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Daily Devotions for the Advent and Christmas Seasons
Friday, January 1, New Year’s Day
Isaiah 62:1-5, 10-12
by Alton Chinn
Around this time of year, the newspapers run their reviews of the past year and list all the famous people who died.
For my Cameron House peer group, this past year has been hard. A couple of us have lost parents, two other alumni discovered that a rare illness has stricken an adult son, and one lost a close sister to a sudden and shocking heart attack. There was so much pain and grief that in an email one of our friends wished that we could somehow declare a moratorium on bad news.
Having grown up in our Christian traditions, I am very familiar with the practice of comforting the grieving while trying to celebrate and thank God for the life that has just ended. This is a lot harder than it sounds. In many situations, the pain or grief can be so deep and profound that it overwhelms any celebratory feeling.
How did the people of Israel cope with their loss, their grief and their pain? But the prophet Isaiah musters the hope to declare:
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for your Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
The prophet preaches, but he also prays. He doesn’t give up. And we must not give up and succumb to grief. The passage of time makes a difference, and so do all the small acts of listening and caring.
Prayer
Dear God, grant us courage and the wisdom to do the little things that comfort those who sorrow. Amen.