Isaiah 56:1-8
Thus says the LORD:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
Happy is the mortal who does this,
the one who holds it fast,
who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it,
and refrains from doing any evil.
Do not let the foreigner joined to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
and do not let the eunuch say,
“I am just a dry tree.”
For thus says the LORD:
To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,
who choose the things that please me
and hold fast my covenant,
I will give, in my house and within my walls,
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
and hold fast my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.
Thus says the Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered.
• God’s salvation is always tied to justice. The readings from Isaiah that have guided us through Advent have consistently dealt with justice, that is, with doing what is right to others.
• In our contemporary, adversarial discourse, many see “justice” as a code-word associated with radical movements or certain political positions. In fact, it is a solidly biblical word, the cornerstone of much Old Testament spirituality. You could easily substitute the word “love” for justice . . . loving God and others with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Justice is the tangible, outward expression of love wherever there is human need. Justice is the actional element of love.
• As you read and meditate on Isaiah 56, consider your own notions about justice. What is justice to you? What negative notions of justice live within you? What positive notions of justice live within you?
• Isaiah – and other Hebrew prophets – leave no doubt that we are all called to love others by living justly. In what tangible ways do you seek justice in your own world? What acts of justice are part of the normal run of your life? Notice what arises to the surface of your awareness, then bring it into your prayer.
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaiah. Show all posts
Friday, December 20, 2019
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Third Thursday of Advent - December 19, 2019
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?
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?
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Third Wednesday of Advent - December 18, 2019
Isaiah 45:5-8, 18, 21-25
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
besides me there is no god.
I arm you, though you do not know me,
so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe;
I the LORD do all these things.
Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,[b]
and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
I the LORD have created it.
For thus says the LORD,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it a chaos,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the LORD?
There is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is no one besides me.
Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear.”
Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
all who were incensed against him
shall come to him and be ashamed.
In the LORD all the offspring of Israel
shall triumph and glory.
• In 587 B.C.E., the Babylonians defeated Judah and took most of the people into captivity, moving them from their homeland to Babylon. Those who were left in Judah lived in a land that was decimated, with all the structures of society destroyed. The Exile is one of the defining moments in the history of God’s covenant people.
• But about 50 years later, the Israelites celebrated the arrival of the Persian king, Cyrus, who defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return home. Though he was not a God-follower, Cyrus was celebrated as “Yahweh’s anointed” (see Isa. 45:1). This chapter in Isaiah is about the rise of Cyrus, and Yahweh’s instructions to him via the prophet.
• Several times throughout the chapter, the prophet writes of Yahweh, “There is no other god besides me.” It is the recurring theme of the entire chapter. Find the ways this idea is expressed several times in the verses above.
• Think about that phrase in terms of your life: “There is no other god besides me.”
o What do those words mean to you? Think of them not so much in a theological or analytical sense, but in a practical, real-life sense.
o In what ways do you bump up against “other gods” in the world?
o What are the “other gods” with which you personally struggle?
o What competes with Yahweh in your life?
I am the LORD, and there is no other;
besides me there is no god.
I arm you, though you do not know me,
so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness,
I make weal and create woe;
I the LORD do all these things.
Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,[b]
and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
I the LORD have created it.
For thus says the LORD,
who created the heavens
(he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
(he established it;
he did not create it a chaos,
he formed it to be inhabited!):
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
Declare and present your case;
let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the LORD?
There is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is no one besides me.
Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear.”
Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,
are righteousness and strength;
all who were incensed against him
shall come to him and be ashamed.
In the LORD all the offspring of Israel
shall triumph and glory.
• In 587 B.C.E., the Babylonians defeated Judah and took most of the people into captivity, moving them from their homeland to Babylon. Those who were left in Judah lived in a land that was decimated, with all the structures of society destroyed. The Exile is one of the defining moments in the history of God’s covenant people.
• But about 50 years later, the Israelites celebrated the arrival of the Persian king, Cyrus, who defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews to return home. Though he was not a God-follower, Cyrus was celebrated as “Yahweh’s anointed” (see Isa. 45:1). This chapter in Isaiah is about the rise of Cyrus, and Yahweh’s instructions to him via the prophet.
• Several times throughout the chapter, the prophet writes of Yahweh, “There is no other god besides me.” It is the recurring theme of the entire chapter. Find the ways this idea is expressed several times in the verses above.
• Think about that phrase in terms of your life: “There is no other god besides me.”
o What do those words mean to you? Think of them not so much in a theological or analytical sense, but in a practical, real-life sense.
o In what ways do you bump up against “other gods” in the world?
o What are the “other gods” with which you personally struggle?
o What competes with Yahweh in your life?
