A New Relationship
Throughout human history, God's presence initiates new relationships. In the depths of despair and silence of God's people in exile, God spoke a new word ~ an invitation ~ a word that empowered them to shake off their oppression and be free! There is need to share this word that restores communities to life. With those coming out of exile, reorganization required a radical rethinking of both who God was and who they were as God's people.
In second Isaiah (chapters 40-66) we are given inspiration to dream and see things in a new way, a poetic power to speak a word of comfort and evoke in the imagination of his audience, the astounding message of "coming home", of an end to living exiled. Isaiah recognized that God is doing something new!
It is no surprise that this poetic vision of God's new creation is the most frequently sited part of the Old Testament for Christians. It also urges those who listen to participate in this new future with God. Spend some time with Isaiah and let his words inspire us to action!
