Isaiah 61:1-3 (NLT)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.”
We finish the Isaiah portion of our Advent series today and we will spend the last few days before Christmas in Psalm 22, quoted by Jesus as he died on the cross. Our Expectation series has focused on the Messiah — who he was, who he is, and who he will be eternally. We have also explored what the revelations about the Messiah mean for our daily lives and the freedom we have access to because of Jesus’ life and mission.
Today we connect with the mission of Jesus. Because we are followers of Jesus, we do what he did. In fact, Jesus said that we would do even greater things that he did in his short time on earth. The Messiah received the Spirit of God, as have we, to bring good news to the poor. The Holy Spirit works among the hurting and broken. He looks for the burned down places and turns the ash into something beautiful. Everything becomes the opposite of how it seems.
Creation and restoration are Jesus’ specialties. Everything you see right now on the earth can be turned upside-down (or perhaps right-side up). Nothing is as it seems when the Holy Spirit is at work. I challenge you this Christmas season to be on the look out for the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life and the lives of those around you. What might he just turn around when you least expect it? His transforming power means you get to keep hoping no matter how dismal things seem. I dare you to hold on to hope.