Wed., Dec. 16: Isa 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25; Luke 7:18-23

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me. We all know what it feels like to be disappointed with another person. But if we analyze the situation, often enough we find that in fact we can’t really blame the other person for letting us down. Rather, our own faulty expectations of that person have let us down. Many in Jesus’ day expected a warrior-king Messiah. They were stuck on that image, so they rejected Jesus. Others, however, recognized that this authoritative Teacher and compassionate Healer surpassed all expectations. As we sojourn through this season of anticipation, what are our expectations of Jesus? Do we harbor any illusions based on who we think God should be?

*For humility and openness to Christ, we pray.