When I got to the office this morning, I had my day lined out. My To Do list is longer today than on most days – but my attitude was one of “let’s get this done!”
But – – right out of the shoot, my printer quit. A couple of items on my list required printing. W
ell, that took me down a 30 minute sidetrack to get it going again. And in the midst of feeling some wrinkles developing on my brow, I received an email that caused some frustration and I had to turn some attention to it.
When I finally got back to my list, I realized there were three more things to put on it.
This season is a wonderful season, but if we lose focus, it can become a time of busyness and stress. In fact, if we are not careful, we begin to look forward to some “normalcy” that we fantasize will somehow be ours to enjoy after the holidays have come and gone.
In the midst of this turmoil this morning, I remembered that I had not given much thought to one of my Advent readings for the day. As I turned again to Isaiah 40, I was reminded that people many, many years ago were looking for relief from stress and struggle. And out of their cries for God’s intervention, a prophecy of promise arose. Isaiah 40 says:
25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
So today, whatever you face, remember, God is bigger.
Don’t rush through this Christmas season. Instead, live into each day knowing God has a plan. He gives strength to the weary and his grace is sufficient.
Clay in the Hands 
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