ADVENT WEEK ONE: HOPE

December 4 F. Douglas Powe Jr., PhD

Isaiah 40:9-11

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your

voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, do not

fear… Isaiah 40:9

I believe it is human nature to want to hear good news. If every day the only

thing we heard was bad news or how awful things are it would grate on us

quickly. We need to hear and experience good news so that we can have

hope for the future.

This text in Isaiah begins with the sharing of good news for Zion and Jerusa-

lem in exile under Babylonian rule. The news is so good that those who bring

it are implored to “shout it” and make sure everyone hears something wonder-

ful is happening and is going to happen.

Here is what I love about this text, it reads, “you who bring good news.” It

does not yet say what the good news is. Twice it emphasizes “you who bring

good news.” This means we are called to participate in creating hope for the

future. We must share the good news that is happening so that others can

hear it and have hope. In fact, we should be shouting the good news to make

sure everyone hears it.

Of course, if we literally shout it, people will ignore us, but the point remains

not to keep the good news quiet. I believe we are often reticent to share good

news because it can feel like bragging. The key is that the good news is not

about us, but about the way God cares for all of us. All of us!

We do indeed need to hear good news. We also need to be the purveyors of

good news. We need to give hope to others that God truly does take care of

us all. This is a message that is not shared enough in our world. This text re-

minds us that we are the ones who are called to share it.

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