Third Monday of Advent

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 8:16-9:1

Key Verse: I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob and I will hope in him. ~Isaiah 8:17

It can be difficult to see where God is at work sometimes. Martin Luther spoke of the “hiddenness of God” and this concept is likely familiar to many of us. When we don’t see God at work it can be difficult to trust and to hope in him. The clamoring voices that surround us can begin to sound appealing and we may be tempted to seek strength and direction from some other source than God. This will not provide a long term solution though, because any “salvation” outside of God is a false salvation. Any god but God is a false god, a deaf, mute idol who is unable to meet our ultimate needs. Israel compromised time and time again. They ran after false gods and worshipped that which was no god but merely an illusion. When we find ourselves frustrated, discouraged and tempted to look somewhere other than to the One True God, we need to say with Isaiah that we will wait for the Lord, even if we must wait a long time, and must place our hope in him and in him alone.

Reflect: Are there particular things that are troubling you today? Are you facing decisions that tempt you to compromise what you know is right and true? Do you feel like the pressure to conform to the rest of the world is crushing you? Offer all of these things to God and place your hope in him. Ask for divine assistance to give you strength and discernment.

Heavenly Father, thank you that you are my rock and my fortress, that in you I can put my hope and know that my hope is not in vain. Strengthen me today to live for you in spite of all of the temptations and pressure the world surrounds me with. I want to live for you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

For Further Reading: 2 Peter 2:1-11 Luke 22:39-53 Psalm 41