Friday, December 13, 2019
Second Friday of Advent - December 13, 2019
Isaiah 48:17-19
Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you for your own good,
who leads you in the way you should go.
O that you had paid attention to my commandments!
Then your prosperity would have been like a river,
and your success like the waves of the sea;
your offspring would have been like the sand,
and your descendants like its grains;
their name would never be cut off
or destroyed from before me.
• When I think about things that are “for my own good,” I quickly get reduced to silence. The things I would choose have more to do with comfort and diversionary pleasures. While I live as if I know what things are for my own good, in my sober moments I realize that the most transformative things in my life have always been outside what I would have considered “for my own good.” Though I don’t always see immediately what is “for my own good,” I trust that somehow there is Wisdom beyond my own, always teaching me.
• How about you? Can you think of one or two instances when you were taught something “for your own good” that you would not have chosen for yourself? What have you learned through those experiences? How did those life-experiences shift your understanding of God’s work in your life?
• In the same way, Isaiah says, we don’t get to self-determine our path in life. The spiritual life is going to take you to a place you could not have imagined, by means of a road you would not have chosen. God not only teaches us what is for our own good . . . God also leads us in a way we should go.
• Reflect on your experience of God leading you where you should go. How has that happened in the past for you? How has your past experience of God leading you shaped the way you step into the days ahead?
Thus says the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you for your own good,
who leads you in the way you should go.
O that you had paid attention to my commandments!
Then your prosperity would have been like a river,
and your success like the waves of the sea;
your offspring would have been like the sand,
and your descendants like its grains;
their name would never be cut off
or destroyed from before me.
• When I think about things that are “for my own good,” I quickly get reduced to silence. The things I would choose have more to do with comfort and diversionary pleasures. While I live as if I know what things are for my own good, in my sober moments I realize that the most transformative things in my life have always been outside what I would have considered “for my own good.” Though I don’t always see immediately what is “for my own good,” I trust that somehow there is Wisdom beyond my own, always teaching me.
• How about you? Can you think of one or two instances when you were taught something “for your own good” that you would not have chosen for yourself? What have you learned through those experiences? How did those life-experiences shift your understanding of God’s work in your life?
• In the same way, Isaiah says, we don’t get to self-determine our path in life. The spiritual life is going to take you to a place you could not have imagined, by means of a road you would not have chosen. God not only teaches us what is for our own good . . . God also leads us in a way we should go.
• Reflect on your experience of God leading you where you should go. How has that happened in the past for you? How has your past experience of God leading you shaped the way you step into the days ahead?
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Second Thursday of Advent - December 12, 2019
Isaiah 41:13-20
For I am the LORD your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.
You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale will blow them away.
But you will rejoice in the LORD
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
“The poor and needy search for water,
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the LORD will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
• The first part of the reading today contains repeated use of the first person pronoun, “I,” as God addresses those who are fearful and afraid: “Do not fear . . . do not be afraid . . . do not fear.” God’s promise is simple: “I am the Lord your God . . . I will help you . . . I myself will help you.”
• Recall a time recently when you have dealt with fear. What were you afraid of? What emotions were associated with your fear in that situation? In what tangible way(s) did you experience the “help” of God? Have a conversation with God about what you have uncovered within yourself related to that experience.
• As usual, when God does a new thing, all of the created order is involved. Deserts which had been dry become fertile with flowing water. Barren wastelands grow vegetation of all kinds. These symbols powerfully tell of God’s work in our lives.
• Consider your own experience of dryness of soul or barrenness of spirit. Can you see something growing within you now in a space that was once barren or dry? What response to God would you make for this new life where previously there was only dry land?
For I am the LORD your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
“See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.
You will winnow them, the wind will pick them up,
and a gale will blow them away.
But you will rejoice in the LORD
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
“The poor and needy search for water,
but there is none;
their tongues are parched with thirst.
But I the LORD will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights,
and springs within the valleys.
I will turn the desert into pools of water,
and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert
the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and the olive.
I will set junipers in the wasteland,
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know,
may consider and understand,
that the hand of the LORD has done this,
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
• The first part of the reading today contains repeated use of the first person pronoun, “I,” as God addresses those who are fearful and afraid: “Do not fear . . . do not be afraid . . . do not fear.” God’s promise is simple: “I am the Lord your God . . . I will help you . . . I myself will help you.”
