Isaiah 2:1-5 (NRSV)
Read Isaiah 2:1-5 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 2The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Verse 2In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Verse 3Many 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." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Verse 4He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; 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 any more. Verse 5O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
Devotion
Advent this year engages the senses. There are certain smells (like fir trees) and tastes (like seasonal treats) that we associate with the season. There are certain things we would like to see as well. Isaiah paints a scene of peace in today’s reading. How good it would be in this bloodstained year to view a reality where weapons were transformed and the landscape around us was littered with the peace that passes all understanding.
Prayer
Oh God, you are beyond our senses, yet you came into our world as a sensible person. Engage all our senses in praise of you and in service to one another. Amen.