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WE PRAY

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

WE READ

The voices of those who have suffered at the hands of unscrupulous and unjust men and women cry out to God, “Holy and true Master, how long will you wait before you pass judgment? How long before you require justice for our blood, which was shed by those who live on earth” (Rev. 6:10). This decliration strikes at the heart of those who faithfully believe that God is working toward justice and redemption in this world. It resonates in a way that ’s hard to articulate; the deep longing for things to be made right echoes across time and in our very souls. In times of waiting, it can be hard to keep faith when nothing seems to change. While we haven’t suffered in the ways the saints in Revelation 6 have, we too utter, “How long, oh Lord!”
Today’s passage from Revelation connects with what Zechariah and the psalmist relate. In both Zechariah 8 and Psalm 55, we realize that hardship and distress come from sources close to home, and not always the outside “other.” Zechariah reminds us that division and hardship often begin close to home, yet God’s promise is not just future restoration, but present transformation rooted in truth, justice, and peace (Zech. 8:16-17). The psalmist notes that he could handle what an enemy does much better than a friend or family member (Psalm 55:12-13). In today’s divided social and political context, these words may resonate with you, causing you to wonder how long God will allow God ’s people to be so drastically divided.
We need only to revisit Revelation 6:11 for the answer, “a little while longer.” The waiting we do in Advent isn’t confined to global movements of salvation and restoration, but reaches down into the intimate places of our lives where the hurt of betrayal wounds deeply. It’s in that pain that we must rest and wait, throwing ourselves, not into arguments that try to convince the other of their erroneous way, but into loving the multitude of “least of these” (Matthew 25:40) that surrounds us.

Psalm 55

1 God, listen to my prayer;
don’t avoid my request!
2 Pay attention! Answer me!
I can’t sit still while complaining.
I’m beside myself
3 over the enemy ’s noise,
at the wicked person ’s racket,
because they bring disaster on me
and harass me furiously.
4 My heart pounds in my chest
because death’s terrors
have reached me.
5 Fear and trembling
have come upon me;
I’m shaking all over.
6 I say to myself,
I wish I had wings like a dove!
I’d fly away and rest.
7 I’d run so far away!
I’d live in the desert.
8 I’d hurry to my hideout,
far from the rushing wind and storm.
9 Baffle them, my Lord!
Confuse their language
because I see violence and conflict
in the city.
10 Day and night they make their rounds
on its walls,
and evil and misery live inside it.
11 Disaster lives inside it;
oppression and fraud
never leave the town square.
12 It ’s not an enemy that is insulting me—
I could handle that.
It’s not someone who hates me
who is exalted over me—
I could hide from them.
13 No. It ’s you, my equal,
my close companion, my good friend!
14 It was so pleasant when
together we entered God ’s house
with the crowd.
15 Let death devastate my enemies;
let them go to the grave alive
because evil lives with them—
even inside them!
16 But I call out to God,
and the Lord will rescue me.
17 At evening, morning, and midday
I complain and moan
so that God will hear my voice.
18 He saves me, unharmed,
from my struggle,
though there are many
who are out to get me.
19 God, who is enthroned
from ancient days,
will hear and humble them
because they don’t change
and they don’t worship God.
20 My friend attacked his allies,
breaking his covenant.
21 Though his talk is smoother than butter,
war is in his heart;
though his words are more
silky than oil,
they are really drawn swords:
22 “Cast your burden on the Lord—
he will support you!
God will never let the righteous be shaken!”
23 But you, God, bring the wicked
down to the deepest pit.
Let bloodthirsty
and treacherous people
not live out even half their days.
But me? I trust in you!

