Tuesday December 6, 2011
Daily Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. A voice says, "Cry out!" I answer, "What shall I cry out?" "All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it. So then, the people are the grass. Though the grass withers and the flower wilts the word of our God stands forever." Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
Reflection of Today’s Reading:
We are often faced with challenges that seem to be too much for us to handle. Sometimes it is a daily struggle to climb out of the rut we are in and give it to the Lord. At times, we even get so caught up in the daily stresses of life that we inadvertently wander away from Him. Like the lost sheep, God desires to save us from these hardships and lead us back to Him. Throughout this day, I am going to make an effort to approach the challenges in my own life in a different way. I want to respond differently to my frustrations and stress, but most importantly, I want to be mindful that I don’t have to face things on my own. If I make the time to lift all my worries up to the Lord, then He will help me overcome all obstacles. I know I have already wandered further than I would like to admit, but each day is a new beginning and my Shepard will continue to herd me back in the right direction!
Closing Prayer:
Almighty God, I hear it over and over: you are coming to me. I feel my heart stir in anticipation, and I sense that you are inviting me to enter more deeply into the mystery of your birth. Help me to feel renewed patience settle in my heart, and to lift my face in joy. I have been like a lost lamb, but I hear your voice calling me and I feel how deeply you want me to return. Somehow I know that you rejoice in my desire to find you. Help me not to be afraid to say out loud, to believe: Here is God, coming into my life.
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