Relevant Text: Is. 2:5 (underlined)
Full Text: Is. 1:21-4:1

Wizard | In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz [1], Dorothy is swept up by a tornado and dropped in Munchkin Country. In order to return home, she must go to Emerald City and ask the Wizard for help. Along the way, she convinces a brainless Scarecrow, a heartless Tinman and a cowardly Lion, to accompany her by telling them that the Wizard can solve their problems, too. When they meet the Wizard, he grandiosely introduces himself: “I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” and they humbly honor him [2]. Then he makes them a deal – if they’ll kill the Wicked Witch, he’ll help them. So they go away and accomplish the task. Upon their return, however, the truth is revealed. The screen crashes down and they discover that the Wizard is no wizard at all. He’s just “a little old man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face.” He admits, “I have been making believe … No one knows but you four – and myself. I have fooled everyone so long that I thought I should never be found out.”

Farce | Like the Wizard, our culture promises so much and delivers so little. Its unwritten promises are in SoHo storefronts and Times Square trinkets. Money, sex, power – these promise so much happiness, but they deliver so little joy. Thinking these things will bring contentment is making believe. The Evil One – who “disguises himself as an angel of light” [3] – has fooled everyone so long that he thinks he should never be found out.

Light | In Christ, however, the screen falls. The Wizard is a farce – nothing more than a losing enemy of God who manipulates us to accomplish his own evil means. Christ, however, has set us free through the truth. Rather than living in shadows, we set our hearts to see, know, enjoy and live in light: “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” [4]. In His light, we see all things – including the Lord – as they truly are.

Prayer | Lord, We confess that we are like Dorothy oftentimes – not only do we think our culture can solve our problems, we even evangelize others about its promises. Yet, we know what lies behind the curtain and how empty its promises are. Open our eyes to see your promises as precious beyond anything that this world offers. Give us hope – that we may walk obediently in your light. Amen.

Relevant Text: Is. 28:16 (underlined below)
Full Text: Is. 28 & 1:1-20 and 2 Kg 18:9-22 & 17:7-41

Stanford Marshmallow Experiment | If you gave a marshmallow to each child in a preschool classroom and told them that you would give them another if they waited 15 minutes to eat the first, only one-third would be able to wait. What’s the difference between the patient and impatient kids? It’s not about how much they want the marshmallow – they all want it. Rather, as researchers discovered, it’s about their “strategic allocation of attention” – that is, their ability to distract themselves: “If you’re thinking about the marshmallow and how delicious it is, then you’re going to eat it. The key is to avoid thinking about it in the first place” [1].

Struggling with Patience | There is no question that the Lord longs for His people to be patient. Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about your life” [2], and Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything” [3]. Yet, how are we supposed to obey these commands? After all, most of us want things that we don’t yet have and the uncertainty about whether we’ll get those things usually breeds impatience and anxiety. The longer we wait, the more we ask, “Will we ever get those things?” And the longer we pray, the more we wonder, “God doesn’t seem to hear or care. Maybe I should just take things into my own hands …”

Redirecting, Not Defeating | Like the preschoolers, however, our patience depends on our ability to redirect our desires, not defeat them. Rather than focus on what not to want, we focus on the trustworthiness of God. As Isaiah spoke, “Whoever believes will not be in haste” [4]. We redirect our desires by believing God – His sovereign control over all things [5] and His loving work for those who trust in Him [6]. Our God never sleeps or slumbers [7]. He knows what we need before we ask Him [8]. He is working for us right now.

Prayer | Lord, As we enter the New Year, we are full of uncertainty – financial, professional, relational, political. Yet, as your children, we desire less that you would remove our uncertainty and more that you would increase our faith in the midst of it. Thus, in our culture that demands to have things now, we long to honor you with patience and trust. Help us to distract ourselves by meditating on your Word – for we live by faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us [9]. Amen.

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Footnotes

I love poetry because it seems to awaken the mind and the heart. Below is a Christmas poem by John Piper. Although it is longer than the usual 843 Acres devotion*, it highlights Jesus as the fulfillment of every promise God has made, which has been our focus. Happy Christmas, all!

Christmas Candle by John Piper (1982)

The sun had just begun to set
And Joseph’s face, filled with regret
Appeared again. “We’ll find a place,”
Said Mary, full of hope and grace.
”
I know we will,” she touched his chin
And bravely smiled, “Who needs an inn?
The sky is clear, the blankets thick
And warm; there’s still good light to pick
A place among the rocks we passed.
God’s first and best is often last.”
More times than he preferred to think
Poor Joseph’s faith would start to sink
And darkness gather like a foe
‘Til Mary’s hopeful heart would glow.
It wasn’t that he feared the night,
Nor prowling beasts nor thieves to fight.
In fact, it wasn’t fear at all
That made the tears begin to fall.
“It’s all right, Joseph, I don’t mind.
I’m sure it won’t be hard to find.”
“My God, you’re pregnant, woman, look!
What kind of husband ever took
His wife to sleep among the rocks?
I’m not a shepherd with some flocks;
I am a man and you’re my wife
With child.” She hugged him to the Life
Within her womb and said no more.
Wise woman, she had learned before:
Sometimes you leave a man alone
To bear his load of love, and groan.

