Advent Lutheran Church

"Emmanuel, God with Us (Advent 4 Midweek)"

Grace and peace to you from God the Creator, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Isaiah 7:10-17  Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

 

            I had an interesting experience a few days ago.  After ordering on line from one of the big box stores, I was notified that my purchase was ready for pick up.  So, I braved the crowds, waited in (first) the wrong line, and (second) the right line for about 30 minutes.  Finally, I was called forward so that I could present myself and my two forms of identification and pick up my purchase. 

 

            Round #1 – Can’t find it on the “pick up” shelves

            Round #2 – Can’t find one on the showroom floor

            Round #3 – Manager can’t find it on the “pick up” shelves

            Round #4 – Manager can’t find it on the showroom floor

            Round #5 – I follow the manager to her desk/computer where she finally locates my purchase and its tracking number. 

 

Punch in the number.  Purchase: confirmed.  Pick up date: confirmed.  Location: not specified.  “What the heck!” I say.  Her reply?  “Well, at least you know we have it…we just don’t know where it is.” 

 

            Tonight you heard again, last Sunday’s Old Testament lesson for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.  The people had grown tired of moaning to each other, and had been “weary-ing” God!  Like the story of the persistent widow who finally wears down the unjust judge, Isaiah tells of the people of Israel wearing God out with their persistence:  until (finally) “the Lord…will give you a sign.  Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”

 

            It’s been a long time since the people yearned for a Messiah, a Savior.  In, fact, it seems like a long time since people around here, all of us, “yearned” for anything – much less the presence of God.  But, it is somewhat understandable – we don’t need to yearn for much.  We don’t pine for release from captivity or escape from political tyranny.  We have been pretty successful at working for and earning some measure of comfort.  We are free, citizens of a country that is, mostly, politically stable.  We are relatively safe within our borders.  We are not subject to diseases of poverty or lack of food, clean water and shelter. 

 

Our yearnings are rarely external, which puts us in what some might call “privileged” positions to yearn for our internal needs:

            + Freedom from pain or loneliness or insignificance

            + Release from worrying, stress, guilt, grief or frustration

            + Desire for acceptance, health, meaning and love…

 

            Advent calls out to all of our yearnings – which, if you look very closely, stem from the same place deep inside whether they are external or internal.  Advent calls out to all of our yearnings with hope and with a promise:  God will be with us.  God IS with us.  We are not alone.             There is a place for us, and the location is “not specified.”  Some call it home.  Some call it family.  Some call it church.  Some even call it love.   However, we who wait for the light to shine out in the darkness call it simply, Emmanuel.  The one who keeps God’s promise and meets all our hopes with peace.  Location?  Specified:  with us.  AMEN.