Columba Comments...
Short reflections written by members of our
congregation
8 February 2009
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Scripture: Isaiah 40: 21-31
Exploration
This passage of
scripture was written by a disciple of Isaiah, known as second
Isaiah, during the time when the people of Israel were in exile in
Babylon.
All has been lost,
their land, their dignity and for some, even their God. Yet here in
the midst of despair is a voice proclaiming the greatness of God
with such certainty that he brings hope to a people without hope.
Writers have suggested that this level of hope can only come from a
deep faith in God.
Prophets do not
foretell the future but speak to the present, teaching those who
would listen to read the will of God in everyday occurrences.
During the time of
the exile, Isaiah and others were calling to the exiles to once
again become the people of the covenant, to live out the covenant in
their lives, to trust in God who is mighty in power, is faithful and
is compassionate towards His people. Psalm 147 also reflects this
view of a loving God.
In verses 21 to 31,
Isaiah calls the people to remember who God is, the creator (v22,
v26, v28), the One who builds up or brings down (v23). He challenges
their doubts about the presence and power of God in their lives
(v27) and reminds them of God’s faithfulness and the blessings that
He gives to those who have faith (v28-31).
Paul’s writings also
reflect these challenges. In Acts 14 and Romans 1 Paul tells us that
what can be known about God is plain to see in the things that He
has made. (Read Isaiah 40.21-24) In verse 27 Isaiah reminds the
people that God’s wisdom is unsearchable, and Paul echoes this in
Romans 11 when he proclaims the mystery and grace of God’s knowledge
and wisdom.
Just as Isaiah
finishes this passage with a call to trust in God, so Paul, in 2
Corinthians 4 tells us not to lose heart but to trust in God.
Questions for Reflection
Ø
As verse 26 says “lift up your eyes”, look around.
Examine the details of a flower, the wave patterns of the ocean or
the beauty of a loved one’s hand. What can you see of the nature of
God? Give thanks for the blessings of creation.
Ø
Prophets, like Isaiah, call us to read God’s will in
everyday occurrences. Looking at recent world or personal events,
what is God telling us about ourselves and how we should live?
Ø
Do you, like the people of Israel, feel abandoned?
Read verse 31 as a prayer.
Ø
Isaiah talks about God and His mighty works with such
awe and wonder. Have we lost this sense of awe? On Sundays when the
M.C. calls us to silence so that we can become aware of the presence
of God, what emotion stirs within your heart?
Ø
Isaiah, with others, led the people of Israel to
discover a new and more spiritual way of living out their faith. Do
we, as God’s people in Scarborough need to find a new way of living
out our faith in this community? What do we need to change?
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