Advent 3
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom ... and rejoice with joy and singing....
-- Isaiah 35:1-2
Listen, for even now you can hear the faint sound of laughter bubbling up from deep within creation. It is not the laughter of the final celebration but rather the anticipatory laughter of one who has suddenly recognized the clue that unlocks the mystery. For the prophet Isaiah, and for us, there are still miles to go before the journey is complete, but there is an inner delight in having discovered the way. We can now "say to those who are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.' " The confidence of faith is expressed as, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Is not a great deal of the pain in our lives, and particularly the stress of living, due to our loss of confidence in the why of life? If we knew that the weight we were carrying was for a worthy purpose, would it not be easier to bear? Is there any family tension, job demand, or frustration too difficult if we knew for certain that this is precisely what we need to be doing to accomplish the miracle of God's salvation? If we knew that God could use our efforts to accomplish God's purpose, that we were contributing to the larger story that God is unfolding, could we not "obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing" that would never flee away? Listen, for even now you can hear the sound of laughter.
-- Isaiah 35:1-2
Listen, for even now you can hear the faint sound of laughter bubbling up from deep within creation. It is not the laughter of the final celebration but rather the anticipatory laughter of one who has suddenly recognized the clue that unlocks the mystery. For the prophet Isaiah, and for us, there are still miles to go before the journey is complete, but there is an inner delight in having discovered the way. We can now "say to those who are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.' " The confidence of faith is expressed as, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Is not a great deal of the pain in our lives, and particularly the stress of living, due to our loss of confidence in the why of life? If we knew that the weight we were carrying was for a worthy purpose, would it not be easier to bear? Is there any family tension, job demand, or frustration too difficult if we knew for certain that this is precisely what we need to be doing to accomplish the miracle of God's salvation? If we knew that God could use our efforts to accomplish God's purpose, that we were contributing to the larger story that God is unfolding, could we not "obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing" that would never flee away? Listen, for even now you can hear the sound of laughter.
