A Reflection for Saturday, December 14, 2024 by Dr. Erika “Erie” Burt
Lectionary reading for 12/14/2024: Isaiah 12:2-6; Amos 9:8-15; Luke 1:57-66
Selected passage for reflection: Isaiah 12:2-6
Read
Isaiah 12: 2-6, The New American Standard Bible (NASB)
2 Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For the Lord God is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.”
3 Therefore you will joyously draw water
From the springs of salvation.
4 And on that day you will say,
“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.
Make known His deeds among the peoples;
Make them remember that His name is exalted.”
5 Praise the Lord in song, for He has done glorious things;
Let this be known throughout the earth.
6 Rejoice and shout for joy, you inhabitant of Zion,
For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Reflect
Where is God?!
Undoubtedly, during the time Isaiah 12 was written, the people of God wondered where God was. The Assyrian Empire was in control, and the people of God were living in fear and pain from the consequence of their rebellion. In the midst of this though, God brought them out of exile and gave them promises for the future. This hymn of praise from Isaiah 12 reflects the joy over God’s salvation and what God continued to do in their midst. Today, when we ask, “Where is God?” we can also answer and say, “God is dwelling in our midst.”
God dwells in our midst to recalibrate our hearts. Despite our sin and our ability to be harmful to ourselves and others, God chooses to stay close and redirect us as needed. As the Bruce Parham adlibs in the song Hide Me “…He kept me from my own silly self…”. Sometimes that is precisely what we need, to be kept from our own silly selves. God knows if left to our own devices we may choose to worship ourselves, things, the facades we project to others, or harmful habits that we often enjoy. Because God loves us He remains present and active not only to guarantee access to heaven through our faith in Jesus Christ, but to recalibrate our hearts and save us from ourselves. Perhaps this is why you and I might personalize verse 2 and say, “God is my salvation…”.
God dwells in our midst to rescue us. In verses 2 and 3, Isaiah says “God is my salvation”…and “God has become my salvation”. The use of these verbs suggests that when things knock the wind out our sails, and we do not know what to do, God is working on our behalf. Therefore we also can say, “I trust and will not be afraid”. Imagine a woman who is starting to shake in her proverbial boots because of her circumstances, yet she makes a volitional choice to trust and not be afraid. When we know God is our salvation, we have a certain confidence in His ability and willingness to show up for us. When we contend with the lies and attacks from others, He is our defense. When we struggle with bills, worry about our kids, or have anxiety about our future, God is salvation. When we are exhausted from taking care of ailing loved ones, God is our strength. All we have to do is think back on what He has done, and we will know He will never fail us.
God dwells in our midst to make His name reverberate throughout the earth. Some preachers say God is a bridge over troubled water, and that sounds good, but maybe there is a better metaphor to explore here. Perhaps God isn’t just a bridge over trouble water but a lifeboat in trouble water. It doesn’t mean the boat wont toss and turn. It doesn’t mean we won’t get wet or even swallow some water, but it does mean we won’t drown. As we reflect on this fact we can’t help but praise Him! And as we sing God’s praises, just as Isaiah writes in verses 4-6, we ensure His name is exalted throughout the earth.
Respond
Read Zephaniah 3: 17-20. Listen to the song “The Lord Thy God” by Bishop Andrew Merritt.
Take a few minutes to thank God for dwelling in your midst.
Rest
Lord, thank You for being in our midst as we navigate the now and the not yet. We will trust and not be afraid.
About the Author
Dr. Erika (Erie) Burt, Assistant Dean for a Chicagoland area university, is a change agent with a passion for advancing educational equity and access for across technology fields. She leads large scale projects aimed at increasing the academic success rates of underserved student populations and for helping organizations become high-tech, high-touch, high-impact centers of excellence. Erika also has a PhD in higher educational leadership from Concordia University, a MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary & a MAT in education from Chicago State University. She is a DEI workshop trainer and presenter and a published author with works in theological journals and magazines. Erika is from the south side of Chicago and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.