She’d kept it to herself all day
And every time they came she’d pray
“Not yet, O God, not on the road;
Your handmaid bears as big a load
As she can take. O Lord, please wait;
Please let the child, your child, come late.
“
She never burdened Joseph down,
Not even when they got to town,
Not even at the setting sun,
But only when the search was done.
He helped her down among the cocks
And hens. She smiled, “It sure beats rocks,
Especially for a night-time birth.”
“I’m in no mood for silly mirth.”
“Nor I.” “How long have you known this?”
“No anger now, my love, let’s kiss
The hour and kiss the ways of God.
Remember that his staff and rod
Are comfort, father David said.”
She winced and quickly shaped her bed.
“I helped to make your day’s load light;
Please, Joseph, carry me tonight.”
“I’ll get a midwife from the place…”
“Don’t leave me here without your face.
My mother showed me what to do
And what I need right now is you.”

Between the pains she tried to lie
In peace and stare into the sky,
And think of how she’d been prepared.
And then she said, “Joseph, I’m scared.
“
And he with steady eye and calm
Recalled for her the angel’s psalm.
“He is the shoot of Jesse’s rod;
He shall be called the Son of God;
His Kingdom shall not ever end.
Will not God then his birth attend?”
But Mary’s face remained so grim:
“The promises are sure for him.
You know I never doubt God’s word,
But, Joseph, I have never heard
A promise for myself but this:
‘Some sword my own soul will not miss.'”
Again his eyes were steady, bright
Reflecting heaven’s grace and light.
“Our book is full of promises;
Remember that one where it says,
No good thing does the Lord withhold
From those whose cares on him are rolled.
And: when your worries multiply
God’s consolation hovers nigh.
And: steadfast love surrounds the girl
For whom Jehovah is her pearl.
And: God’s a stronghold for the weak,
How happy those who his help seek.”
Each time the birthing pangs withdrew
He gave her joyful words and true.
He carried Mary with the Word
And she delivered what she heard:
God’s Yes to every ancient oath.
And now with lifted hands they both
Were filled with distant prophecy:
“To God alone all praises be,
And let the world a candle light
To celebrate this awesome night.”

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What are the non-advent readings for today? Hosea 12-14

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*843 Acres is limited to 400 words or less. Today is the first day that we have gone over 400 words. It is 630 words (which is still, by the way, less than a New York Times op-ed – 750 words or less).

Advent Reading: Hebrews 1:1-2

God Has Spoken | Complaining that God is silent with us is like standing at the bottom of the 59^th Street Subway Station and saying that New York has no Christmas decorations. Just because the lights and trees can’t be seen from there doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Likewise, God is not silent. He has spoken: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son” [1].

Through the Prophets | In the past, God usually communicated with His people as a whole by inspiring prophets to speak His Word. Rather than writing His Word in the sky or using a megaphone to shout it from the hills, He inspired human spokesmen to communicate His Word to our fathers. Thus, when the Israelites heard the prophets, they heard God Himself – not man.

Many Times and Many Ways | And He was lavish in how He communicated. He didn’t speak at one time or in one way. Instead, He spoke at many times and in many ways because He wanted to give His people many opportunities to hear Him. He didn’t want to leave them discouraged if they had trouble understanding Him at any one time or in any one way. Thus, as we have seen this advent season, God told Israel about the Messiah through the family, the priesthood, the throne and the prophets [2].

By His Son | Then, by sending His Son, God decisively showed how eager He was to speak with His people. This latest communication was greater than all prior times and ways because Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” [3]. As heir of all things and co-creator of the universe [4], Jesus will make good on all his promises – even the promise to have final victory over sin and death and everything that threatens to rob us of our joy in God.

Prayer | Lord, When we think that you are silent, remind us that the birth of Jesus is incontrovertible evidence that you have spoken. Today, as we prepare for Christmas, open our hearts to know that you still speak by him, as we meditate on his person and teaching and work. Cause us to put our hope in him, the one who will make good on his promise to come again. Amen.

Advent Reading: Jonah 4:2 (underlined below)

Promise Made | When God called Amos to prophesy that Assyria would come against Israel, He also called Jonah to preach revival in Assyria’s chief city, Nineveh [1]. Jonah – an Israelite – did not go easily. In fact, he jumped on a boat to flee. When his plans shipwrecked, however, he ended up in stormy waters and desperately cried to God for salvation – for although he knew that he was guilty, he also knew that God was “a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” [2]. God answered by sending a fish to swallow him and, after three days in its belly, delivering him to preach in Nineveh – where the people repented and returned to God.

Promise Kept | About 700 years later, some leaders asked Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you” [3]. Jesus answered, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here” [4]. In fulfillment, Jesus died on the cross, stayed in the grave for three days, and rose again to reign in heaven.

Promise Meant | A person can no more survive in the belly of a great fish than that they can live again after three days in the grave. Yet, this was the point – God would do the extraordinary on behalf of His people. God delivered Jonah when he prayed (although his own disobedience had put him in harm’s way) and He saved the Ninevites when they repented (although their own evil deeds had set them against Him). Today, when we cry to Him, we receive even greater mercy because we have the blood and resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate sign of God’s grace.

Prayer | Lord, No matter what we’ve done, you hear our cries we turn to you in repentance. Therefore, help us to live in your mercy and grace, as we throw off our guilty consciences that have been sprinkled by Christ’s blood [5]. Amen.