• Recall a time recently when you have dealt with fear. What were you afraid of? What emotions were associated with your fear in that situation? In what tangible way(s) did you experience the “help” of God? Have a conversation with God about what you have uncovered within yourself related to that experience.
• As usual, when God does a new thing, all of the created order is involved. Deserts which had been dry become fertile with flowing water. Barren wastelands grow vegetation of all kinds. These symbols powerfully tell of God’s work in our lives.
• Consider your own experience of dryness of soul or barrenness of spirit. Can you see something growing within you now in a space that was once barren or dry? What response to God would you make for this new life where previously there was only dry land?
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Second Tuesday of Advent - December 10, 2019
Isaiah 40:1-11
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.[b]
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
• In today’s scripture text, the prophet communicates God’s words: “Comfort, comfort, my people” (v. 1). In the immediate context, the comfort is aimed at exiles who have been displaced from their homeland and taken into captivity in Babylonian. But in the larger context, God extends comfort to anyone who is held captive by social systems, religious systems, or economic systems. How do you hear these words of comfort today? What do they say to you in your life-situation?
• Of course, this passage is not simply about you. There are persons around you who need comfort. Some of those persons you know, and others are still unknown to you. You will, however, meet them in the run of your daily life . . . in your neighborhood, at the store, and on the streets. Is there someone to whom you could reach out today with a tangible expression of comfort?
• In verses 3-5, there is a great leveling. Literally, the terrain will be leveled in order to allow exiles to return to their homeland. But metaphorically, the terrain represents the people, all people whose status God is changing . . . the lowly who will be raised up and the powerful who will be brought low . . . the crooked people who will be made straight and the rough persons will be smoothed. How does this image speak to you? Where do you find yourself with this passage?
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the LORD[a];
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.[b]
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,[c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
• In today’s scripture text, the prophet communicates God’s words: “Comfort, comfort, my people” (v. 1). In the immediate context, the comfort is aimed at exiles who have been displaced from their homeland and taken into captivity in Babylonian. But in the larger context, God extends comfort to anyone who is held captive by social systems, religious systems, or economic systems. How do you hear these words of comfort today? What do they say to you in your life-situation?
• Of course, this passage is not simply about you. There are persons around you who need comfort. Some of those persons you know, and others are still unknown to you. You will, however, meet them in the run of your daily life . . . in your neighborhood, at the store, and on the streets. Is there someone to whom you could reach out today with a tangible expression of comfort?
• In verses 3-5, there is a great leveling. Literally, the terrain will be leveled in order to allow exiles to return to their homeland. But metaphorically, the terrain represents the people, all people whose status God is changing . . . the lowly who will be raised up and the powerful who will be brought low . . . the crooked people who will be made straight and the rough persons will be smoothed. How does this image speak to you? Where do you find yourself with this passage?
Monday, December 9, 2019
Second Monday of Advent - December 9, 2019
Isaiah 35:1-10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the LORD,
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
• The book of Isaiah frequently uses the metaphor of flowers and streams appearing in deserts and dry lands. It is a sign of God’s work among those who feel “dry,” “barren,” or “arid of spirit.” Reflect on your own desert experience of feeling dry and barren (perhaps you are in that place right now). Find ten or twelve words that you would use to describe the experience. As you sit with that experience, be conscious of God’s voice whispering into your heart.
• As you continue to ponder your own desert experience, what “flowers” grew within you during that dry spell? What was the source of that metaphorical “flower”?
• Advent is not merely a time for you and me to receive. Isaiah also prompts us to offer ourselves to others in life-giving ways: Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.” Carry these words with you today. Be alert to the weak you meet, who need to be strengthened . . . to the feeble who need your assistance . . . to those who are fearful and need a word of courage and hope.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the LORD,
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance,
with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.”
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way;
the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people;
no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray.
No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
• The book of Isaiah frequently uses the metaphor of flowers and streams appearing in deserts and dry lands. It is a sign of God’s work among those who feel “dry,” “barren,” or “arid of spirit.” Reflect on your own desert experience of feeling dry and barren (perhaps you are in that place right now). Find ten or twelve words that you would use to describe the experience. As you sit with that experience, be conscious of God’s voice whispering into your heart.
• As you continue to ponder your own desert experience, what “flowers” grew within you during that dry spell? What was the source of that metaphorical “flower”?
