Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-4
Comfort, comfort my people! says your God. Speak compassionately to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her compulsory service has ended, that her penalty has been paid, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins! A voice is crying out: “Clear the LORD’s way in the desert! Make a level highway in the wilderness for our God! Every valley will be raised up, and every mountain and hill will be flattened. Uneven ground will become level, and rough terrain a valley plain.
Thought for the Day: This and other similar passages are often described as prophecies or descriptions of the coming of Jesus. Before we leap to that place, it is always important to understand the original context of the words. The Prophet Isaiah wrote during a very turbulent time that would eventually find a people in what would be known as the Babylonian Exile. These words of hope are written to a people who feel as if their life in community has come to an end. No longer are they able to go to Jerusalem and participate in the life-giving rituals of faith. Yet amidst their painful longing, the prophet speaks of one who cries in the wilderness, and declares God’s coming. The impossible trek is not impossible, for every known obstacle will be removed.
Instead of simply assuming that Isaiah was referencing Jesus, it is powerful to hear about a God who has done similar work on more than one occasion. God found a way when there did not appear to be a possible way at so many points in history, and for that reason, we can feel comfortable in the belief that God will make a level highway in the wilderness of our own exile experiences.
Prayer: As you made a path centuries ago to a people yearning for redemption, O Lord, we pray for you to hear us and once again create a level road that brings you to us and the difficulties we face. Amen.
