Is. 62-64
Isaiah prophesies some beautiful things about Zion; about how God will lift her up and she will be His delight. And He promises a day when He will never again turn her over to her enemies. I see this as God’s promise of complete reconciliation with His people. Zion is symbolic of God’s presence with us, as it is the place He chose to dwell among His people. Our sin and faithlessness brought down God’s wrath, driving us out of His presence, but His wrath came with a promise of complete restoration.
God has a plan to not only return His people to Zion – into His presence – but to allow us to dwell there with Him in perfect peace. “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.’ And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD” (Is 62:11b-12a). Our salvation did indeed come, in the person of Jesus Christ. His life, death, and resurrection is the gateway for our redemption, and Isaiah speaks of the day when His work will be complete.
Rom. 12
All of Paul’s letters to the Churches indicate to me that some things never change. The early churches were filled with petty squabbles and people persisting in their worldly ways. Romans 12 is such a fantastic summary of Paul’s exhortation to these churches. To paraphrase…Don’t live and do as the world does, but let God give you a new mind so that, by thinking differently, you will become different people. Be people who understand that all gifts and strengths come from God and no one is more important than another. Be people who humbly work together in unity for God’s glory and service. And give your best to whatever work God has given you to do.
In verses 9-21, Paul lays out a whole list of attitudes, actions, perspectives, and responses that are contrary to how the world lives. We don’t and can’t live this way in the power of our flesh – our human nature. We can only live this way in the power of God’s Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. But it is our responsibility to tap into that Spirit, allowing Him to transform our ways of thinking and doing, giving us the power to live such a Spirit filled life that manifests itself in these unnatural ways. This kind of life does not happen by chance. It happens through a persistent, intentional effort to seek and to know God.