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Morning Devotion for the Season after Pentecost
May 22, 2024
Helena of Constantinople
The Invitatory
The earth is the Lord’s for he made it: O come, let us adore him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
Reading: Micah 4:1-4
In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised up above the hills.
Peoples shall stream to it,
and many nations 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.
He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more;
but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,
and no one shall make them afraid;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
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Meditation: Jo Ann B. Jones
This is one of the most recognized passages from the Old Testament. It would seem that, given the deep divisions that we now experience, there are several compelling reasons for this passage to resonate within us. Having lived with the reality of the war between Israel and Gaza now for almost seven months, the promise made here of an end to warfare among nations with a subsequent era of peace would be captivating to most sane people. Simultaneously, it is almost too much to hope for.
What must be borne in mind is that the promise of peace is founded on a prior promise that the reign of YHWH or God shall become the controlling order for all people. A desire for peace cannot exist as hope if it is not tied to the expectation of the reign of God’s kingdom. This is an interesting passage to read so shortly after the Feast of Pentecost.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ established his reign over time. He is constantly present to each and every day and moment of time. We can be reassured that Jesus continues to "stand in the midst.” His very presence reassures us that the reign of God in Jesus Christ will usher in a peace that will transform the conditions of life for individuals and nations alike. This peace serves as the chief influence in life; it will mediate the conflicts between nations, leading to the abandonment of wars as the sole means of conflict resolution. All of mankind will be liberated from the threat of terror. This promise of salvation is a promise that is made to all. What a vision of generous and universal hope!
This hope that is raised up is both restrained and inviting. One can only imagine the writer’s grasp of humankind in the restraint that is exercised in the writing. But note it is not a religious empire that is seen to arise or even a world that has been humiliated to Israel’s triumph. It is God who will hear the complaints and disputes of God’s people and it is God who will dispose of them. Ultimately, it is God who is the source of their assistance that supports their lives. The vision offered is not one of a final struggle for power, but of its end, because all nations come to see that the real answer to their need is in the word of God. Here ends the prophecy.
How could one not yearn for its fulfillment? What we live into is no doubt a time that will be uncertain and difficult. The fulfillment of the vision necessarily will lack definition. We cannot approach the “city set on a hill” yet. It is our faith in the fulfillment of the vision that calls us to create it in our lives, as we acknowledge that our identity rests in God’s call to us and in his presence.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
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