July 1st Reflection by Bill Lynch

Isaiah 66:10–14
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her— that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom. For thus says the Lord: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm, and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.

Reflection
It's like we are children and Jerusalem is our mother. But it's not really Jerusalem that brings us joy, comfort and life. It is all a gift from God.

Life is not always like this. There are trying times as well. During those times; God is with us as well. There comes a time however, when we are nursed and comforted. We return to what is joyful and there is a feeling of victory in the battle of living that we fight.

We come home. We come home. God promises this homecoming in this passage and we can believe it.

Jesus set his face on Jerusalem. He, with determined mission, set towards Jerusalem and saved all people. A horrible homecoming, yet a victory over sin, death and the devil. Jesus came to the place he wanted to rejoice in. He came to the place where for years, God was worshiped and glorified. Jesus came and changed Jerusalem forever in the giving of himself as a sacrifice for all the sins of the world. Doesn't sound like the passage above.

Yet in another way Jesus journey to Jerusalem set it up as the place of homecoming for all people. We come to Jerusalem for life. We come to the source of life and see the love only God could show. We come to death and receive life. Only because of what God has already done in love for us.

Jerusalem... God... Jesus... our love... our comfort... our joy. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Come, Lord Jesus, come. My source of joy, comfort and life... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen