Advent in Exile - Christmas Longing With Isaiahنموونە

Isaiah 52

“Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, ...
shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

...How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’

The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.

Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”

For most of their history, Israel was an oppressed people, waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue them.

Well, He has! But, we are the true Israel, those who embrace Christ as our Savior, who shake off the dust of anxious thoughts and besetting sins and rejoice at the good news that we belong to Him and patiently wait for His return!

"In Light of this Advent Season, what is your heart longing for?"

-Drek Beardsley