Isaiah 54:1-10
Sing, O barren one who did not bear;
burst into song and shout,
you who have not been in labor!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
than the children of her that is married, says the LORD.
Enlarge the site of your tent,
and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
and your descendants will possess the nations
and will settle the desolate towns.
Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband,
the LORD of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the LORD has called you
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
says the LORD, your Redeemer.
This is like the days of Noah to me:
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
• Like so many Advent texts, especially those in Isaiah, this passage proclaims a reversal of life-situations. In the original context, this was likely the impending reversal the Israelites in Babylonian captivity would experience. They have been “barren” and “desolate,” but would soon have opportunity to return to their homeland after generations in exile.
• You and I have experienced reversals that were not of our own doing . . . times when we were empty, barren, or despairing, then something happened to turn life around for us. Suddenly, not of our own making, we had a new future, fresh opportunities, a beginning we could not have conceived.
• Consider your own reversals today. What have you experienced of a God-reversal? If a word or a line in the Isaiah 54 passage stands out to you or represents that reversal for you, pluck it out for yourself. Spend some time in prayer and meditation around the reversals you have experienced.
• Is there a person or group around you at present who desperately await that kind of reversal today? Who do you know – people or groups – in “captivity” or who are in some state of exile? How can you pray for that person or group today? How can you turn your prayer into action on behalf of that person or group today?
No comments:
Post a Comment