• Advent is not merely a time for you and me to receive. Isaiah also prompts us to offer ourselves to others in life-giving ways: Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.” Carry these words with you today. Be alert to the weak you meet, who need to be strengthened . . . to the feeble who need your assistance . . . to those who are fearful and need a word of courage and hope.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
First Saturday of Advent - December 7, 2019
Isaiah 30:19-25
Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like filthy rags; you will say to them, “Away with you!”
He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures; and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water—on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
• Who among us does not know the experience of “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction”? Remember a time in your life when it seemed as if day after day, all you experienced was adversity and affliction. During that season of your life, what was your experience of God? Who or what was your “Teacher” during those days?
• When we come to a crossroads in life, silence and solitude are essential partners. It is difficult to make significant, life-altering decisions when we are in a hurry or surrounded by confusion. But regular periods of silence and solitude, if we are willing to listen and not take control of the situation, have the impact of giving us eyes to see and ears to listen.
• Have you ever had the experience of coming to a crossroads – a significant life-decision in which the way forward was not immediately clear – and hearing a voice: “This is the way . . . walk in it”? Take a few moments to reflect on that experience.
• The phrase, “This is the way, walk in it,” does not merely provide a direction to go; rather, it also provides a way or manner of going. We walk with openness. We walk with open hands. We walk alert to that which would teach us. We walk in humility. We walk in mercy. How do these ways of walking speak to any decisions or situations in which you now find yourself?
Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like filthy rags; you will say to them, “Away with you!”
He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures; and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water—on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
• Who among us does not know the experience of “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction”? Remember a time in your life when it seemed as if day after day, all you experienced was adversity and affliction. During that season of your life, what was your experience of God? Who or what was your “Teacher” during those days?
• When we come to a crossroads in life, silence and solitude are essential partners. It is difficult to make significant, life-altering decisions when we are in a hurry or surrounded by confusion. But regular periods of silence and solitude, if we are willing to listen and not take control of the situation, have the impact of giving us eyes to see and ears to listen.
• Have you ever had the experience of coming to a crossroads – a significant life-decision in which the way forward was not immediately clear – and hearing a voice: “This is the way . . . walk in it”? Take a few moments to reflect on that experience.
• The phrase, “This is the way, walk in it,” does not merely provide a direction to go; rather, it also provides a way or manner of going. We walk with openness. We walk with open hands. We walk alert to that which would teach us. We walk in humility. We walk in mercy. How do these ways of walking speak to any decisions or situations in which you now find yourself?
Friday, December 6, 2019
First Friday of Advent - December 6, 2019
Isaiah 29:17-24
Shall not Lebanon in a very little while
become a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest?
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a scroll,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant shall be no more,
and the scoffer shall cease to be;
all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—
those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,
who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate,
and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right.
Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:
No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,
no longer shall his face grow pale.
For when he sees his children,
the work of my hands, in his midst,
they will sanctify my name;
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,
and those who grumble will accept instruction.
• This is another “On that day . . .” reading. Since the birth of Jesus, every day is “that day” . . . a day in which God is present in the events of our lives and in the larger design of the world. Isaiah says, “On that day the deaf shall hear . . . the eyes of the blind shall see” (vv. 17-18). We are each “the deaf and the blind.” Spirituality is about opening ourselves to hear with the ears of the heart and to see with the eyes of the heart. How might you reflect on these words from Isaiah?
• The Isaiah texts used throughout Advent consistently speak to the reversal of fortunes for those on the underside of life. This passage is no different. Notice the parts of the passage that speak to those whose way is difficult.
• What invitation is God extending to you through the words of this passage? Spend some time in silence as you consider God’s Word to you.
Shall not Lebanon in a very little while
become a fruitful field,
and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest?
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a scroll,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant shall be no more,
and the scoffer shall cease to be;
all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—
those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,
who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate,
and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right.
Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:
No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,
no longer shall his face grow pale.
For when he sees his children,
the work of my hands, in his midst,
they will sanctify my name;
they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,
and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,
and those who grumble will accept instruction.
• This is another “On that day . . .” reading. Since the birth of Jesus, every day is “that day” . . . a day in which God is present in the events of our lives and in the larger design of the world. Isaiah says, “On that day the deaf shall hear . . . the eyes of the blind shall see” (vv. 17-18). We are each “the deaf and the blind.” Spirituality is about opening ourselves to hear with the ears of the heart and to see with the eyes of the heart. How might you reflect on these words from Isaiah?
• The Isaiah texts used throughout Advent consistently speak to the reversal of fortunes for those on the underside of life. This passage is no different. Notice the parts of the passage that speak to those whose way is difficult.
• What invitation is God extending to you through the words of this passage? Spend some time in silence as you consider God’s Word to you.
