show not tell thoughts about Isaiah 64 for Advent 1 November 29 2020

 There are so many ways that we choose to communicate. In our day and age we can communicate by phone, email text, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, good old fashioned pen and paper letters, or even just a face to face conversation. Over the years God has tried to communicate with humanity. The one of the ways God has reached into our lives and tried to communicate with us is through signs and wonders. Other times God chooses to send a prophets to speak on behalf Of God. 

In Isaiah 65 we hear words of frustration that a great prophet had to share with God. Isaiah was called by God to speak on God's behalf. But it felt to this person called by God to use his voice on God's behalf like nobody was listening. Isaiah kept speaking but nobody listened. And Isaiah spoke to God asking God to rip open heaven and just come down here. Isaiah could speak but the truth on God's behalf. But the truth only went so far. Isaiah could talk and talk. But all those words were worthless if the people didn't want to listen. Isaiah could talk about what God was saying for him to tell the people. But if the people didn't want to listen they wouldn't. God gave Isaiah these powerful words to share. But Isaiah must have felt like it was all pointless.   

I think some parents and teachers can relate. Parents and teacher can talk and talk but if their kids just don’t get it or just are listening we have to find another way to communicate.  As a pastor I have been challenged to choose some other medium, some other way of speaking than just using my words. 

For me this year the big question as Christmas comes is what is God trying to show us right now. I think a lot of people have stopped listening in right now God like a frustrated teacher or parent is trying to show us both God's great love and also the call that God gives us to let that love order our lives. Right now in a pandemic we need to hear this great grace of God's undying love and also this great call to both love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. God is trying to show us something right now because a lot of us have stopped listening.