Thursday, December 15, 2016

Prepare to be blessed

Enlarge the space for your tent. (Isaiah 54:2) 

Pop into a large bookstore around this time of year, and you’ll see plenty of people hunting for Christmas presents. But return in a couple of weeks, and one section will be particularly busy: the self-help section. Millions of people will be looking for guidance in the new year as they seek to make it their best year yet.

Had the woman described in today’s first reading been reading self-help literature, she would have struggled to apply its advice. She had been deserted by her husband, and her hopes for children seemed lost. What could she possibly do to get out of this situation?

The answer is that it’s not about what she can’t do, but what God can do. Not only is God going to give her a child, but he is going to give her such a big family that she’ll need to extend her tent! Her family will become a mighty nation, and her sorrow will be healed.

For the prophet, this “woman” is Jerusalem, a symbol of the chosen people. And as far as we’re concerned, the way that God blessed his people back then sheds light on how he wants to bless us today. Enlarge your tent, he urges his people. Change your expectations. David wants to build a temple, but God says no, I’ll build you a dynasty (2 Samuel 7). A Samaritan woman thinks Jesus is offering her a drink, but he offers her a river of living water (John 4). Peter sees a career as a fisherman, and Jesus makes him the pope (Luke 5:1-11).

“The love of God is broader than the measure of our mind.” So goes a line from an old hymn. His plans are bigger than our plans, and the gifts he wants to give us are greater than what we would even think of asking for!

So as you head into 2017, prepare for blessing. What are your wildest dreams? Call them to mind, and then imagine something even greater—that is the extent of blessing that God has for you. It may look completely different than what you expect, but it will be exactly what you need. And when you notice self-help books on the best seller lists, smile. You are going to be helped by God in ways you can’t even begin planning for! 

“Lord, I thank you in advance for your generosity to me!”

from wau.org

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