Is. 64:1-9 is the OT reading for the first Sunday in Advent, preparing us to celebrate God coming near in the birth of Jesus Christ as a baby at Christmas. Advent is also about God coming near in the appearance of Christ as Lord of all at the end of the age (the “Second Coming”). Advent is also about God coming near now, continually by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah cries out to God, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down”! (Is. 64:1) He says that if God does this it will be accompanied by everything in the world and our lives being shaken and turned upside down. He goes on to say that this would be a part of God confronting us with our sin and calling us to repentance, yet also restoring us as His people in great, merciful love.
When God comes near, stuff happens!
In the year of COVID-19, and in our personal lives, if our world is shaken and turned upside down, we can know that God is drawing near. He does so because of His great love for us (Jn 3:16), and He shakes only what needs to be shaken, in order to truly forgive, heal and restore us.
As we look to Him in faith, and trust Him with our lives, we can know that in everything that we go through, God our good, good Father will keep and sustain us, and bring us to exactly the place where we need to arrive.
Grace and peace, Jonathan.