Isaiah 12:2-4
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.
These passages from Isaiah are verses of praise. Giving thanks to God what for what God has given us in our strength and our might. God has become our salvation. As we approach Christmas there seems to be an abundance of people that are battling different illnesses and are counting on that strength from God to make them well.
It can be easy to give thanks to God for the times that we are made well and fully restored to our previous selves. It is much harder during times of distress and receiving news of a terminal illness or a debilitating disease that impacts the rest of our lives. Regardless, God is still present in all of these situations with the loving care that only a parent can have. While we may not sense it, we can gather strength through our faith. For those that Christmas is not a time of joy, these words from Isaiah can be supportive. We are encouraged to look back to our baptisms as children of God and to find the joy that came upon us in the cleansing waters.
Let us pray.
God of Grace, we give thanks and praise to you for times of joy and celebration. We also ask for your presence to strengthen us when we feel that we are at our weakest. In you we are made mighty. AMEN.
a mysterious way 