Jesus’ Ministry
January 14, 2019
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. –Isaiah 62:1-3
I cannot imagine what it felt like to the people of Israel who at one point were a successful and thriving nation and then they became exiles, living in a strange place being ruled by outside forces. Much of the poetry of the Hebrew prophets are targeted at dealing with the exile and its aftermath. The Lord has not forsaken; Jerusalem shall return.
These poets also analyze how this all happened, how the people turned to other gods, practiced greed, and did not follow in the ways God set before them. It is a cycle that has repeated in every powerful nation who outgrew their values and perceived of themselves as deserving of more and better, forgetting the responsibilities of caring for one another.
Throughout it all God remained loyal to those who turned away from God. To realign with God, we must turn around once we see we are on the wrong path and pay attention to the instructions as we are redirected by God to the right path.
We live in trying times marked by what seem to be irreconcilable differences. Whatever happens over the next few months in our nation, we need to face it from God’s righteous way not based on our definition of the way but fully tuning in to God’s justice and God’s mercy.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we stray from your righteousness. In your mercy guide us to a right understanding of how to restructure ourselves and our world into a dwelling place ruled by your love. Amen.