Beloved Children in Exile
Begin by Reading Isaiah 63:11–16
11 Where is He who brought them up out of the sea
with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is He who put in the midst of them
His Holy Spirit,
12 who caused his glorious arm
to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
to make for himself an everlasting name,
13 who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
they did not stumble.
14 Like livestock that go down into the valley,
the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
to make for yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and beautiful habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
are held back from me.
16 For you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us,
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
Our celebration of Advent stands between two arrivals of the Son of God. The first arrival being the one celebrated each Christmas, the incarnation and condescension of the Son into our dark world. The second arrival this season commemorates is one we've yet to see. We still await it, anticipating Jesus' return to our world to finish His work of redemption. In this way, Advent mirrors exile. Much of what we would call the church age does. We are a people claimed by and set apart by God who continue to languish in sin, darkness, and death. We are a people with every reason to rejoice and every reason to mourn all at once. Infused with God's presence, we long for it still. We are healed but broken, alive but dying, righteous, but sinful. Advent asks us to stretch back and remember all that God has done for us as a people, while we face the many shadows reaching across our world, our lives, and our hearts. It is a season of sorrow and joy mingled together into longing.
We can resonate with the voices of God's people in exile, a people living in the aftermath of God's extraordinary deliverance from slavery, and in anticipation of realizing God's promised imminent salvation. Israel, having been handed over foreign nations, wondered where God could be (v.11). They recount confidently all that God did for them during the Exodus. They remember God's power and Salvation (vv. 12-13). They recognize the grace of the Spirit of God's presence (v.11). And they recall the Shepherd of Israel's provision and care for the people (v.14). They look back and long for God's presence to manifest itself in a powerful and meaningful way. They yearn for the deliverance that comes with God's arrival.
Their current situation is one of exile. Removed from all Israel as a nation was created to be and do, she longs for redemption and restoral. So do we.
We too look back and remember what God has done for us. We recount the miraculous world-altering birth of the incarnate Son. And we too still long for restoration and renewal, recognizing that though we have been given God's grace and Spirit, we are not yet where God means for us to be. So we can, along with exiled Israel, cry out, "Look down from heaven and see us, where is your salvation, your justice, and your renewal? You feel so far from us in this broken world. We know you are our Father, you are the one who has redeemed us. Won't you come down and heal us fully?" And in this prayer, we hope for Christ's return. We look ahead to the advent that will bring all things back to order, renewing and restoring them to the full glory and goodness God desires. This week let's stretch our hearts, reaching them back to remember our salvation in Christ's coming while we strain them forward towards what still remains.
Contemplation & Reflection:
Take a moment to reflect on the fact that God cares enough for you and the world around us that the Creator actually entered into creation. Wrap your head and heart around Jesus entering into the world for our sake. Spend a moment thanking Jesus for this act of humility and love.
Now spend a moment facing the darkness. Consider the global pain, sickness, and injustice infected the world. Think of those you've encountered enduring unimaginable loss, struggle, or pain. Now take into account your own loss, doubt, pain, and sin. Spend a moment reflecting on the fact that not all is well in your world or your heart, not yet. Spend a moment crying out to God over the brokenness. One of my favorite Advent pieces is Amena Brown’s Advent for Weary Souls. It is a bit dated today, but is still profoundly powerful.
I want to encourage you to take a look at the lyrics to O’ Come O’ Come, Emmanuel. Whenever you hear this I encourage you to sing it as a prayer either in your heart or out loud. The original is in latin and there are a few different versions, but all of the verses can be found here.
Take a few minutes to finish your time today in prayer. Allow yourself to feel the rawness of the mixed emotions and take these in honesty to God. Know that Jesus does not just see your joy and pain, He has experienced them in the flesh, and as much as we long for wholeness, He longs for it all the more.