Zechariah 8:9–17

9 The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
Be strong, you who are now hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets spoken on the day when the foundations for the house of the Lord of heavenly forces were laid. 10 Before this time, there were no wages for people or animals; there was no relief from distress about going out or coming in, because I set everyone against their own neighbor. 11 But now, unlike those earlier days, I’ll be with the few remaining among this people, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
12 The seed is healthy:
the vine will give its fruit.
The land will give its produce;
the heavens will give its dew.
I will give the remnant of
this people all these things.
13 Just as you were a curse
among the nations,
house of Judah and house of Israel,
so now I will deliver you;
you will be a blessing.
Don’t fear, but be strong.
14 The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:
Just as I planned evil against you when your ancestors angered me, says the Lord of heavenly forces, and did not relent, 15 so now I have changed course and again plan to do good to Jerusalem and the house of Judah. Don’t be afraid.
16 These are the things you should do: Speak the truth to each other; make truthful, just, and peaceable decisions within your gates. 17 Don’t plan evil for each other. Don’t adore swearing falsely, for all of these are things that I hate, says the Lord.

Revelation 6:1–17

6 Then I looked on as the Lamb opened one of the seven seals. I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 So I looked, and there was a white horse. Its rider held a bow and was given a crown. And he went forth from victory to victory.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Out came another horse, fiery red. Its rider was allowed to take peace from the earth so that people would kill each other. He was given a large sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” So I looked, and there was a black horse. Its rider held a balance for weighing in his hand. 6 I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures. It said, “A quart of wheat for a denarion, and three quarts of barley for a denarion, but don’t damage the olive oil and the wine.”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 So I looked, and there was a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and the Grave was following right behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, famine, disease, and the wild animals of the earth.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar those who had been slaughtered on account of the word of God and the witness they had given. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “Holy and true Master, how long will you wait before you pass judgment? How long before you require justice for our blood, which was shed by those who live on earth?” 11 Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little longer, until their fellow servants and brothers and sisters—who were about to be killed as they were—were finished.
12 I looked on as he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as funeral clothing, and the entire moon turned red as blood. 13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its fruit when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky disappeared like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the officials and the generals, the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the Lamb ’s wrath! 17 The great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Matthew 25:31–46

31 “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me. ’
37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? ’
40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me. ’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me. ’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you? ’
45 Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me. ’46 And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”

WE THINK

  • What stands out to you from today’s reading?
  • Are you confused or stumped by what you’ve read?
  • Is there anything you encountered that makes you think, “I don’t know about that…”?
  • What resonated with you as particularly meaningful?
  • What does the phrase “a little while longer” from Revelation 6:11 stir in you intellectually? How might this delay in justice shape our understanding of God’s timing?
  • Zechariah 8 speaks of truth, justice, and peace at the local level (“within your gates”). What does that imply for how we think about faith and politics today?

WE FEEL

  • In general, what emotions seem to be dominant at this moment?
  • How have those emotions affected the relationships you have with those around you?
  • What are you doing, or have you done, to submit those emotions to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
  • Where have you seen God at work this week?
  • Have you ever experienced the kind of betrayal the psalmist describes—from someone close to you? How did you feel God responded (or didn’t) in that moment?
  • Does the longing for justice voiced in Revelation 6:10 match something you feel today? How does that longing sit in your heart right now—restlessly, hopefully, bitterly?

WE BELIEVE

As we’ve said many times during this Advent season, the waiting we do is not passive. When the world all around us feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket, when we look at the lives of other Christians and wonder if they’re worshipping the same Jesus we are, we’re called to double down on love as a nonviolent, As we’ve emphasized many times during this Advent season, the waiting we do is not passive. When the world around us feels like it ’s falling apart, and when we look at other Christians ’lives and wonder if they worship the same Jesus we do, we’re called to deepen our love as a nonviolent, active way of waiting. We’re called not to respond to the world as the world typically responds; instead, we’re called to respond by feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger. active form of waiting. We’re called not to respond to the world around us as the world responds; we’re called to respond by feeding the hungry, providing water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger.

WE PRACTICE

Practice silent release.

Take five quiet minutes today to name before God the people who have hurt you. Don’t explain or justify—just name them, and ask for the grace to release them into God ’s care.

Serve the least of these.

Look for one person today who might be overlooked, hurting, or difficult to love. Do one concrete act of kindness for them—no strings, no speeches, just grace.

PRAYER

Oh God, help us to meet the chaos and dysfunction present in our world today with love and care for all our neighbors. Amen.