Thursday, December 5, 2019
First Thursday of Advent - December 5, 2019
Isaiah 26:1-6
On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
he sets up victory
like walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
may enter in.
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—
in peace because they trust in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for in the LORD GOD
you have an everlasting rock.
For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.
• As is often the case in Isaiah, the passage begins, “On that day . . .” which signals the coming intervention of God. “On that day this song will be sung.” Is this the day? Is today the awaited day to sing a song of justice, a song of celebration, a song of liberation? If today I saw what I have never seen before, would I sing?
• The passage is about cities and nations, communities who do right, who make peace peaceably, who strive for justice and speak for those underneath structures of power.
• To what communities do I belong? With what kingdoms (the country into which I was born, the clubs I have chosen, the orders I choose to follow, the relationships I choose to cultivate, etc.) do I align myself?
• If I think about the many communities of which I am a part (from nation all the way down to intimate friendships), which are “righteous” communities (doing right by all people)? Do these communities keep faith? Do they encourage faith? Do they keep the peace in a peaceable way (i.e., not warring in order to make some form of “peace”)?
On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
he sets up victory
like walls and bulwarks.
Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
may enter in.
Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—
in peace because they trust in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
for in the LORD GOD
you have an everlasting rock.
For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.
• As is often the case in Isaiah, the passage begins, “On that day . . .” which signals the coming intervention of God. “On that day this song will be sung.” Is this the day? Is today the awaited day to sing a song of justice, a song of celebration, a song of liberation? If today I saw what I have never seen before, would I sing?
• The passage is about cities and nations, communities who do right, who make peace peaceably, who strive for justice and speak for those underneath structures of power.
• To what communities do I belong? With what kingdoms (the country into which I was born, the clubs I have chosen, the orders I choose to follow, the relationships I choose to cultivate, etc.) do I align myself?
• If I think about the many communities of which I am a part (from nation all the way down to intimate friendships), which are “righteous” communities (doing right by all people)? Do these communities keep faith? Do they encourage faith? Do they keep the peace in a peaceable way (i.e., not warring in order to make some form of “peace”)?
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
First Wednesday of Advent - December 4, 2019
Isaiah 25:6-10
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled in their land
as straw is trampled down in the manure.
• The reign of God is often likened to a feast or a banquet where all peoples are fed, without entry requirements or conditions. In fact, all people are fed “rich food.” Reflect on your own experience of offering food to someone who is hungry.
• Consider your own experience of hunger. Can you remember a time when you went without food for an extended period of time? What was it like to have food before you at the end of that extended period of hunger? (Perhaps even a meager meal seemed like a feast!)
• Take a moment to reflect on your current relationship with food. How do you think of food? How do you use food?
• Obviously, hunger and feasting are actual states. But they are also important symbols in spiritual living. Take a moment to reflect on hunger and feasting as spiritual symbols. Perhaps find your own vocabulary for the two. Connect with what it means to be driven by hunger . . . and what it means to be satiated by feasting.
On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
but Moab will be trampled in their land
as straw is trampled down in the manure.
• The reign of God is often likened to a feast or a banquet where all peoples are fed, without entry requirements or conditions. In fact, all people are fed “rich food.” Reflect on your own experience of offering food to someone who is hungry.
• Consider your own experience of hunger. Can you remember a time when you went without food for an extended period of time? What was it like to have food before you at the end of that extended period of hunger? (Perhaps even a meager meal seemed like a feast!)
• Take a moment to reflect on your current relationship with food. How do you think of food? How do you use food?
• Obviously, hunger and feasting are actual states. But they are also important symbols in spiritual living. Take a moment to reflect on hunger and feasting as spiritual symbols. Perhaps find your own vocabulary for the two. Connect with what it means to be driven by hunger . . . and what it means to be satiated by feasting.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
First Tuesday of Advent - December 3, 2019
Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
**Isaiah's prophecy is full of vivid images for the kingdom of God: roots, stumps, shoots, and branches . . . animals who are natural enemies co-existing. Notice which of the images you are drawn to consider, then choose that images for your meditation. You may want to consider the image from this chapter graphically, creating a collage or by using various colors to sketch a scene. As you create, don't become fixated on the final product. Simply see where the creative process takes you with the image you have chosen.
**The Spirit of the Lord, Isaiah says, includes the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and the holy awe of God. Consider these qualities in your own life. Which ones are manifested within you? Where and how are they displayed in your daily living? And which ones are your growing edge, not yet well-developed within you?
