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?
Showing posts with label desert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label desert. Show all posts
Thursday, December 19, 2019
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.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Second Monday of Advent -- December 6, 2010
Isaiah 35:1 - 10
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and those the LORD has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
For several days now I have not chosen to offer a meditation on Isaiah's prophecy, choosing the Gospel readings instead. Today I come back to his prophetic words, because they reinforce the preparations made yesterday by John the Baptist in our New Testament reading.
In Isaiah 35:1 - 10 you'll notice a heavy dose of "desert-language": "wilderness," "parched land," "burning sand," "thirsty ground" and "haunts."
The desert or the wilderness represents the place where there is no blossom and bloom, the place which is arid, dry, waterless. It is where "lions" and "ravenous beasts" dwell, where jackals make their home. The desert can be a beautiful place, but it is also a dangerous place, a place where life is lived on the edge.
In spiritual literature, the desert is often contrasted to the city. The contrast in ancient life was significant. Cities and towns grew up around water sources . . . rivers and wells. They were fortified by city walls which provided protection from both wild animals and invading tribal armies. In the cities, resources were gathered to a central location and more accessible than in the desert.
But in terms of formation, the desert gets a lot of play in spirituality. Spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of desert as a necessary place on the spiritual journey. And my experience has been that the more mystical persons among us tend to emphasize the desert most of all.
If the city is a place where resources are readily available, the desert represents the place where the usual resources are not available. You have to find resources in other ways. And here's the key: in the desert, you have to find resources you didn't know you had. You have to access resources that aren't readily apparent.
If we translate that thinking to our spirituality, I would say that in the desert we have to find the resources that are present within ourselves, because while we're in the desert, the resources are not present in the outer world. We must find them in the inner world.
Who among us isn't familiar with some kind of desert in life. We've all walked there. We've all felt dry, lifeless and waterless. We've felt surrounded by the ravenous beasts of disease and job-loss and betrayals. We've been disoriented and lacking direction to go on.
Messiah, the One who shows us the way, not only is our Resource, but shapes our inner resources so that we can survive and flourish in the deserts of life. This is the promise proclaimed by Isaiah. It is a total overturning of expectation.
**Flowers will blossom and bloom in the parched land.
**Those who are feeble will be strengthened and those who are weak will be steady.
**The fearful ones will find a hidden courage.
**Sight will be given to see what previously has been overlooked and ears will hear what they have missed forever.
**The parched land will be refreshed with springs, rivers will rush through the dry ground, and pools will form on the hot sand.
**The homes of wild animals will not be dangerous, but will be places of safety and nurture.
**Even through the desert, a highway will be given, enabling persons to journey even through the difficult deserts of life. The journey on that highway will not be easy or light, but it will be good.
I find that most people have a hard time believing that these resources really are within them. Most of us look and look and look in the outer world for such resources . . . in books and people and and new ideas. We endlessly jump from thing to thing, looking for the right formula. The danger in spirituality is that often people think it is the thing that will at last provide them everything they need.
The desert is teaching us that there is no better or stronger resource available to the human person that what God does within her/his heart. The Advent invitation is to look within.
Even as you walk in the desert, Christ waits to be born in you.
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and those the LORD has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
For several days now I have not chosen to offer a meditation on Isaiah's prophecy, choosing the Gospel readings instead. Today I come back to his prophetic words, because they reinforce the preparations made yesterday by John the Baptist in our New Testament reading.
In Isaiah 35:1 - 10 you'll notice a heavy dose of "desert-language": "wilderness," "parched land," "burning sand," "thirsty ground" and "haunts."
The desert or the wilderness represents the place where there is no blossom and bloom, the place which is arid, dry, waterless. It is where "lions" and "ravenous beasts" dwell, where jackals make their home. The desert can be a beautiful place, but it is also a dangerous place, a place where life is lived on the edge.
In spiritual literature, the desert is often contrasted to the city. The contrast in ancient life was significant. Cities and towns grew up around water sources . . . rivers and wells. They were fortified by city walls which provided protection from both wild animals and invading tribal armies. In the cities, resources were gathered to a central location and more accessible than in the desert.
But in terms of formation, the desert gets a lot of play in spirituality. Spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of desert as a necessary place on the spiritual journey. And my experience has been that the more mystical persons among us tend to emphasize the desert most of all.
If the city is a place where resources are readily available, the desert represents the place where the usual resources are not available. You have to find resources in other ways. And here's the key: in the desert, you have to find resources you didn't know you had. You have to access resources that aren't readily apparent.
If we translate that thinking to our spirituality, I would say that in the desert we have to find the resources that are present within ourselves, because while we're in the desert, the resources are not present in the outer world. We must find them in the inner world.
Who among us isn't familiar with some kind of desert in life. We've all walked there. We've all felt dry, lifeless and waterless. We've felt surrounded by the ravenous beasts of disease and job-loss and betrayals. We've been disoriented and lacking direction to go on.
Messiah, the One who shows us the way, not only is our Resource, but shapes our inner resources so that we can survive and flourish in the deserts of life. This is the promise proclaimed by Isaiah. It is a total overturning of expectation.
**Flowers will blossom and bloom in the parched land.
**Those who are feeble will be strengthened and those who are weak will be steady.
**The fearful ones will find a hidden courage.
**Sight will be given to see what previously has been overlooked and ears will hear what they have missed forever.
**The parched land will be refreshed with springs, rivers will rush through the dry ground, and pools will form on the hot sand.
**The homes of wild animals will not be dangerous, but will be places of safety and nurture.
**Even through the desert, a highway will be given, enabling persons to journey even through the difficult deserts of life. The journey on that highway will not be easy or light, but it will be good.
I find that most people have a hard time believing that these resources really are within them. Most of us look and look and look in the outer world for such resources . . . in books and people and and new ideas. We endlessly jump from thing to thing, looking for the right formula. The danger in spirituality is that often people think it is the thing that will at last provide them everything they need.
The desert is teaching us that there is no better or stronger resource available to the human person that what God does within her/his heart. The Advent invitation is to look within.
Even as you walk in the desert, Christ waits to be born in you.
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