Thoughts for the Day

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;
all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Advent Sunday (the first Sunday of the Church's New Year) opens with a reading from the Prophet Isaiah. Its message has to compete with a world that has bought its Christmas tree in November and put up the decorations. The Church, therefore, needs to offer something serious but exciting to lead us to Christmas. Our reading starts with the odd phrase: "The word that Isaiah saw..."

How can this Prophet called by God some 740 years BCE, at a time of great ungodliness, see the word of God? Well he did have visions of the future, but it was more than that. For the Jews a word was something active and alive. We read in Genesis 1.3 that "God spoke, and there was light." So when God speaks actions take place. Later in Isaiah 55.11 God says:

"So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

And of course John tells us that "the Word became flesh and lived among us" and that "the Word was God" (John 1.1-18)

In today's prophecy Isaiah speaks of a time of peace and justice, when swords will become ploughshares, and God will judge between people and nations. This new world has not yet happened, but it must start somewhere, so can we look at ourselves through God's eyes, and use this period of Advent to put ourselves right with God and with everyone else? Try by rejecting negative thoughts and words, as a starter, perhaps?

Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the Light of the World,
help us to rethink and reorganise our lives
during this season of Advent,
seeking to draw closer to You in our worship,
and trying to follow Your wishes
rather than our own.
Forgive us our sins,
particularly the deliberate and habitual ones,
and help us set a new course,
then might we truly greet Christmas with
wonder and joy.
Amen.