Monday 28 March 2022

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Today is Monday the 28th of March, in the fourth week of Lent.

Molly Parden, with Bifrost Arts sings, Psalm 126. As you listen, can you capture the joy in this song? How does it speak to you today?

Our mouths they were filled, filled with laughter

Our tongues they were loosed, loosed with joy

Restore us, O Lord

Restore us, O Lord

Although we are weeping

Lord, help us keep sowing

The seeds of Your Kingdom

For the day You will reap them

Your sheaves we will carry

Lord, please do not tarry

All those who sow weeping will go out with songs of joy

The nations will say, "He has done great things!"

The nations will sing songs of joy

Restore us, O Lord

Restore us, O Lord

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 65:17-21

For I am about to create new heavens

and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered

or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice for ever

in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,

and its people as a delight.

I will rejoice in Jerusalem,

and delight in my people;

no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,

or the cry of distress.

No more shall there be in it

an infant that lives but a few days,

or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,

and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

Today’s passage holds a beautiful image of newness; of joy and delight… How do you picture these “new heavens” and “new earth”? What do they look like to you?

“the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind”… Imagine for a moment so much delight that you don’t even think about what is past and old… what is this experience like for you? Perhaps this is something you have experienced before…

We hear in this passage that the sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard… this might be something difficult for you to imagine at the moment… but what would this look like for you?

As you hear the passage again, notice what stands out to you…

Talk to the Lord now about anything this time of prayer has brought up for you, knowing that God holds it all in the palm of his loving hand…

You have given all to me

To you, Lord I return it

Everything is yours

Do with it what you will

Give me only your love and your grace

That is enough for me.