Letting Go of Lostness

"And I will lead the blind into the way which they know not; and in the paths which they were ignorant of I will make them walk..." -- Isaiah 42:16

Floundering or "feeling one's way along" is a fairly common human experience.  The Jewish people had landed in Babylon and suddenly were no longer sure of who they were.  It is a difficult thing to hold onto one's identity when everything familiar is stripped away.  For a time nobody knew where to turn.  They looked for guidance, but there was nobody to be found who they could respect or trust.  The Prophet Isaiah comes on the scene and tells them that God does know you are here.  God knows how you got yourselves into this pickle.  You've walked very arrogantly without God, and now you are in a tough spot.  But God is keeping up the Promise and is sending one who will bring light, and straighten out this mess.

Many of the verses in the 42nd chapter of Isaiah strike Christians as foretelling of the Advent of Jesus the Messiah.  Without the Messiah, being struck blind on the crooked path of life is almost a certainty.  Jesus comes to us and shows us a new, straighter way.  The shackles of sinful failure are cut loose.  The gift and grace of forgiveness lifts the scales from our dismal view of ourselves.  Hope comes into bloom again.  God has not forsaken us at all.

No matter how bruised and beaten up in life you are, no matter how lost or struggling you might feel, God hears and sends the help meant for you in particular.  It's hard to believe it at times, yes, but certainly God's enduring presence is the promise given from scripture.

Questions to Ponder:

1. How well are you able to keep a positive self-esteem?
2. What obstacles or assistance do you find in keeping true to yourself and your faith?
3. How has Jesus' coming into the world changed who you are?

Prayer:
Dear Lord, no matter what our circumstances are, be with us.  Lift the low places in our road, smooth out the rough places, and carry us safely into sacred space with You daily.  In Christ's name.  Amen.



This is the reading from Day 3 of Advent Meditations: Isaiah the Prophet by Mark Fredericksen, M.Div., N.D.  It is available at Amazon.com.  Click on the book cover in the right column to order paperback or Kindle.