Advent Challenge Day 10
Comfort (Because You Can't Do it All)
Read Together
Isaiah 40:1-6, 8, 10-11 & Matthew 18:12-14
Light two candles and say together
Comfort, comfort my people.
(from Isaiah 40:1)
Reflection
If you read the Scripture with us on Sunday, you likely heard some of these words before. When we read about John the Baptist preparing the way, it was referencing this passage. We saw what God can do in these wilderness places of our lives.
But, as we prepare for Christmas, we often get confused about who is doing the work here. (And, to be honest, we get confused about this in months without Christmasses too). The job of lifting valleys, levelling mountains, smoothing uneven ground — that sounds like nearly impossible work, and yet we often mistakenly believe we are the only ones who can do that work in our lives. Just go look at the shelves of self-help, self-leadership, and self-improvement books at the bookstore. It is a powerful industry full of life coaches, speakers, and "leaders" who are profiting off of highlighting your mountains while suggesting that the tools to level them are almost within your grasp.
Why would we even need a God in a world where virtually every solution to our problems is simply a matter of correct thinking and action? Why do we need a Savior when we can save ourselves? (And why haven't these motivational speakers guru’d themselves right out of a job?)
Are you exhausted yet? We aren't meant to do it all. It is exhausting when we try. And we do try. We strive for perfection, we pressure ourselves to make our lives better, and we try to not only solve our own problems but the problems of others. And let's be honest: Christmas brings this out in us. The decorations, the gifts, the traditions... the pressure.
How does it feel to know you cannot do it all? That there are problems you cannot solve on your own? That your striving can cease? Does it cause anxiety or relief?
"'Comfort, O comfort my people,' says your God... [your] time of forced labour is over.”
In this passage, not only is God promising to take on the mountainous work you've tried to do yourself, but He is offering comfort, too. Not only can we let go, but we can rest.
Throughout the Bible, God's people participate in Sabbath to practice letting go of control, to separate their identity from what they can produce, and to start from a place of rest. In our culture, even our vacation days are filled with expectations of productive household chores or exciting adventures. We simply move our productivity from one space to another (and with our phones planted firmly in our hands, sometimes we manage to be productive in all realms of our lives at the same time).
But during Advent, we're preparing for our Saviour to come. Who has He come to save? Is it you? Do you even need saving? Or have you saved yourself? Are you preparing for a Saviour or are you trying to meet all your expectations for what Christmas should be in your own strength?
Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year, so see this as a month to start from a place of rest; Not because you've done enough to earn it, not because everything is already in place and you're "all ready for Christmas". No, allow this time to be a time of rest because there are mountains you cannot move, and you don't need to. Do it because Jesus has come to save you from the labour that was never meant for you. Rest because your value is not in what you can do. Lean into Him because He wants to comfort you.
Talk About
- Are there any Christmas expectations you can let go of this year?
- Plan a day, either once this month or even better, once a week, to practice taking a day of Sabbath. Put it on the calendar, and if you live with other people, talk about how everyone can participate and what to expect. On this day, take a break from being productive. Let go of the tools and technology that keep you tied to your work and the comparison cycle. Find ways to rest and worship that day. Don't expect perfection. It will be hard. But when you're feeling stressed about things you wish you were doing during this busy season, give those things to God and trust Him.
Pray Together
Lord God, show us which things we do that are actually forced labour, not the work that you have called us to do in your strength, but the work we do that exhausts us and convinces us that we are not enough. We need your comfort. We need a Saviour. As we prepare for Christmas, let us not be preparing for more expectations and comparisons and exhaustion, but instead, help us prepare the way for You, Lord, trusting you with the mountains we cannot move on our own. Let us know and feel your comfort this season and help us rest.
Amen.
Put it in Action
Take a break from technology for a few hours or a whole day! Use this time to rest and worship. What are some things you can do instead of being on your phone or watching shows?
To Go Deeper, Read
Psalm 96