end of my life on this earth.

Advent is the coming of Christ yesterday, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in the manger, today, wrapped in my heart as the Holy Spirit, and tomorrow, His Coming to bring His judgment and His love to a world in need. The world was in need over two thousand years ago, but most of His People missed Him as their Messiah, the Anointed One.

Isaiah spoke to a corrupt, confused, broken nation. The prophet promised new life from these ruins. A new shoot came forth, showing His powerful relationship with God. Isaiah speaks to us today, to me.

As I prepare, I remember:

• Israel’s hope for the coming of God’s Messiah to save, to forgive, and to restore.
• Our hope for the second coming of Jesus.
• Our need for a Savior to save us from our sins.
• To welcome Christ, Emmanuel, at Christmas into our world . . . and into our hearts.

Advent calls me to focus inward, to listen and to nurture that “little light of mine,” that light of heaven within ourselves. The outward lighting of candles is a reminder.

Advent and Isaiah bring hope, expectation, prophecy: The Anointed One, the Messiah comes, the gold thread woven through the Old Testament. I feel His hope all around me when I draw near to Him. I, too, miss it when I am trying to handle things on my own or live each day in the hubbub of the world. I do not want to miss Hope, the only Hope, Jesus.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

LORD, I pray that my focus is upon You and the beauty of Your coming. You are the offspring of the root of Jesse, proclaimed in prophecy. You came as a man Who spoke and healed and loved and cared. You honored Your Father more than anything. You give me the hope that I need to walk in this world. I hope in You for You are my Salvation. You are my Hope, my Love and Joy and Peace that I so need to spread each day. As You weave Your Thread in and through me, through my life, I pray that that golden thread becomes more and more prevalent and shines through me as I live my life in this world. I thank You, LORD, for drawing me to You, raining Your hope upon me. May I draw near and stay, LORD Jesus. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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