A Reflection for Thursday, December 12, 2024 by Rev. Rebekah Bolin
Lectionary reading for 12/12/2024: Isaiah 12:2-6; Amos 6:1-8; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
Selected passage for reflection: Isaiah 12:2-6
Read
Isaiah 12:2-6
“Surely God is my salvation;I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”With joy you will draw waterfrom the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Reflect
When there is so much grief in this world in every direction,
I take a look around with an eye of inspection.
Famine, corruption, racism, floods, abuse, war, and cancer,
Where are you, Oh Lord, we need an answer!
People are overwhelmed with anger, anxiety, and fear,
Many want to crawl under a rock and disappear.
It is easy to become tired of it all, apathetic, and depressed,
Where are you, Oh Lord, we need restorative rest!
I want to scream, “Why is there so much dissension and hate?!?”
“Why is there so much pain and grief as of late?!?”
I frantically look from side to side, down and above,
Where are you, Oh Lord, we need your unconditional love!
In all my questions, I try hard to settle my heart in meditation,
Conjuring up my faith as I pray for others, myself, the world, and our nation.
I open up to Isaiah 12:2-6 and the words immediately speak to my concern,
There you are, Oh Lord, giving an answer for which I yearn!
We shall not live in fear or be afraid,
God is our salvation, as we prayed.
We have a heavenly strength and a strong defense so we do not have to weep,
There you are, Oh Lord, your relief is like a well, unending and deep!
If we readjust our perspective in every direction,
We will see a sparkling light within our inspection.
Glorious wonders and a miraculous joy that turns our hearts to praise,
There you are, Oh Lord, wrapping us in your love in all our days!
Respond
We are not to ignore our pains and the pains of the world as if they do not exist; however, we are called to a higher perspective. Once we truly understand that God is good, God is loving, and God truly does not want us to fear, our whole body will yearn to praise God. We are still called to fight for justice, but with a deep faith that God truly wants the best for us and our neighbors.
Think of one specific area that is causing you to worry. Politics? Health? Finances? The state of the world? Job? Violence? Natural disasters? Something else? Spend some time praying Isaiah 12:2-6 over that concern.
Rest
Dear God,
There is so much going on in the world and in our (my) personal lives. At times it feels debilitating. But you tell us not to fear, not to be afraid. Your Word says you provide us with defense. Help me to have a better understanding and a deeper faith in this truth. May I see your glory all around me and praise you for all the glorious things you have done in my life—from the big blessings to the everyday provisions. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the Author
After growing up in Wisconsin, Rebekah graduated from Fuller Seminary and has lived in Los Angeles since 2006 (minus a year and a half of living on the Big Island of Hawaii). In 2018 she started and pastored a church in Downtown LA. The church has been on hold since covid, but the vision is still alive and well and she hopes to eventually start it back up. Until then she is out traveling as she works for a major U.S. airline. In her free time, she loves to travel, hike, put together jigsaw puzzles, try new food, play soccer, laugh around the dinner table with family and friends, and enjoy the adventures of life the Lord takes her on.
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