Daily Devotion

Continuing our theme this week, I wanted share another verse and passage that has given me pause during these unprecedented times.

This particular passage comes to me every time I feel like the divides between peoples, populations, and nations seems to be too wide. In those instances when I would hear the anger in people’s voices about “the other” or about “them,” I feel incredibly discouraged.  It doesn’t matter who “they” are, I can get so overwhelmed by the growing divide among people. People: made in God’s image. People: Made to prosper and not perish.  People: Made to care for and grow creation and not destroy it.

In those moments I am reminded of the promise of God revealed in in Isaiah 25.

⁶ On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
⁷ On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
⁸     he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

⁹ In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God;
    we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

This is one of those passages that reminds me that the hard work of reconciliation, repentance, and peace making is worthwhile work. More than worthwhile, they are critical to the promise we hope to receive!

I say this because, in light of the scene set by Isaiah, a scene where ALL people are gathered to break bread together,  I am confronted with the realization that carrying a sense of resentment, anger, or hate for my neighbors will only serve to embarrass and scandalize me when we are, all of us, all sides, brought to the table to break bread.

In preparation for that feast to come, we are right to forgive one another and seek forgiveness before the table is set. This passage encourages me that the work of repentance, apologizing, and peace making is important, worthy, and pressing.