The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. Isa. 61:1-3
Dear Lord Jesus, when I compare the magnitude of your Messianic calling to meagerness of your humble birth, I’m overwhelmed by this most holy paradox. Who could have imagined that a baby whose birthing room was a stable would be the means by which God will stabilize everything awry in the universe?
Who had any way of conceiving that the child who nursed from a young mother’s breast was the Ancient of Days—the One who brings the nourishment of salvation, redemption, and restoration to God’s every-national family and much-beloved creation?
Who recognized that the vulnerable, cooing spirit of this infant was actually the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord—by which, one Day, all oppression will be stopped and all chains will be broken; injustice will give way to justice and mourning will be replaced with gladness…
Broken hearts will become healed hearts and despairing hearts will become dancing hearts; the disfavored in the world will become the favored of the Lord? Who possibly could’ve seen, known, and believed such a glorious state of affairs?
We praise you, Lord Jesus, for displaying your splendor most clearly in the humility of the gospel and the riches of your grace. May your beauty be more fully revealed to us and through us, until the Day you return to finish making all things new. May your Spirit free us for loving mercy, advocating for justice, and walking humbly with you, our God. So very Amen we pray in your most glorious and grace-full name.