Isaiah 49: 8 – 16

Reflection   

What a picture Isaiah paints!

Our compassionate God will lead us beside springs of water, make the steep and difficult parts of our journey become roads instead of mountains. And because this people will notice and are expected to come from far away. Imagine making that refreshing journey, or picture the scene as a postcard.

I’m not much of a postcard writer these days, but there were holidays when I seemed to spend much of the week, or fortnight writing postcards – I am my father’s daughter, and postcard writing is a serious business if you are to do it ‘properly’.

My postcards usually concentrate on places we’ve visited and things we’ve done, and it becomes more difficult to fit as much as I want to write in as the holiday goes on.

As a child I remember that if my dad was left to write postcards from our family holidays he’d write in tiny, tiny writing and describe the journey there in as much detail as he could fit in. This would include the route, any detours, slow stretches, traffic jams and undoubtedly, the weather en route!

It reminds me that we often describe life as being like a journey, sometimes it has slow boring stretches, and detours, its sticking points and jams, and then sometimes it has fast moving stretches when life moves on all too quickly for us to properly take in what’s happening.

Our life of faith is not dissimilar.

I expect I’m not alone in being able to describe my faith journey as a journey that’s included several diversions, jams, hold ups and slow stretches.  Then there have been times I’ve felt moments of glory, and joy, all of which seem to pass too quickly for me to take in what’s really happening – take in the view you might say.  Then there are times when a glimpse of joy, a breath-taking moment of beauty or a flash of revelation will stay imprinted on my mind forever.

As for the weather, it’s sometimes been foggy, misty at best, visibility’s been poor and the way ahead has been difficult to discern, but then sometimes the mist has lifted and the sun has blazed in – what joy and delight!

I’ve come to be among you as your minister. I’m here, not only because you called me to be your minister, and I said ‘yes please God’ but because I have held fast the belief that God is my constant companion on the road he has asked me to travel, the highway I believe God is making for me, be it mountainous and hard going, beside refreshing streams and lakes, along a windswept beach or through a summer garden. And now, we are travelling companions together in faith and hope and love. I expect there will be twists, turns, jams and detours in the future but equally I expect moments of peace and joy and clarity as we each respond to God calling us to travel with Him.

Isaiah says “the Lord comforts his people”.  ‘Comforts’ them? The original meaning of the word ‘comfort’ is to give strength, the Latin ‘fortis’ meaning ‘strong’.  So, God strengthens the people to face the journey. Isaiah’s words imply movement and travel. Travelling in God’s company the rough places will seem smoother and the dry patches will be quenched by springs of life-giving water.

Isaiah 49: 8 – 16

Reflection   

What a picture Isaiah paints!

Our compassionate God will lead us beside springs of water, make the steep and difficult parts of our journey become roads instead of mountains. And because this people will notice and are expected to come from far away. Imagine making that refreshing journey, or picture the scene as a postcard.

I’m not much of a postcard writer these days, but there were holidays when I seemed to spend much of the week, or fortnight writing postcards – I am my father’s daughter, and postcard writing is a serious business if you are to do it ‘properly’.

My postcards usually concentrate on places we’ve visited and things we’ve done, and it becomes more difficult to fit as much as I want to write in as the holiday goes on.

As a child I remember that if my dad was left to write postcards from our family holidays he’d write in tiny, tiny writing and describe the journey there in as much detail as he could fit in. This would include the route, any detours, slow stretches, traffic jams and undoubtedly, the weather en route!

It reminds me that we often describe life as being like a journey, sometimes it has slow boring stretches, and detours, its sticking points and jams, and then sometimes it has fast moving stretches when life moves on all too quickly for us to properly take in what’s happening.

Our life of faith is not dissimilar.

I expect I’m not alone in being able to describe my faith journey as a journey that’s included several diversions, jams, hold ups and slow stretches.  Then there have been times I’ve felt moments of glory, and joy, all of which seem to pass too quickly for me to take in what’s really happening – take in the view you might say.  Then there are times when a glimpse of joy, a breath-taking moment of beauty or a flash of revelation will stay imprinted on my mind forever.

As for the weather, it’s sometimes been foggy, misty at best, visibility’s been poor and the way ahead has been difficult to discern, but then sometimes the mist has lifted and the sun has blazed in – what joy and delight!

I’ve come to be among you as your minister. I’m here, not only because you called me to be your minister, and I said ‘yes please God’ but because I have held fast the belief that God is my constant companion on the road he has asked me to travel, the highway I believe God is making for me, be it mountainous and hard going, beside refreshing streams and lakes, along a windswept beach or through a summer garden. And now, we are travelling companions together in faith and hope and love. I expect there will be twists, turns, jams and detours in the future but equally I expect moments of peace and joy and clarity as we each respond to God calling us to travel with Him.

Isaiah says “the Lord comforts his people”.  ‘Comforts’ them? The original meaning of the word ‘comfort’ is to give strength, the Latin ‘fortis’ meaning ‘strong’.  So, God strengthens the people to face the journey. Isaiah’s words imply movement and travel. Travelling in God’s company the rough places will seem smoother and the dry patches will be quenched by springs of life-giving water.

Revd Janine Atkinson