December 5

Emma Nyquist, Youth Director

Psalm 27; Isaiah 1:1–20 This year brings a whole new understanding to the word waiting. After nearly nine months of disruption, waiting seems to define 2020. We long for the day when we will be able to gather with friends and loved ones; the day when we can be back with our Park Street family. In anticipation of Christmas, waiting gains a hope it has been missing. As we gaze at the beauty of the Lord and recognize more and more how incredible it is that He came to be among us, it is natural to see His heart for the world. Psalm 27 points us to the importance of dwelling daily with God, both to take in His beauty and seek His presence. Being in the presence of God is not a passive act. The people of Judah in Isaiah 1 are caught in a dangerous rebellion where they do not recognize God’s judgment surrounding them. Though they were carrying out sacrifices and coming before God in prayer, they were not taking care of their neighbors. The covenant where sacrificial laws are introduced is the same covenant that demands right treatment of neighbors. You cannot have worship without also caring for the vulnerable around you. Quarantine reshaped not only our schedules, but the circles of people we operate in. Instead of seeing who we wanted to at our regularly scheduled events, the faces we saw became those of the people living immediately around us. Caring for neighbors in need has taken many forms. From pausing to have a conversation with someone, to sewing face masks, to donating food, we have seen the church step up to the needs of its community. Being aware of the needs around us is an ongoing process. We must continue learning to do good. We can seek justice and correct oppression as Isaiah 1:17 instructs. Jesus brings hope in that, if we are willing and obedient, we can be in the presence of God. While we eagerly await Jesus’ return, we have work to do. May we see Jesus in the faces of the people around us.