3rd Sunday of Advent (December 14). Be strong and do not fear

Prepare to Listen.  On the 3rd Sunday, the pink candle on the Advent wreath is lit with two purple candles.  Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear!  Here is your God.
 
Prayerfully Read Isaiah 35:1-7
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
   the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus 2it 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.
3Strengthen the weak hands,
   and make firm the feeble knees.
4Say 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.’
5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
   and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6then 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;
7the burning sand shall become a pool,
   and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
   the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
What makes you fearful today?  What do you rely on to overcome it?
 
This poem has 3 sections.  The first and third each have 10 lines and focus on the restoration of all creation.  In between (v. 4) is the key message: “Do not fear.”  It remains key for us today since we live in a culture of fear with much to provoke fear.  Such as politicians using fearmongering to gain support, or churches failing to train people to trust God alone and instead promote violence.  As a result, our hands are weak, our knees are feeble, our hearts are fearful.
 
And so, to you who are of a fearful heart (which is pretty much all of us), I say, “Be strong, do not fear!  Behold your God,” who is before you, who comes to save you.  Human leaders, money, lethal weapons can neither save nor free you from fear.  Behold your God!  The only one who can protect and save you.
 
Sections one and three give a reason not to fear.  They paint a beautiful picture of a fully restored creation.  The wilderness, dry land and desert (vv 1-2) become streams, pools, lush reeds and rushes (vv 6b-7).  The weak hands and feeble knees are strengthened (v 3), the blind, deaf and lame (v 5) are healed.  It all happens because God will come with vengeance and recompense, to right all wrongs, bring order to chaos, heal the sick and infirm, restore all creation to its original goodness.  He came in Jesus.
 
Pause now, look beyond today’s fears and Behold your God.  God is here, in our midst.  With the eyes of your heart see God in our messy, fearful world.  Let that vision make you strong and less fearful.
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord God you are with me in my fears and troubles.  Open the eyes of my heart to behold you today and walk with confidence and hope in you alone.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Be strong and do not fear.