As I have studied Isaiah 35 once again this year in preparation for Advent worship, it has come to me that water is at the very center of this vision Isaiah of the Exile offers from God to God’s people. Sure, there are a lot of other pieces to this vision: a desert in bloom, the mighty forests of Lebanon and Carmel, pastures of Sharon; not to mention people being healed or restored to wholeness and a mighty and holy highway being built. But right there in the middle of it all (v.7) is the very wet and wonderful reference to water: The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs . . . even grasslands turn into wetlands. Water, water, water – water everywhere! It’s water that makes it possible for the desert to bloom, the forests to grow and pastures to flourish. Our bodies, when they are whole and functioning at their prime are over 60% water. Highways could not be built without water. Water seems to be the very central image to all of Isaiah 35. That was new to me this time around.
But it makes sense. To a people (in exile) who are longing for home while scratching out an existence in a dry and parched land, doesn’t it make sense that God’s image of redemption would be soaked in water? They are thirsting for this vision. Their thirst for home and things of home (the faith of home) cannot be slaked there in Babylon. They just need some water to quench their thirst, to renew their faith, to regenerate their hope and propel them forward.
It’s usually at about this point in December (mid-way into Advent) that I am reminded, in my work as a pastor, that not everyone is all giddy and goose-bumpy about Christmas. Continue reading
There is a phrase I often think of this time of the year. It’s associated with my dad in my thinking. “What do you want for Christmas, daddy?” was our childhood question. To which he almost always replied, “Peace in the valley.”
The season that follows Easter in the church year is called “Eastertide”. In our house we’ve been talking about this week in terms of it being Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday, Easter Wednesday . . . So, while the culture and world around us packs up the Easter season and moves on – to the latest news cycle, presidential primary, MLB season, or whatever – and while churches and pastors slow in their reporting (er- bragging?) about Easter Sunday attendance and hope they might see at least two-thirds of those folks again this Sunday . . . I’d like to linger a bit with Easter’s news and implications.
danielcash 