IV.
In the first post on this week’s focus Scripture, we focused on what “the messenger … [announced].”

Today let’s see what images he associates with God’s reign. After all he does tell us, “… in plain sight they see…”

What do you see?

V.
Isaiah 52:7-12 (NRSVue)

How beautiful upon the mountains
     are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
     who announces salvation,
     who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices;
     together they shout for joy,
for in plain sight they see
     the return of the Lord to Zion.

Break forth; shout together for joy,
     you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people;
     he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord has bared his holy arm
     before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
     the salvation of our God.

Depart, depart, go out from there!
     Touch no unclean thing;
go out from the midst of it; purify yourselves,
     you who carry the vessels of the Lord.

For you shall not go out in haste,
     and you shall not go in flight,
for the Lord will go before you,
     and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

VI.
I see folk “shout together for joy.”

I see the “sentinels” and wonder who they are and what they are saying.

I see people who “carry vessels of the Lord” and wonder what kind of vessels these are.

What expressions do you see on the people’s faces?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}