Isaiah and Jesus, Hope

Good news brings light to dark places. It offers an exhale of relief. It relieves the heaviness of a burden.

Jesus was anointed to proclaim good news—to the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the sorrowing.

We all deal with poverty, possibly financial but perhaps emotional poverty. We also have been brokenhearted, for a variety of reasons, including loss and betrayal. We know how it feels to be held captive, whether our captors are haunting fears, debilitating habits, daunting guilt, abusiveness, obsession, or something else. We also know what it is to mourn and grieve, be it over the death of a loved one, of a marriage, our purpose, or cherished dreams.

This is why the first three verses of Isaiah 61 fall like water over our thirsty souls.

We read that Jesus offers us hope, binding up our broken hearts, freeing us from captivity, releasing us from darkness, comforting us in our mourning, and providing for us in our grief.

He replaces our ashes with a crown of beauty, gives us joy in place of sorrow, replaces our despair with praise.

Christmas is about so much more than the nativity scene we display on our lawn or fireplace mantle. The Messiah has come! He is our rescue and our salvation. He gives us hope and changes our weak selves into strong oaks of righteousness. He firmly plants us as displays of His splendor.

Merry Christmas, my Splendorous Friends!