Today we hear the classic words of God through Isaiah and Jesus that are quoted of John the Baptist. Last week we had the Santa Shuffle. Heather participated and got a great metal. Since my 30s, I have off-again and on-again done quite a bit of running. When I lived in Vancouver I faithfully ran every second day. I lived about 5km from my office – I used to run there and back. In Winnipeg I lived almost 10km from the College, and a colleague and I did that run more than once. Running can be fun – but when you get out of the habit, and have to start again or when you start for the very first time it can be a chore. And sometimes those hills in your first few runs can feel like mountains and those valleys, ravines. I can remember when I was first learning to run out west – where there are real mountains - being near the end of my run and my energy... rounding an almost last corner and seeing... a mountain to try to run up for my last 1/2k or so... Isaiah 40:3b-5:
“...make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
This is a great verse to ponder when you are running up and down hills and around curves, looking towards a time when obstacles will disappear. I also used to do a good deal of hiking and some backpacking. After a few hours following switchbacks up and down mountains, you can almost feel the relief of Isaiah’s valleys raised and mountains leveled. This is part of the Good News of Isaiah 40. This is the Good News also that John the Baptist proclaims: when Jesus’ returns with His Kingdom, obstacles will be removed. As during Advent we mark waiting for Jesus’ birth, we also hope for His return so that our mountains of trouble will be leveled and our valleys of despair will be raised to abundance. The crookedness of our paths will be straightened. That is hope.
Last week we lit the candle of hope. Today we lit the candle of love. First one has hope and then one can dare to love. One of the key things about hope and love in the context of Isaiah is that both are to and from God and an humbled people, a conquered people, an exiled people. There is no hope when you are on top of the world...only fear that you will fall off.
In Advent we talk about the Good News of the Salvation of the world. Do you know where in the Bible this shows up for the first time? Genesis 12:1-3: “All the nations of the earth will be blessed” and do you know what happens just before then... Genesis 11: the tower of Babel
The other week, we read about how God destroyed Nehustan that the Israelites used for centuries in worship of God, and how the LORD had it destroyed because the people were destroying themselves by worshiping it.
Isaiah records how God destroys His own temple, the holy city of Jerusalem , the independent nations of Israel and of Judah –until the day He returns. God tears down their country, levels their city, destroys their temple, and in so doing provides them here with the hope of flattened mountains, raised valleys, straight paths and the joy and love that can only come from trusting God in place of trusting nations, cities, temples, government, prosperity, and humanity.
This is the love that God has for us today as well. He loves us so much that if there are any valleys, mountains, crooked paths or Babel-like buildings of traditions, pride, fears, hate, or something else in our lives; He will flatten those mountains and tear down those buildings, for only then can we be rebuilt on His foundations.
There is a new song by a Canadian Band, Glorious Sons, whose first two lines have been stuck in my head for a few days now:
I spent all my money on a pack of cigarettes,
for a lady that I love with a name I forget.
The song tells a story with some troubles as it moves to the chorus which proclaims ‘Everything will be alright.” And for those of us who have already had the walls come tumbling down and are now in stages of exile in our own lives, for those of us who may feel like all is lost, for those of us who have seen our lives come crashing down around us, for those of us who are grieving, for those of us whose life feels like it is lost. God is here. When the people scattered from the ruins of Babel , God was there for Terah and Abraham offering salvation for the whole world. When Israel was slave to Egypt, God was there with Moses offering salvation; when Judah was exiled from her city, her temple, and her life, God was there looking out for her and pointing her towards Jesus’ Advent; whose imminent return we eagerly await today when the mountains in our life will be leveled, the valleys raised, and the paths made straight.
When our life is in exile maybe even from our own view of God; He will never leave us nor forsake us. Sometimes life is sad. Sometimes life is hard but God promises that someday our valleys of despair will be filled in, our mountains of trouble will be leveled and our crooked paths will be straightened – and, even until then He will journey with us every step of the way offering to bring us along in hope and in love. Today and this week let us all walk in God’s hope and love as we look forward to the day of Christ’s return when those valleys will be raised, those mountains will be leveled and our paths will straightened for ever more.
Let us pray.
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This is the abridged version originally presented to a.m. service of Warehouse 614 at 77 River Street in Toronto on the second Sunday of Advent, December 10, 2017
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