Devotional 12-10-20

 Oaks of Righteousness

As I prepare to write a devotional, l always start by reading the suggested scriptures and make note of all the verses that are particularly meaningful to me. I read Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lords favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” I thought ‘yes!’ A year of God’s favor was what I was hoping 2020 would be! Last year was not a good year for my family. We needed a year of the Lords favor, a year of healing. Instead Covid struck, my Dad passed away, we had major plumbing and subsequent mold problems, and friends and family with serious health problems. It does not feel like a year of God’s favor! But, this is not about me and my problems. It is not about 2020. It is about Jesus. Jesus quotes Isaiah 61:1-2 in Luke 4:18-19 and then adds “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” This scripture is about the love, forgiveness, and hope that Jesus would bring to the world.

How do we make 2020 and all the pain and suffering that it has brought about Jesus? John the Baptist shows us. When he was asked by the Pharisees who he was, he answered, “I am the voice of one crying in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord.” (John 1:23 NIV). He didn’t talk about himself. He told them about Jesus. We can do the same. We can humble ourselves as John the Baptist did and make everything about Jesus and how he has gotten us through this year. We can work at staying joyful, praying continuously, and finding things to give thanks for no matter what the circumstances (Thessalonians 5:16). This is not easy to do when you are hurting and stressed, but if we try to do these things I think we can come through 2020 stronger Christians than ever. Maybe we can even be “oaks of righteousness, plantings of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” (Isaiah 61:3 NIV)

Margaret Williams