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or decide by what he hears with his ears;
but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.
**Isaiah's prophecy is full of vivid images for the kingdom of God: roots, stumps, shoots, and branches . . . animals who are natural enemies co-existing. Notice which of the images you are drawn to consider, then choose that images for your meditation. You may want to consider the image from this chapter graphically, creating a collage or by using various colors to sketch a scene. As you create, don't become fixated on the final product. Simply see where the creative process takes you with the image you have chosen.
**The Spirit of the Lord, Isaiah says, includes the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, counsel and strength, knowledge and the holy awe of God. Consider these qualities in your own life. Which ones are manifested within you? Where and how are they displayed in your daily living? And which ones are your growing edge, not yet well-developed within you?
Monday, December 2, 2019
First Monday of Advent - December 2, 2019
Isaiah 2:1-5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
**Read Isaiah 2:1-5 two or three times, paying special attention to the words or images that stand out to you.
**Take a moment to ponder the words or images you noted in reading the scripture. Do you hear an invitation in the words? Pray with what you are hearing.
**In this context, "mountain" symbolizes a place of encounter with God (Israelite history was full of encounters with God on mountains). What "mountains" (places of encounter) are part of your experience with God? How might those mountains (or the memory of those mountains) be a part of your Advent experience?
** Our swords have not yet been beaten into plowshares, that is, our instruments of war are not yet instruments of harvest and feeding the hungry. Nations are fighting nations, and all are still training for war. Obviously, Isaiah's promised kingdom is still coming. We are still waiting. How do you feel about this? How does this impact you as you sit with God in prayer?
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
**Read Isaiah 2:1-5 two or three times, paying special attention to the words or images that stand out to you.
**Take a moment to ponder the words or images you noted in reading the scripture. Do you hear an invitation in the words? Pray with what you are hearing.
**In this context, "mountain" symbolizes a place of encounter with God (Israelite history was full of encounters with God on mountains). What "mountains" (places of encounter) are part of your experience with God? How might those mountains (or the memory of those mountains) be a part of your Advent experience?
** Our swords have not yet been beaten into plowshares, that is, our instruments of war are not yet instruments of harvest and feeding the hungry. Nations are fighting nations, and all are still training for war. Obviously, Isaiah's promised kingdom is still coming. We are still waiting. How do you feel about this? How does this impact you as you sit with God in prayer?
Friday, December 7, 2018
First Friday of Advent - December 7, 2018
Do You Believe . . .?
Isaiah 29:17-24
Matthew 9:27-31
During the first week of Advent, a lone candle stands against the darkness . . . a solitary symbol of hope and light.
Advent reminds us time and time again that the darkness surrounding us is not the only reality of life. In our spiritual deafness, we will hear and in our spiritual blindness we will see. Hope comes even as we wait.
Isaiah says,
"In that day the deaf will hear
the words of the scroll,
and out of gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind will see." (Is. 29:18)
What Isaiah speaks as prophecy, Matthew answers from the life of Jesus.
Isaiah prophecies that out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Matthew tells us that two blind men seeking mercy receive their sight from Jesus.
For many, the world seems darker, gloomier, more divided than ever. Some of us struggle to see light, blinded by pervasive hatred, by conflict, by chasms that grow deeper by the day.
In the Advent texts, we are the blind, the deaf, those wondering if light has abandoned us.
Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and politician who wrote these words several decades ago in days of global tension over nuclear proliferation:
I am fighting for that ubiquitous, widespread, inexhaustible goodness. . . . I still have absolute faith in human destiny, a clearer and clearer conviction that we are approaching a great common tenderness. I write knowing that the danger of the bomb hangs over all our heads, a nuclear catastrophe that would leave no one, nothing on this earth. Well, that does not alter my hope. At this critical moment, in this flicker of anguish, we know that the true light will enter those eyes that are vigilant. We shall all understand one another. We shall advance together. And this hope cannot be crushed. (Quoted in Megan McKenna, Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, pp. 36-37)
Neruda's days were no more explosive than our times today. Hope creeps toward us.
The story of the two blind men in Matthew 9 turns on this question Jesus asks: "Do you believe I am able to do this?" Do you believe I can change darkness to light? Do you believe you'll see hope again? Do you believe against all evidence to the contrary?
This is an Advent text because it fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah.
It is also an Advent text because the two who are blind walk in darkness, needing sight, hoping for light.
What about you?
Do you believe you will see light again?
Do you believe God can cause light to overcome darkness?
Do you believe God is somehow at work in the world, even though your eyes may be blind to God's light-work?
