Advent December 4, 2006
Read Isaiah 40:1-5
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. --Isaiah 40:1
How many ways can you think of to send a message? Before people had e-mail--even before telephones--telegrams were a good way to communicate information quickly and accurately. During Advent we have an important message to communicate: we're preparing the way for Christ to be born in our hearts this Christmas. How did God send that message the first time it was heard? Of course, God didn't send a telegram.
God's message was sent by special people called prophets. They proclaimed the message to everyone who would listen. During Advent we often reread those messages from the Bible--especially the words of the prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist. Isaiah shared God's message to "Comfort my people." That means to help others feel better by assuring them of God's love. John the Baptist told people to get ready for God's presence by repenting. That means asking God to cleanse us from sin and help us straighten out our lives. If we were going to send a telegram version of God's message, it might read:
Don't weep. Stop.
Don't sin. Stop.
God is sending help. Tell others. Don't ...
Stop.
The words of the hymn "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People" could almost be called a singing telegram. They are an Advent message for the people of God. The ancient words of the prophet Isaiah in the Bible were translated and made into verses of a song for Saint John the Baptist Day by a German minister named Johannes Olearius. Two hundred years later Catherine Winkworth, a British woman, translated the German text into English. Christians today sing the song during the Advent season as they prepare for Christ's coming. God has passed the message through many people and in many ways during the centuries. As we share the words of "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People" during Advent we become messengers for God, too, proclaiming the peace of God to a waiting world.
Prayer: Comforter, challenge us to send a message of hope to all who will receive it. Amen.
http://us.f810.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=2675_17759136_22_1597_4464_0_45822_13929_177251679&Idx=1&YY=86339&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&inc=25&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&box=Advent
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. --Isaiah 40:1
How many ways can you think of to send a message? Before people had e-mail--even before telephones--telegrams were a good way to communicate information quickly and accurately. During Advent we have an important message to communicate: we're preparing the way for Christ to be born in our hearts this Christmas. How did God send that message the first time it was heard? Of course, God didn't send a telegram.
God's message was sent by special people called prophets. They proclaimed the message to everyone who would listen. During Advent we often reread those messages from the Bible--especially the words of the prophets Isaiah and John the Baptist. Isaiah shared God's message to "Comfort my people." That means to help others feel better by assuring them of God's love. John the Baptist told people to get ready for God's presence by repenting. That means asking God to cleanse us from sin and help us straighten out our lives. If we were going to send a telegram version of God's message, it might read:
Don't weep. Stop.
Don't sin. Stop.
God is sending help. Tell others. Don't ...
Stop.
The words of the hymn "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People" could almost be called a singing telegram. They are an Advent message for the people of God. The ancient words of the prophet Isaiah in the Bible were translated and made into verses of a song for Saint John the Baptist Day by a German minister named Johannes Olearius. Two hundred years later Catherine Winkworth, a British woman, translated the German text into English. Christians today sing the song during the Advent season as they prepare for Christ's coming. God has passed the message through many people and in many ways during the centuries. As we share the words of "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People" during Advent we become messengers for God, too, proclaiming the peace of God to a waiting world.
Prayer: Comforter, challenge us to send a message of hope to all who will receive it. Amen.
http://us.f810.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?MsgId=2675_17759136_22_1597_4464_0_45822_13929_177251679&Idx=1&YY=86339&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&inc=25&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&box=Advent
posted by Pete Houpt @ 3:01 PM
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