December 6th - Reflection

Isaiah 24:1 16a (NRSV)
Judgment is coming, but glorify God

Now the Lord is about to lay waste the earth and make it desolate,
and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants.
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;
as with the slave, so with his master;
as with the maid, so with her mistress;
as with the buyer, so with the seller;
as with the lender, so with the borrower;
as with the creditor, so with the debtor.
The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled;
for the Lord has spoken this word.

The earth dries up and withers,
the world languishes and withers;
the heavens languish together with the earth.
The earth lies polluted
under its inhabitants;
for they have transgressed laws,
violated the statutes,
broken the everlasting covenant.
Therefore a curse devours the earth,
and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;
therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled,

and few people are left.
The wine dries up,
the vine languishes,
all the merry hearted sigh.
The mirth of the timbrels is stilled,
the noise of the jubilant has ceased,
the mirth of the lyre is stilled.
No longer do they drink wine with singing;
strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.
The city of chaos is broken down,
every house is shut up so that no one can enter.
There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;
all joy has reached its eventide;
the gladness of the earth is banished.
Desolation is left in the city,
the gates are battered into ruins.
For thus it shall be on the earth
and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,
as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.

They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;
they shout from the west over the majesty of the Lord.
Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;
in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
of glory to the Righteous One.

Reflection
Isaiah's position viewing Jerusalem and beyond now moves to the entire world. As we continue to fall into the trappings of sin, and continue to refuse to repent and turn back toward God, the world systems are turned on their head. Everything begins to be the opposite of life and growth and turns towards sin and death. It's going to get worse before it gets better. If we don't turn around and repent, we will be lost.

You have a choice about God. You can turn and go the other way. But this will be the results of that turning and running from God. There is a price to pay. But, God continues and always has given that opportunity to turn around.

God sent Jesus to this earth because his love was so deep and great, that when he saw that we were lost, God needed to intervene to help us. So Jesus came as God and became one of us. God yet man, so that he would give his life to provide a way for all people to turn to God and have hope and salvation. And for those who repent and turn to God; songs of praise and joy will the earth, in the glory of what God has done through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You have been saved! See it, hear it, understand it as much as you can and believe it!

Once again, for those who believe the world is turned upside down. The decay of sin and death has a new beginning in Christ. We have new life in God. And as we live on this world where sin still exists, God has provided the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We live in the hope of a new creation. We are created new each day as we turn in repentance to our Father. We are renewed through the water of our baptism in the love of Christ and love for one another.

So repent...turn around...and shout the Good News throughout the earth. There is hope. Believe in what God has already done and worship and glorify him through Jesus Christ!

Prayer
Come, Lord Jesus, come, to this world that is in need of renewal and repentance. As we turn and repent of our sin, fill us with the hope and joy only you can give. Hear our shouts of praise, honor and love this day for all you have done. --- Amen