Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid, for the Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2
In this moment, stop. Just for the time it takes to read this reflection. The world will pick up right where you left it, promise.
Repeat this declaration of faith and promise of hope to yourself silently or aloud three times. Try one line at a time, breathing in for a count of four and out for a count of eight. Or, imagine blowing out the Advent candles on your congregation’s wreath in one sustained breath.
I’ll wait.
Are your shoulders a little looser—even by a millimeter? Is your anxiety/pressure/ time crunch/expectation meter a tick lower? What images flashed before you?
Daily life is busy enough. Add in the frenetic pace of December, and it can drive someone to exhaustion!
In the midst of what lies ahead for you today, you reminded your brain and body that you cannot be superhuman. That God is God and you are not, despite our efforts to curate the perfect experience. That God is your salvation. That God remains your hope. That God perseveres through your fears.
Even if your shoulders are still as tight and your meter still as full, that doesn’t change this verse of grace.
Because God is our strength, might, and salvation.
We Pray: Gracious God, our strength and might, remind me daily to trust in your saving love for all the world, including me! Today, I pray especially for… . Prepare us for your coming. Amen.
Rev. Rachael Dietz is the Executive Associate of the Bishop for Leadership in the NEPA Synod.
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