Taking The Long View
Opening Prayer
Loving Father, help me to bring my straggling thoughts into focus, so that I may be with You more fully and rejoice in You.
Read ISAIAH 2:1–5
This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
“What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him… All who have this hope… purify themselves” (1 John 3:2,3).
Think Further
When things go wrong, we often hark back to old times: when our own lives were more on fire for God, our church was thriving and new people were drawn to follow the Lord because his love and presence were so real.
Perhaps the faithful remnant in Judah did so too—and such remembering may stimulate renewal—but Isaiah strikes a different note here, looking forward rather than back. The details may be opaque, the timing unknown, but what matters is that God can and will reverse his people’s shameful present. It is as if Isaiah were saying, “Look, this is what you are meant to be and will be, a people no longer humiliated by foreign domination but raised up to be the focal point of God’s presence (2). You are a place of corruption now but you will become a city of true wisdom and godly instruction (3). Nations who once belittled and conquered you may be the very ones who will seek out the God in your midst. There will be no fear of war because God will settle disputes and bring about true peace (4).”
The aim of this vision, however, is not to foster complacency but to act as an appeal for living accordingly. Echoing the call of the nations to “come, let us…” learn and walk with God (3), so the prophet calls to his people (5), “Come… let us…” The people will know the Lord as the God of Jacob, who is not unwilling to be called the God of a deceiver and cheat. By his grace, even cheats may be transformed into faithful people, giving hope to all. The prophet likewise calls the descendants of Jacob not to lag behind the nations in seeking God.
Apply
What do you understand by the phrase “learn and walk with God” (3)? What improvements can help you to walk with the Lord?
Closing prayer
Holy One, I look to purify myself from sin, so that I may walk more fully with You in Your light (5).
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