Wednesday 16 December

Today is Wednesday the 16 December, in the 3rd week of Advent. 

The Gaudete Ensemble conducted by Eamon Dougan sing 'O Oriens' by Margaret Rizza: "O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 45:6-8, 18, 21-26

...so that they may know, from the rising of the sun

   and from the west, that there is no one besides me;

   I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness,

   I make weal and create woe;

   I the Lord do all these things.

Shower, O heavens, from above,

   and let the skies rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,

   and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;

   I the Lord have created it.

For thus says the Lord,

who created the heavens

   (he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it

(he established it;

he did not create it a chaos,

   he formed it to be inhabited!):

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Declare and present your case;

   let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

   Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the Lord?

   There is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Saviour;

   there is no one besides me.

Turn to me and be saved,

   all the ends of the earth!

   For I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn,

   from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness

   a word that shall not return:

‘To me every knee shall bow,

   every tongue shall swear.’

Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,

   are righteousness and strength;

all who were incensed against him

   shall come to him and be ashamed.

In the Lord all the offspring of Israel

   shall triumph and glory.

“There is no one besides me.”  “To me every knee shall bow.” Allow these statements to sink in.  Reflect on their impact.

“Shower, O heavens, from above.”  “And let the skies rain down righteousness.”  Picture these images for a moment…  Immerse yourself in the water pouring down.  Listen to these commands from God to the very earth and heavens.  Allow your mind to roam around the scale of it all…

How does it feel to have a God who is so in command? 

As you listen to the reading again, can you picture the earth responding, opening up to embrace God for all that He is?

In this season of Advent, can you wait in the presence of God, this majestic God, who is also a Saviour?  Who created the earth to be inhabited…  Who passionately cares about His creation…  Who cares deeply about you.   Speak to him now from the depths of your own heart.

O Wisdom

Lord and Ruler

Root of Jesse

Key of David

Rising Sun

King of the Nations

Emmanuel

Come, Lord Jesus