Today’s scripture: Isaiah 4:2-6 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Carla Peck):
It’s a book-end type of scripture today — a comforting, hopeful beginning and end — and what seems to me to be a chaotic bloodbath in between.
The rhythm of the week felt like peace in the morning, and rest at twilight, hopeful for enjoyable weekend activities and time with loved ones, and blessings of spiritual nourishment. In between I noticed the walls that look like masking tape, hurt in their faces, hair loss, and weak bodies. There was prolonged sitting — complete with chair comas, hypnotized blank stares at computer screens, eyestrain, and neck pain — and numbing the pain of unrealistic production goals with sugar, salt, and carbohydrates. Mandatory overtime replaced time with loved ones, along with negativity, hopelessness, and awareness of self-care diminished.
Walking briskly around the hallways of masking tape walls, during the few moments of being released from the chair coma, or attempting to be defiant to it, I’m praying for God to somehow cause me to shut off perceptions of misery, and find beauty and glory here, or help me find a way to create that. I was partially awake from the chair coma, uplifted from moving, eyes partially restored, watchful for the Holy Spirit to alert me to beauty and glory here.
I was listening to a neighbor’s comment about enjoying the aroma of my one (1) WW smart point Swiss Miss hot chocolate. The neighbor is not usually helpful, and full of negative comments. I tell the neighbor what the smell is, and why I bring my own hot chocolate.
Later I imagine a hot chocolate bridge, taking a hot chocolate packet over to share with the neighbor. The neighbor awakens from her own chair coma. The computer stare ceases, she smiles from ear to ear, and breathing and mild laughter emerge. We enjoy a brief, pleasant chat, and I felt a hopeful connection with my neighbor on the hot chocolate bridge, a moment of beauty within the masking tape walls.
When discussions fail, or misery and negativity prevail, may God help me to awaken from the coma to see beauty and glory, see the way of a peacemaker, and be a builder of a bridge of hope and refuge.
Thought for the day: In “this moment,” the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.