Word to the Wise
Thursday, December 10, 2009 - Thursday in the Second Week of Advent
[Isaiah 41:13-20 and Matthew 11:11-15]I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you." Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the Lord...... [Isaiah]
Two old but very clear memories came to me when I read these words from Isaiah: the voices of my swimming teacher when I was trying to learn to swim, and my dad when I was trying to learn to ride a two-wheeled bicycle! "Fear not! I will help you!" In my case, it took a lot of trusting, near-drowning, and bruises! Those two hard-won skills are still with me, I think, even if I don't use either of them much anymore. However, it's the memory of trusting that comes through. Advent invites us to accompany a couple as they travel toward Bethlehem in hope. Advent also invites us to realize that we travel toward our own Bethlehems in hope. Sometimes what we hope for seems to be beyond our reach but that voice keeps coming to say, "Fear not! I will help you!" AMEN