For Reflection:
Today, hear Jesus ask you, "Do you believe I am able to do this?"
Answer as honestly as possible. Speak your answer . . . or write it. Allow Jesus' question to lead you into prayerful conversation with him.
Isaiah 29:17-24
Matthew 9:27-31
During the first week of Advent, a lone candle stands against the darkness . . . a solitary symbol of hope and light.
Advent reminds us time and time again that the darkness surrounding us is not the only reality of life. In our spiritual deafness, we will hear and in our spiritual blindness we will see. Hope comes even as we wait.
Isaiah says,
"In that day the deaf will hear
the words of the scroll,
and out of gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind will see." (Is. 29:18)
What Isaiah speaks as prophecy, Matthew answers from the life of Jesus.
Isaiah prophecies that out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Matthew tells us that two blind men seeking mercy receive their sight from Jesus.
For many, the world seems darker, gloomier, more divided than ever. Some of us struggle to see light, blinded by pervasive hatred, by conflict, by chasms that grow deeper by the day.
In the Advent texts, we are the blind, the deaf, those wondering if light has abandoned us.
Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and politician who wrote these words several decades ago in days of global tension over nuclear proliferation:
I am fighting for that ubiquitous, widespread, inexhaustible goodness. . . . I still have absolute faith in human destiny, a clearer and clearer conviction that we are approaching a great common tenderness. I write knowing that the danger of the bomb hangs over all our heads, a nuclear catastrophe that would leave no one, nothing on this earth. Well, that does not alter my hope. At this critical moment, in this flicker of anguish, we know that the true light will enter those eyes that are vigilant. We shall all understand one another. We shall advance together. And this hope cannot be crushed. (Quoted in Megan McKenna, Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, pp. 36-37)
Neruda's days were no more explosive than our times today. Hope creeps toward us.
The story of the two blind men in Matthew 9 turns on this question Jesus asks: "Do you believe I am able to do this?" Do you believe I can change darkness to light? Do you believe you'll see hope again? Do you believe against all evidence to the contrary?
This is an Advent text because it fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah.
It is also an Advent text because the two who are blind walk in darkness, needing sight, hoping for light.
What about you?
Do you believe you will see light again?
Do you believe God can cause light to overcome darkness?
Do you believe God is somehow at work in the world, even though your eyes may be blind to God's light-work?
For Reflection:
Today, hear Jesus ask you, "Do you believe I am able to do this?"
Answer as honestly as possible. Speak your answer . . . or write it. Allow Jesus' question to lead you into prayerful conversation with him.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The First Monday of Advent -- November 29, 2010
Isaiah 2:1 - 5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.
The Hebrew Prophets show up prominently throughout Advent. These prophets were not fortune-tellers, predicting what was going to happen in the future. They were persons deeply rooted in God. They saw life with the eyes of God. They experienced life with the heart of God. Thus, they were able to speak into current events with conviction because their ministries carried into their life-world an unbreakable connection to God.
Isaiah represents the prophetic tradition of the 8th century B.C. Along with Hosea, Micah and Amos, Isaiah emerged as a voice for God in the 8th century, speaking of God in some very revolutionary ways. These four prophetic figures in particular introduced to Hebrew religion an ethical vision that emphasized how the poor, marginalized and broken were treated. Until the prophetic ministries of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah, holiness was known primarily as being separate from that which was unclean. Holiness was characterized by this separation, by standing apart from the foreign gods, for instance. In oversimplified terms, holiness was defined by what you were against more than what you were for.
Those who were highly committed to Yahweh, for example, were considered holy, even if that commitment to Yahweh led them to kill persons who worshiped other gods. Holiness had nothing to do with one's inner life or relational life. Persons could be holy even while abusing others in the outer world.
[Intermission: You'll notice that within most every religious tradition this notion of holiness and commitment lives on. In fundamentalist expressions of most every tradition, there is little concern for justice, ethics and the treatment of the little and the least. Life (and holiness) is measured by "devotion to Yahweh."]
Isaiah and his contemporaries introduce to our understanding a God who is concerned for people, especially for the little and the least in our world. Time after time in their prophecy, they saw a future time when God will come to rescue the people, when God would transform the hearts and consciousness of all people. Isaiah wrote about a revolution of the heart, a complete transformation of the human person that would treat all persons with dignity and love. This inner transformation would provide a new sense of holiness and would lead to the transformation of the world, a birthing of hope and peace.
