Peace

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. - Isaiah 40:1‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Ryan Egli

Hope for exiles

Do you feel like the outsider in different areas of your life? Are you a racial minority where you live? Are you the odd one out because of your faith, at your job or school? This is the situation of the southern kingdom of Judah.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking to this kingdom that has gone into exile. Israel has been carried off into foreign lands. They have seen friends and family murdered. God gives them hope.

Divine intervention is on the way

The exiles are to take comfort in knowing that God is coming to intervene. The reason for exile isn't just bad luck, but rather because of their sin. The sins are four categories: forgotten God, ritual making of worship, corruption of their society, and looking to other nations for salvation. God was going to intervene and save them. The passage calls for people to prepare for the coming King. They need to make the path level, remove boulders for the road... So the king can come straight in. This calls to us as well. We are to prepare our lives for the coming King. But instead of the first coming, we should prepare for Jesus' second coming.

We, people, are mist

Our lives are short. The word of God lasts forever. We are but mist. Jesus is the word of God made flesh. The word will never pass away. We need to remember that the Bible means God, the Lord of the universe, wants to meet with us there. Reading or not reading does not save. But reading the Bible with faith is good. Read when you can. Maybe not large chunks, maybe small pieces to meditate upon. In the morning or the evening as it suits you. In quiet or lively places. We have the Holy Spirit to help guide and comprehend the word.