First Sunday of Advent 2007

Would-be presidents are roaming the country these days, with the cameras rolling of course, telling us how they will resolve world conflict. Forgive me if I don’t get too excited about it all. I’ve just been through too many presidential campaigns to take anybody too seriously.

I do take the son of Amoz seriously, however, partially because of his brutal honesty and partially because of his forthright passion to let the truth fall where it falls. Isaiah had very little tolerance for teeing up and spin doctoring ideas. When he came on the scene he told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth because he felt truth was more essential than loyalty to his nation. Actually, he felt that truth telling was essential to being loyal to his nation.

Through Isaiah God lays out His peace plan. It is a simple plan but in its simplicity it gets complicated. Why? Because God Himself is the peace plan, and lots of folks just don’t want to have much to do with the God of the Bible. Still the peace for which our planet longs, most of the planet any way, comes to us not in declarations and treaties and promises of governments but in the very life of God Himself.

He invites us to go up to His mountain and there learn His ways so that we may walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:3). He says that if we will do so there will be no need for nation to lift up sword against nation and that, in fact, “never again will they learn war” (Is. 2:4).

I would sure love to live to see that day. However, until that day the invitation is extended, “Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Is. 2:5).

This is what the Church should be doing, walking in the light of the Lord and modeling the peace that comes in that walk.” I’m not sure how well we do it, but the peace for which we long should begin at the altar of God and at the table of Jesus.