Isaiah 51:1-6
51:1 Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the LORD.
Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were
dug.
51:2 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but
one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many.
51:3 For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places,
and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD;
joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
51:4 Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching
will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples.
51:5 I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and
my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they
hope.
51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the
heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and
those who live on it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be forever, and
my deliverance will never be ended.
As I read these verses, I am reminded of the prodical
son who found himself dining with the hogs. At this
stage in his life, he needed the words of this passage.
Remember the rock from which you were dug. In other words,
remember who you are! You are not a hog. You are the
son of a father who loves you very much. A father who
has plans for you. A father who has a place for you.
There are many Christians in our world who suffer from
the prodical son syndrome. They wander away from the
Father and forget who they are and where they are from.
They have forgotten their first love (Rev. 2:4-5) They
need to know that God will forgive if they will only
ask. A broken and contrite heart the Father will not
despise. They need to know that the past is in the past.
And that the Father offers complete forgiveness (Psalm 103)
and an awesome plan for them (Jer 29:11). And He wants
to restore the dry and wasted areas of their life with the
refreshing showers of His love and mercy.
Just a few thoughts from Texas.
RLW
RLW--One of our parishioners, in telling stories about his father, recalled that his dad would always say to the boys (as they were about to go out for the night) "Remember who you are." The now 60 year old son spoke gratefully of what a wonderful and formative sentence that was for those teenage years.
Aslanclan
This is a passage of hope for those who were hewn from good rock. But how to use this passage for those who have come forth from the sewers of life?
Michelle
Michelle-A stunning phrase/question.
Is there anything to be found in the phrase, "For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places..."?
Aslanclan
Yes, Aslanclan, that part does help.
Also, after I posted, I thought more thoroughly, and came to a realization that maybe this text speaks more specifically to the true rock, the rock of the Gospel lesson, the rock of the kingdom of God. Once adopted into (or grafted onto) the family of God, our entire foundation becomes new, as the old self was put to death.
Could get some catechetical stuff out of this one, if I end up going this way.
Michelle
Aslanclan:
Each time our church youth group went on an outing, our leader would always say, "Remeber who you are, whose you are, and who you represent." I live by those words daily. I cherish them, even though they are only 30 years old to me.
Steve in NC
Perhaps the imperative verbs of this text...Listen, Look, Look, Lift Up and Give Heed, and Listen...could be a good frame for tying together both the gospel's "Who do you say I am?" and the solid, deep rock of God in whom we find who we are? Ponderin' Pastor in IL
