From thirdway.com:
Daily Scripture:
HOPE
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Reference: Isaiah 11:9
Isaiah 11:9 (New King James Version)
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
Related Blog
A Simple Desire
The weblog "a simple desire" provides brief commentaries on "A Sip of Scripture" from a Mennonite perspective, The commentaries are written by Carole Boshart, of Oregon; Will Fitzgerald, of Michigan; and others on occasion.
Short commentary on “A Sip of Scripture” from Third Way Cafe
No Harm on the Waters
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“They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” ( Isaiah 11:9 )
Some of my earliest memories of childhood involve playing beside the ocean. Even now thinking about the ocean and the relative calmness brings me peace after a day filled with stress and dilemmas. I have to admit I do not feel the same level of calmness when I consider the mountains. For me calmness and being safe from harm are tied to the ocean and the sea.
I have spent countless hours (and each one of them precious) looking out over the ocean and watching the waves serenely come up to the shores. It seems that when I look out over the ocean it stretches out endlessly. As far as the eye can see there is calm water. So when the writer of Isaiah compares the knowledge of God to the vastness of the sea/ocean, it is an image I can appreciate and grow to love.
Consider that water covers about two-thirds of the world. Can you image the peace that would envelope the world if just two-thirds of it were covered by the knowledge of God?
May you gentle reader be covered by the love and peace of God, and may you bring peace and love to a storm-tossed world. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 18, 2010 at 12:03 am
Posted in commentary
.A full-time job with no job description
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“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:6 )
Not just in acts of solemn worship or in times of great crisis but in everything you do, acknowledge God.
It sounds so simple and straightforward. But sometimes it is hard to know how to acknowledge God in a world that seems so far removed from God. When I was a young adult, I would consider the world and the advances and innovations that humanity created. And I would think how far we seem to be from the basics, simple living. It seemed to me that people in biblical times must have hard an easier time living close to God, with it being . . . you know, biblical times. But now as an older adult I can see where I confused living long ago with living close to God. Those people who lived during the time that the Bible was being written had no easier, or harder, time living within God’s will. We, meaning humanity, simply live in our times and if we bring God into our living then we are living in the time of God.
So if there is no magical formula, or special way or time to walk with God, how do we always and consistently acknowledge God? From the time one gets up in the morning throughout the day to close of day and nighttime, how do we acknowledge God in the little things of the day? When drinking a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper, working at our “secular” jobs, evenings with family and friends, paying bills, doing laundry; how can we underline and emphasis that we are one of God’s followers. In other words, how can you testify to God when you’re not actually testifying to God? And while we are asking difficult questions, how do you be a peacekeeper when there is no where around you that peace needs to be kept?
I have no all inclusive answer gentle reader. It is like drinking a cup of tea with your pinkie sticking out the right way. Either you know how to do it and remember to do it, or you just grab the cup and drink. It is part intentional and part automatic.
May you gentle reader acknowledge that you have chosen to follow God, and may God remind you of what you need to do. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 17, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Posted in commentary
.A Peace-seeking Mission
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“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” ( Psalm 34:14 )
Some one said that Edmond Burke said, “All we need for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing.” However, with all due apologies to Davis, 366 Ways to Peace, and Seeds of Peace , Burke did not say it exactly that way. What he did say has been paraphrased in such a way that the very pithy and concise quote has resulted. And this mis-attribution in no way lessens the impact of the statement, nor its appropriateness to the scripture passage.
And it is true; evil will flourish if people do not stand in its way. And quite possibly making sure that evil does not flourish will make you a good person. For to stand against evil, although it may tempt, is taking a stand for good. And to find peace, nourish it, and promote it will also make a person good. Most times evil and violence will feed and nourish each other. To starve evil and deny violence a place in society is to give goodness and peace a place to grow and become firmly established.
Furthermore you do not need to be a pithy, erudite politician in order to stand against evil. In fact, sad to say, in our modern times pithy politics and peace are more likely to be in conflict than working hand in glove. [Forgive the lapse; I try not to comment on politics.] Let me rephrase: you do not have to be a skilled orator in order to support goodness and peace. You just have to be a good and peaceful person. Some of the most skillfully crafted statements of peace have not used words at all. As Burke would have said, if he had thought of it, good people doing good is all that is needed for evil to be defeated.
May you gentle reader, with God’s help, be a good person who works for peace. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 16, 2010 at 12:21 am
Posted in commentary
.Blessed are those who are blessed (or something like that)
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“Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.“ (Psalm 144:15)
Verse 15 of chapter 144 is the culmination of a list of wished for blessings that God’s people might and could have. Flourishing sons, beautiful daughters, well-filled barns, flocks in the field, and no enemy in sight. Sounds like a pretty blessed life to me. In fact, it sounds like the living conditions of a realized shalom.
It also sounds like the litany one would read in those Christmas letters that some people get: “Johnny just won top honors for being a star-athlete”; “Susie just got a full-ride scholarship”; “Sam was promoted to CEO of a Fortune 5000 firm”; “June’s garden got top honors in the horticulture show while also being the first woman chairman of the board at her company”. Blessings on top of blessings! And seasons greetings while you’re at it!
While the wishes of the writer of Psalm and the imagined Christmas letter are very nice, they are also treasures that are built up on earth. Because if one is cleared-eyed and reality-based one has to realize that these blessings are not the result of belief in God, but good fortune. Certainly, these are things that can be obtained with hard work . . . if one lives in a society where hard work will give you these benefits. However, followers of God and Christ are not guaranteed these joys of life.
I know I sound like some sort of “Bah Humbug” Scrooge at this time of year. But I have to compare this blessing with what Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount/Plain. I would encourage you to do the same.
It is my hope and prayer gentle reader that you are one of the twice-blessed. Blessed both with treasures of this earth, and a strong relationship with God. And if you are not so blessed, please consider which set of blessings will give you lasting peace. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 15, 2010 at 12:51 am
Posted in commentary
Related Website
Soul Space
You are invited to take some time each day for "Soul Space," written by Wendy Miller and posted on the Eastern Mennonite University website. Each day's guidance centers around a theme for reflection and prayer drawn from the lectionary readings for the week.
Morning-Week One
As darkness fades and dawn awakens
Lord, give me the joy of your saving help
And sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
In the tender light of morning
Help me as I pray.
In the name of Jesus, bright and morning star. Amen.
Morning by morning God wakens–
wakens my ear
to listen
as those who are taught. Isaiah 50:5
Coming
Dear God,
The season is noisy
The world busy
Its voices insistent
I get caught
In the noise
The busyness
The lure of its voices.
Draw my soul into the hospitality of your inn
Still my anxious feet
Quiet my heart.
Help me to hear the call
which comes from the front desk of your heavenly inn.
Waken my heart,
Help me wait.
I want to be ready for Jesus’ coming.
Silence
Be still.
Open your awareness to God’s presence
Within and all around.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Evening- Week One
Closing the day with gratefulness.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning
And of your faithfulness in the night season.
Psalm 92:1,2
As I come to the end of this day,
For what am I thankful?
How have I known God’s faithfulness this day?
What do bring to God . . .?
For confession . . .
For forgiveness . . .
For help . . .
For God’s holding.
Read the psalm for this week’s lectionary readings.
Silence
Closing Prayer
Living God,
In you there is no darkness;
Shed upon us through this night the light of your forgiveness,
Your healing and your peace.
Cover us with the blanket of your protection.
When we wake from sleep
May we know once the more the light of your presence,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
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