Peace

This first week of Advent, we start with:

 Isaiah 2:2-5

It shall come to pass in the latter days

    that the mountain of the house of the Lord

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

    and shall be lifted up above the hills;

and all the nations shall flow to it,

    and 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.”

Visiting the Netherlands my family experienced a pedestrian-jam.  Imagine a street where cars are not allowed.  Imagine too, the need to do maintenance like on any other street.  People still needed to get where they where going and filled shoulder to shoulder by the workman shuffling in a continuous stream toward their goal.  This passage speaks of a goal so wonderful that the nations would stream to it.

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

What are they seeking?  They seek the law.  They want to be taught how to worship God and to live in justice.

He shall judge between the nations,

    and shall decide disputes for many peoples;

and 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 anymore.

Be careful to note that this is not a world government.  National identity is still preserved.  This is not a single race.  Racial identity is preserved.  But each willingly streams to Zion for what we all crave and that is peace, the end of war.

O house of Jacob,

    come, let us walk

    in the light of the Lord.

During Advent we light candles.  We worship a baby who is "the Light of the World".  Understand that peace and justice can only occur in this light.  Darkness hides.  What is hidden cannot be brought to justice.  

So starting with ourselves let us join this wonderful stream and walk toward that light.