Scripture Reading
Isaiah 11:1-3a
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord — and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
Reflection
From what looked like a dead stump — a dynasty ended, a people exiled — God promised new life. Advent holds this paradox: out of endings come beginnings, out of apparent defeat comes the Branch who will change everything. When our own circumstances look like a stump, we can remember that the Spirit rested on that Branch, and that same Spirit rests on us.
Prayer for Today
I declare today that by the wisdom of Christ in me, I have favour with God and men in Jesus name.
Amen.