Isaiah 61:1-6 (NRSV)
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Chapter 61The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; Verse 2to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; Verse 3to provide for those who mourn in Zion- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
Verse 4They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Verse 5Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines; Verse 6but you shall be called priests of the Lord, you shall be named ministers of our God; you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations, and in their riches you shall glory.
Devotion
On this date in 1809, the Frenchman, Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille system by which I and other blind people read by touch, was born. During his life Braille worked with many tactile approaches to a tactile way of reading for visually impaired people. Finally, toward the end of his life, he discovered the method that uses the six-dot system which is now used today.
The prophet Isaiah, receiving the Word of God to the Israelites who were coming out of exile in Babylon, speaks plainly to people looking for a bright ray of hope, a light in the darkness of the age. As God speaks through Isaiah to King Hezekaiah and the people of Israel, God proclaims God’s promise that the light has come. The people who walked in darkness have now seen the light for which they looked so desperately.
Once again we have celebrated the birth of Jesus, the light, who has come today to walk with us in the darkness of the challenges and difficulties of this world. Jesus wants to show us that his light, shining so radiantly in our darkness, can brighten our way, no matter how terrifying or painful our life experiences may be. With the light we have in Christ, we can be empowered to share that light with people we meet every day. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, invites us to "rise, shine, for his light has come."
Prayer
O God, help us to see your light which shines through our darkness wherever we are. Embolden us to be your instruments of spreading the light to others, so that those whom we reach may enjoy with us the fruitful future you have in store for all people. Amen.