Bethany Bullet - December 9, 2014

When Scripture addresses the life of God’s people it often refers to their life as a journey:

V  Whether wandering in the wilderness or on pilgrimage to the promised-land

V  Whether following Jesus to listen to Him or embarking on a missionary journey to talk about Him

Our discipleship is described as running a race, walking in the Light, or traversing the narrow path.  Yet, often in our journey we wonder when God is going to arrive.  “When are you going to get here, Lord?”

We’ve heard people ask, “When Lord will you get here?” to restore a broken relationship or repair a broken heart, to mend an endangered body or defend an endangered community.  Of course, that is NOT the only time the people of God cry out “when?”  It is not ONLY for rescue from physical affliction that the people of God cry out “when?”  Throughout Scripture we see God’s children on their journey cry, When in regards to the arrival of a spiritual transformation too.  It is a cry that comes from one trusting God’s goodness, recognizing the provision of abundance and desiring His presence in a deeper revelation.

Read Isaiah 40.

A few phrases of the prophet reveal just how near our God is.

“Comfort” is found in the presence of God not the absence of annoyance!  Jerusalem is synonymous with the presence of God.  Latitude and Longitude are not the magnitude of the city!  Merely being in the city limits didn’t limit the presence of pain.  Yet, being in the presence of God during pain makes all the difference.  Jerusalem is where God dwelt with men . . . Of course, now He dwells with us NOT only in His house but in our homes, and in our hearts because in Christ, through the Spirit, the dwelling place of God is with us!  Our God is with us!  And comfort is found in His presence not annoyances absence.

“Hard service is complete and sins are paid for”!  Advent is all about God coming to pay for sin in His Son.  Advent wraps NOW and a WHEN together.  Right NOW you are debt free before God!  Christ paid for our guilt, Christ was charged for our transgressions, and Christ covered what we owe, at His first Advent.

 

“He gathers and tends and carries close to the heart.”  Here and now you’ve been gathered, here and now you’ve been tended.  Here and now you are carried.  When we cry, “when,” whether in need of physical restoration or spiritual transformation, listen and you’ll hear the declaration of God – “NOW.”  Now, you are in my arms, now you are on my breast, now you are pressed to my heart.

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer