Advent and Lenten Devotions by Goshen College students, faculty, and staff - Welcome to Goshen College Advent Devotions 2013: Monday, 9 December 2013 “Happy are those… whose help is in the Lord” by Brian Sutter

Advent and Lenten Devotions by Goshen College students, faculty, and staff - Welcome to Goshen College Advent Devotions 2013: Monday, 9 December 2013 “Happy are those… whose help is in the Lord” by Brian Sutter, a junior physics and informatics double major from South Bend, Ind.

THIS WEEK’S THEME: “Happy are those… whose help is in the Lord”

THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURES:  Isaiah 35: The Return of the Redeemed to Zion

1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,

    the desert shall rejoice and blossom;

like the crocus 2 it shall blossom abundantly,

    and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the Lord,

    the majesty of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,

    and make firm the feeble knees.

4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

    “Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

    He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

    He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

6 then the lame shall leap like a deer,

    and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

    and streams in the desert;

7 the burning sand shall become a pool,

    and the thirsty ground springs of water;

the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,[a]

    the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

8 A highway shall be there,

    and it shall be called the Holy Way;

the unclean shall not travel on it,[b]

    but it shall be for God’s people;[c]

    no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.

9 No lion shall be there,

    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there,

    but the redeemed shall walk there.

10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,

    and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

    they shall obtain joy and gladness,

    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Footnotes:

Isaiah 35:7 Cn: Heb in the haunt of jackals is her resting place

Isaiah 35:8 Or pass it by

Isaiah 35:8 Cn: Heb for them

Psalm 146: 5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

    whose hope is in the Lord their God,

6 who made heaven and earth,

    the sea, and all that is in them;

who keeps faith forever;

7     who executes justice for the oppressed;

    who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

8     the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

    the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the strangers;

    he upholds the orphan and the widow,

    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The Lord will reign forever,

    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord!

James 5: Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, therefore, beloved,[a] until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.[b] 9 Beloved,[c] do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As an example of suffering and patience, beloved,[d] take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Footnotes:

James 5:7 Gk brothers

James 5:8 Or is at hand

James 5:9 Gk Brothers

James 5:10 Gk brothers

Matthew 11: Messengers from John the Baptist

2 When John heard in prison what the Messiah[a] was doing, he sent word by his[b] disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers[c] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

Jesus Praises John the Baptist

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? Someone[d] dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?[e] Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

    who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Footnotes:

Matthew 11:2 Or the Christ

Matthew 11:2 Other ancient authorities read two of his

Matthew 11:5 The terms leper and leprosy can refer to several diseases

Matthew 11:8 Or Why then did you go out? To see someone

Matthew 11:9 Other ancient authorities read Why then did you go out? To see a prophet?

DEVOTIONAL:

By this time in Advent, the stresses of final exams and papers are upon us. But long nights of studying will soon be replaced with nights of sipping hot chocolate in front of the fire and enjoying time with family. A majority of the semester, however, is not quite so relaxing. Assignments accumulate, research papers continue to avoid writing themselves, and exams are always looming. Of course, I expect college to keep me busy, and I truly find joy in all that I’m learning, but it’s easy to forget that I can rely on something other than late-night cups of coffee to help me handle the workload. In the midst of my busy schedule, God is there, calling me to place my trust in Him.

This week’s devotional theme is “Happy are those…whose help is in the Lord.” The scripture passages describe God’s unwavering commitment to justice and to God’s people. Indeed, God is committed to helping people through much greater trials than college homework. We are reminded that God will protect the orphan and the widow, lift up the downtrodden and set the captives free. God will create streams in the wilderness, and the desert itself will rejoice and blossom. God knows those uncertain wildernesses that hold each of us captive, whether they come in the form of strained relationships with loved ones or endless stores filled with holiday bargains and stressed shoppers.

In this season and in life, God calls us to look towards Him for our source of help. We are called to pay attention to the signs of God dwelling in the world around us, here and now. By seeking the help of the Lord, we begin to notice the blossoms in the desert, and we, too, can rejoice and be happy.

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