Isaiah 2:1-5 is multi-layered. I encourage you to pray with it today, to reflect on its words, and to hear it as a word of peace and hope. I'll say just a couple of things about it.
First, the heart of the passage is the imagery of "the mountain" and "Zion." Geographically, they refer to Jerusalem, which rested on a mount and was the center of religious, social and work life for Israel.
In the passage it is a central place, a core. It is not a place of magic, but a place which shoots people of peace, justice and transformation out into the world. Coming to "the mountain" or to the "Lord's temple" (at the mountain) is not a permanent move. Rather, coming to the "mount" prepares one to be propelled into the world as an agent of transformation . . . for instance, as a person of peace rather than a person of war ("beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks").
Second, this movement to the center and back out will be for all peoples . . . "all nations" (v. 2), "many peoples" (v. 3 & 4). This in not an exclusive invitation for one group or one nation, which is a radical departure for Israel. In fact, Isaiah sees a time when war ceases ("nation will not take up sword against nation," v. 4) and people will give themselves to caring for one another (suggested by the images for harvest/food in "plowshares" and "pruning hooks").
Read through these verses today. Notice a word, phrase or image that seems particularly alive for you. Sit with it. Explore it. Squeeze out its meaning for your own life. Hear God's Word, through Isaiah, for yourself today, then carry it with you.
"Come, O people of God, let us walk in the light of the Lord."
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days
the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Come, house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.
The Hebrew Prophets show up prominently throughout Advent. These prophets were not fortune-tellers, predicting what was going to happen in the future. They were persons deeply rooted in God. They saw life with the eyes of God. They experienced life with the heart of God. Thus, they were able to speak into current events with conviction because their ministries carried into their life-world an unbreakable connection to God.
Isaiah represents the prophetic tradition of the 8th century B.C. Along with Hosea, Micah and Amos, Isaiah emerged as a voice for God in the 8th century, speaking of God in some very revolutionary ways. These four prophetic figures in particular introduced to Hebrew religion an ethical vision that emphasized how the poor, marginalized and broken were treated. Until the prophetic ministries of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah, holiness was known primarily as being separate from that which was unclean. Holiness was characterized by this separation, by standing apart from the foreign gods, for instance. In oversimplified terms, holiness was defined by what you were against more than what you were for.
Those who were highly committed to Yahweh, for example, were considered holy, even if that commitment to Yahweh led them to kill persons who worshiped other gods. Holiness had nothing to do with one's inner life or relational life. Persons could be holy even while abusing others in the outer world.
[Intermission: You'll notice that within most every religious tradition this notion of holiness and commitment lives on. In fundamentalist expressions of most every tradition, there is little concern for justice, ethics and the treatment of the little and the least. Life (and holiness) is measured by "devotion to Yahweh."]
Isaiah and his contemporaries introduce to our understanding a God who is concerned for people, especially for the little and the least in our world. Time after time in their prophecy, they saw a future time when God will come to rescue the people, when God would transform the hearts and consciousness of all people. Isaiah wrote about a revolution of the heart, a complete transformation of the human person that would treat all persons with dignity and love. This inner transformation would provide a new sense of holiness and would lead to the transformation of the world, a birthing of hope and peace.
Isaiah 2:1-5 is multi-layered. I encourage you to pray with it today, to reflect on its words, and to hear it as a word of peace and hope. I'll say just a couple of things about it.
First, the heart of the passage is the imagery of "the mountain" and "Zion." Geographically, they refer to Jerusalem, which rested on a mount and was the center of religious, social and work life for Israel.
In the passage it is a central place, a core. It is not a place of magic, but a place which shoots people of peace, justice and transformation out into the world. Coming to "the mountain" or to the "Lord's temple" (at the mountain) is not a permanent move. Rather, coming to the "mount" prepares one to be propelled into the world as an agent of transformation . . . for instance, as a person of peace rather than a person of war ("beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks").
Second, this movement to the center and back out will be for all peoples . . . "all nations" (v. 2), "many peoples" (v. 3 & 4). This in not an exclusive invitation for one group or one nation, which is a radical departure for Israel. In fact, Isaiah sees a time when war ceases ("nation will not take up sword against nation," v. 4) and people will give themselves to caring for one another (suggested by the images for harvest/food in "plowshares" and "pruning hooks").
Read through these verses today. Notice a word, phrase or image that seems particularly alive for you. Sit with it. Explore it. Squeeze out its meaning for your own life. Hear God's Word, through Isaiah, for yourself today, then carry it with you.
"Come, O people of God, let us walk in the light of the Lord."
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