comfort - 2nd wk advent tuesday

Today we read that part of the book of the prophet Isaiah which we call the book of consolation.  It is called the book of consolation because Israel after many years of exile in Babylon will now be permitted to go back to Jerusalem.  Finally they are going home.  The chapters before this chapter are full of condemnation and judgement.  Israel is punished, Judah is chastised for her sins.  Then the shift of tone begins.  Now beginning with this chapter the book of consolation begins and it begins with the emphatic command from the Lord, “comfort, comfort my people.”

What is this comfort of God about?  What is the source and reason for this comfort?

There are several things pointed out.  Let me point out only two.

The first source of comfort is this - only the word of God is reliable.  It is the only constant amidst this changing world. Peoples change, fashions change, regimes change, principles change, policies change.  Only God’s word does not change – his promises are reliable.  “All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, but the word of our God stands forever.”  The question is do we base our hope in God or do we rather rely on things, on power, on our human alliances for our security.  Do we put our hearts on the things of this world which we know is constantly changing or do we put our trust in God? 

The second source of comfort is this – God is going home with them.  He followed them to their exile and he will walk back with them in the wilderness to their homeland.  “Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah:  Here is your God!  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.”  Going home is never a guarantee that from now only everything will be fine.  We cannot rely on what will happen next.  But in this text of Isaiah Israel is given the assurance that from now on, God chooses to be involved in their future, God will be with his people. This is the deepest comfort and greatest joy – to know that God is at work in our midst – he is providing, protecting and guiding his people like a shepherd his flock.

Do we believe therefore that God is at work in our lives, in our family even in the midst of trials and difficulties and crises?  Comfort does not come from living a good and problem-free life.  Comfort comes from the reality that no matter what we have God with us and he is reliable and he is always after our good.

This is what advent prepares us for in Christmas.  This all reliable word of God, this constant word, these dependable promises of God is now made flesh in Jesus.  And because of this incarnation God lives among us.  He is with us no matter what.