The Third Day of Advent, 2016

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

by Patience Nave

See, a king will reign in righteousness…. Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert….  Isaiah 32:1-2  

The Lord has to remind me – more often than I would like to admit – that He wants to “reign in righteousness” in my life! To be Lord, in control, allowed to do for others through me.

Yesterday a friend called to discuss something that was troubling her. I’d just read this verse. I felt so good as I realized He wanted me to let Him reign today so that she could have a shelter from the wind, a refuge from the storm! God wanted streams of living water to flow to her as she thirsted for the only water that can satisfy!

My friend is like so many others who are lonely or troubled or confused by the “stuff” of life. The world is filled with such bad news, such horrible events. In Darfur people suffer horrors and are dying from starvation! They search for crumbs of bread to stay alive. We have missed the Darfur horrors, but we are subjected to fear and starve for want of spiritual food! We search for morsels of truth and encouragement to keep from being overwhelmed by the horror of what we read and see on TV! We desperately search for the peace that can only come from Him who wants to reign in righteousness.

Father, thank you for this early Christmas present, this reminder that something wonderful called righteousness lives in me – all because you live on this earth 2000 years ago and died to make that possible! I need to be reminded every day! Reign, Lord, in me! My house is not perfect but live there, please, that others may find shelter and refuge while I enjoy your Holy Presence!

And Then It Was Christmas: A Journey Toward Christmas
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, 2006,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator.