Waiting for the King

Beloved,

Waiting is a blessing. There is so much that happens in our souls as we wait for good things to come. The longing and expectation of the 9 months of young parents prepares their hearts to hold a precious child in their arms. The longing and expectation of the upcoming marriage prepares two hearts to become one flesh. There are some things that only can be created when we wait. God has told us to wait for the Lord through his Word. Advent is a season of waiting and expectation. We are training in longing for and in expecting our King to come. We are trying to connect to the longing and expectation that Israel had as they waited for the Messiah. To that end, will you join me in reading through Isaiah this December. Tony Reinke writes, "

Usually by the time December begins Christmas decorations are up, holiday music is blasting, and pumpkin spice is in the air. But as the culture prepares for the holiday, I invite you to do something counter-cultural: to read the ancient collected prophecies of a man named Isaiah. Not only do I want you to read it, I want to run alongside and help you understand and enjoy it (Acts 8:30–31). That is my goal for you in the month of December leading up to Christmas — in twenty-four readings beginning on December 1 and ending on Christmas Eve.

Isaiah tells the boisterous story of international political upheaval — the stunning prequel to Bethlehem. Nothing will deepen your appreciation for the Incarnation, nothing will better help you enjoy Christ, and all that he is for you, if you understand the global setting that anticipated, and demanded, his birth. It’s been called the Fifth Gospel for good reason because along with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John it’s a book about the Messiah, not merely in his birth, but in the whole of his world. And it’s majestic. It’s the prequel-gospel, the first gospel, or the gospel before the first gospel, because it serves as a forerunner to the biographies of Christ."
 

Let us read the book of Isaiah this month as we prepare for Christmas and connect the longing of Israel as they waited for the King. (Download reading plan here or see below)