Following the Star

Pause

In the stillness, in the silence, hope in God.

What do your eyes wait to see?
What does your heart ache to hold?
Where do your feet yearn to walk?

In the stillness, in the silence, hope in God.

Listen

This is what Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of the mountains. It will be lifted above the hills; peoples will stream to it. Many nations will go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of Jacob’s God so that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in God’s paths.” Instruction will come from Zion; the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:1-3

Think

Mountains. They’re what defined the landscapes of my childhood. More times than I can count, I remember gasping in wonder at the beauty of Mt. Rainier, a colossal peak over 14,000 feet tall. Recently, thanks to Google, I learned nine major rivers stream down from Mt. Rainier on their way to the sea.

In Isaiah’s vision of Jerusalem, people from all over the world stream up the mountain to the city. A city once burned and broken will become a place where strangers, and maybe even enemies, come to learn and be transformed by God.

Where do you see people coming together to be changed? Your school? Your home? Your neighborhood? