Season of Hope

Sing, O childless woman,

you who have never given birth!

Break into loud and joyful song,

you who have never been in labor.

For you will end up with far more children

than all those childbearing women.

For your Maker's name is 

God-of-the-Angel-Armies!

Isaiah 54 is a passage about hope.

This season has hope front and center.

The barren woman is given great hope 

when told she will have more children 

than the childbearing ones.

In these places where we don't see

the things we desire, 

God-of-the-Angel-Armies

comes and says it doesn't matter

what we see or what we don't see.

In these places, where we stand in hope,

substance is created.

Hope is not transparent, elusive, 

ethereal or slippery.

It is not something we grasp at.

It is solid, secure and substantial.

We rest in a place where hope

produces the substance through which 

the song is released and the story is told.

I stand in hope for many things today, 

trusting that my hope is producing 

the tangible substance of faith.

Somewhere in my midst,

the King and His Kingdom are here.

The people walking in darkness
see a bright light;
light shines on those 

who live in a land of deep darkness.

Isaiah 9:2