Luther Seminary “Moved by the Promise ‘God Pause’” - Monday, 25 November 2013 – Isaiah 2

Luther Seminary “Moved by the Promise ‘God Pause’” - Monday, 25 November 2013 – Isaiah 2: Climb God’s Mountain 1-5 The Message Isaiah got regarding Judah and Jerusalem:

There’s a day coming

    when the mountain of God’s House

Will be The Mountain—

    solid, towering over all mountains.

All nations will river toward it,

    people from all over set out for it.

They’ll say, “Come,

    let’s climb God’s Mountain,

    go to the House of the God of Jacob.

He’ll show us the way he works

    so we can live the way we’re made.”

Zion’s the source of the revelation.

    God’s Message comes from Jerusalem.

He’ll settle things fairly between nations.

    He’ll make things right between many peoples.

They’ll turn their swords into shovels,

    their spears into hoes.

No more will nation fight nation;

    they won’t play war anymore.

Come, family of Jacob,

    let’s live in the light of God.(The Message)

There is always a war going on somewhere. There has never been peace in my lifetime. Many people seem to hope for God to behave like some cosmic United Nations and seize all weapons of warfare, transforming them into agricultural implements. Others dream of a day when peace becomes the norm and warfare an ancient memory; but they are growing impatient and losing faith in the dream.

Perhaps the faithful way forward is to attend to the opening verses of the reading that bid us to go up the mountain of the Lord so that God may teach us and we may walk in God's paths. We cannot change the world or ourselves unless God leads the way. We cannot learn to be people of peace and hope unless we follow in the way of the cross. May all that we do in worship and in daily living open us up to God's instruction and guidance.

Dear God, we long for peace. Teach us how to be at peace with you and our neighbors. Lead us in right paths so that the world may see your goodness and mercy and be made new. Amen.

Rebecca Wegner

Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Brunswick, Maine

Master of Divinity , 1992

Isaiah 2:1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 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.

3 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.

4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!(New American Standard Version)

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