In the late fall, it was a great day when the first snowflakes began to fall. We could hardly wait until our outdoor rink was flooded and made ready for hockey. On the day of a game, my mind was not on my studies at school. My focus that day was on one thing, the game. But I was not alone. My classmates were also of the same mind.
This time of the year, our minds are focused on Christmas. We can hardly wait. But we are not alone. Others around us are also excited.
Isaiah says of God, “My soul yearns for you in the night.” At the same time, his mind is on the people of his nation. He praises God for God’s care of the people. He has a warning and a plea for a change of heart in others. The good news is that God is at work in this world, both in your heart and mine. There is also a reminder that God is at work to change the lives and people of many nations. There is hope for a new day.
Heavenly Father, you call us to be faithful and to believe that you are still at work in our world to encourage the faithful and to awaken and summon those in need of repentance and faith. Amen. — SN