Isaiah 61:10-11
This passage begins with rejoicing in God which I read as gratitude. It moves on to images and metaphors of what the authorʼs rejoicing is all about. We all have much for which to be grateful, regardless of our health and circumstance. Most of us have family, friends and our church family as some of many blessings in our lives. The passage likens these gifts of God as garments, clothing, adornments, protection. Certainly we can feel protection and adornment from these divine gifts. The passage then moves to a garden image, that Godʼs goodness will rise up as shoots in a garden. Believing this takes patience, especially this time of year when gardens are dormant and we may have difficulty seeing Godʼs goodness in our world. The author of this passage invites us to believe that what God has sown in the garden will spring up later for all to see. One point here is that a God is reaching toward us, loving us and causing righteousness to rise in the world. The question is what is our part in all of this? I think our part is to keep sowing seeds of gratitude and goodness. And also to keep believing that what is sown will grow. In Advent we are waiting, but not passively doing nothing, but actively being grateful for the gifts of God and sowing seeds to grow into blessings in Godʼs time, and believing in Godʼs goodness and caring for all of creation, especially and particularly for each of us.
~ Joyce Crowell