January 14, 2019
To read full passage click: Isaiah 62:1-5 …“You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” vs. 3
The prophet is ecstatic about the possibilities ahead for the people of Israel. He was preaching to a people living in exile, a defeated nation, and he plants in their imagination a vision of a royal future. This was more than a politician’s campaign slogan, this was a pronouncement of divine love. The people’s hearts were lifted and the prophet’s words were remembered. Sustained by assurances of God’s love, the people continued their journey of faith in confidence. We who are in Christ have our own journey and, at times, we can become discouraged. Days don’t go as we wish and we’re blindsided by tragedy and defeat. Because of our own sin, our hearts are weighed down and our self-image suffers. Too many of us come to be believe that we are of no-account. Some find it hard to imagine that God cares. They feel the deep pain of isolation and loneliness. And to us, in those moment, the prophet thunders, “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord…a royal diadem.” Words like that lift us from our doldrums and force smiles to our faces. “Really?” we reply. “Me? With all my faults and imperfections? I will be a crown of beauty?” And the answer is a resounding “Yes!” That’s how it is on the journey of faith. We step out on the Way with the full support of God and a glorious future awaits!
Thought for the Day: Why do some find these words hard to believe?
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