It Came Upon the Midnight Clear - Isaiah 30:15-18

God is a gracious Father who offers us rest and delights to give it as one of his most precious gifts. Rest, or “sabbath”, is a way-of-life that imitates God’s pattern in creative work (resting on the 7th day) and rejoices in the freedom he won for us (the Israelites from slavery and all believers from sin).  But Christmas time ironically uncovers our difficulty to rest from our labors and anxieties, as we are frustrated and strung-out in our “merry-making”.  Heap on to that this confounded pandemic that won’t go away!  So will we receive the gift of rest God has offered us?  Will we trust Jesus who promises to give us that blessed rest?