Introduction
Hello church and welcome to our 2025 Advent journey! May this time you’ve set aside to spend in the word bring unexpected hope to your soul!
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and prepare room in our hearts to be restored with God’s word.
Let’s begin with a brief pause to settle our thoughts and prepare room in our hearts to be restored with God’s word.
Opening Prayer
Steadfast and Loving Father, thank you for helping us to focus on You. Please open our hearts to receive Your word and the hope You have for us today. As these passages become more familiar, help us to see and understand new and wonderful things found therein. May Your Spirit refresh us with Your presence and remind us again of Your faithfulness.
Today's Scripture - Isaiah 64:1-9
Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before You!
As when the fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled before You.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, You were angry.
How can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
Yet O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all Your people.
As when the fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you!
For when You did awesome things that we did not expect, You came down, and the mountains trembled before You.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember Your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, You were angry.
How can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.
Yet O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be angry beyond measure, O LORD; do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all Your people.
God's word to us, a lamp for our feet, a light on our path. Thanks be to God.
Reflection
The picture of a potter forming a lump of clay evokes a sense of intention, of intimacy and of care. If you have ever attempted this art form, you know it’s not so easy and takes hours of practice. This is the word picture Isaiah gives us for our Father in heaven. If you have suffered at the hands of an earthly father, let this image of a potter and his clay help you understand how God is different. His hands shape and form, He smooths out the rough edges and He takes time with each vessel, making it as He has chosen. Our God is personal and intentional with what He creates. He lays His hand upon us and wherever we go His hand will guide us, His right hand will hold us fast. This knowledge is almost too lofty for us to grasp! We have been fearfully and wonderfully made by a good Father. We do not need to be afraid of our Father’s hands. In Christ we have become God’s children and are welcomed to call Him “daddy!”
It is from this place of trust that Isaiah cries out for God’s deliverance. He knows the unworthiness of his people, how sinful they are and how consistently they rebel and go their own way. He is calling out to God based not on their merit, but solely on God’s perfect Fatherly character of consistent Grace, unfailing love and sufficient power to rescue and redeem.
We too have no merit of our own to warrant God’s favor. Let me repeat that – we too have no merit of our own to warrant God’s favor. What hope is there for us? How can we be saved? Will our wretchedness go so far to cause our Father God to reject us? Will he hide his face from us? No! No! in all these things we are more than conquers through Jesus who loves us. Thanks be to God that through Jesus Christ, our Lord – there is now no condemnation, no getting what we deserve! Rather, there is for us, for us! consistent Grace, unfailing love and sufficient power to rescue and redeem!
It is from this place of trust that Isaiah cries out for God’s deliverance. He knows the unworthiness of his people, how sinful they are and how consistently they rebel and go their own way. He is calling out to God based not on their merit, but solely on God’s perfect Fatherly character of consistent Grace, unfailing love and sufficient power to rescue and redeem.
We too have no merit of our own to warrant God’s favor. Let me repeat that – we too have no merit of our own to warrant God’s favor. What hope is there for us? How can we be saved? Will our wretchedness go so far to cause our Father God to reject us? Will he hide his face from us? No! No! in all these things we are more than conquers through Jesus who loves us. Thanks be to God that through Jesus Christ, our Lord – there is now no condemnation, no getting what we deserve! Rather, there is for us, for us! consistent Grace, unfailing love and sufficient power to rescue and redeem!
Joy to the world
The Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and Nature Sing!
Closing Prayer
As you go about your day, carry this short prayer with you:
Oh, look upon me, I pray, for I am Your child.
In my waiting, help my heart to remember that You are my help.
In my waiting, help my heart to remember that You are my help.
Take a few moments now to pray to God, your steadfast and loving Father.
Thank you for joining us today. We will be back again on Friday to introduce next week’s Advent reading of Mary’s praise. Until then, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
