As we begin each day’s reflection, invite the Lord to come be with you as you read and meditate on His Word. Take a moment and read the bible passage slowly, allowing the Lord to draw you to any word or phrase that speaks to you.

Isaiah 29:17-24 

Thus says the Lord GOD: But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest! On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone; All who are alert to do evil will be cut off, those whose mere word condemns a man, who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim. Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham: Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob and be in awe of the God of Israel. Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction.

We are almost done with our week of Hope and our Prophet’s candle. Just today and tomorrow are left before we enter our second week of Advent. And the prophecy from Isaiah in the first reading gives a beautiful description of a future filled with amazing things. Starting with a small phrase, “But a very little while…” or in other words, “Very soon…” It reminds us of those times when we are talking to a young child and trying to get them to wait patiently. We know it is going to take some time, but the concept of how long that will actually be is not something they can fully wrap their minds around. But a simple phrase like, “It’s almost time” brings excitement and hope and makes the waiting seem a little less unbearable. God knows what he’s doing with His children. 

Second, there is a beautiful description of all the Lord will do for those who are suffering. The gift of healing, the justice for those who have been wronged, and even a promise to parents that their children will stay faithful as they see how God is working. This last one is an amazing vision, and many parents would love it because it gives a reason to hold on to hope. There is a deep desire for many that their children return to the faith. 

But paired with the Gospel reading today from Mathew 9:27-31, let’s turn our eyes particularly to the promise, “out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.” There are two blind men that meet Jesus today. They call out to him and approach him. Notice that Jesus doesn’t immediately touch them, spit in mud and make a paste to cover their eyes, or just boldly say to them that they are healed. He asks them an interesting question. “Do you believe that I can do this?” 

Imagine yourself face to face with Jesus, your greatest request and need laid out before Him. You are gazing at Him with hope and longing. You have heard of His miracles from others. You are hoping their stories are true. And He looks at you and says, “Do you believe I can do this?” What do you say? Take some time to think about this before you answer. Your first reaction may be, “OF COURSE!” But do you really mean that? Is your trust level as high as it can be or do you tend to pray for this request, but surround it with plenty of conditions that He must follow in terms of the how and the when? We all want to hold on to a bit of control because we tend to think we know best.

Today let’s try to give an authentic, “Yes, Lord” answer to His question and be in awe as He responds, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” May our eyes be opened to what the Lord can do for us this Advent and may our faith in Him be without limits. 

Reflection Questions: What are your deepest requests for God? Have you been waiting with these for a long time or are they new? How can you ask God to heal these areas with an even greater trust in His timing and His process? Spend some time in Matthew 9:27-31 and place yourself in the shoes of those blind men. Let the Lord’s question to them sit in your soul and permeate your heart. 

Prayer: Do I believe that You can do this, Lord? I want to. I want to boldly believe. I want to have the faith that can take a request and turn it into a miracle because You see that my heart is pure, and my trust is complete. But You know how hard it is for me. Please help me to surrender and place my hope in You. Take my faith to the next level this Advent. Amen.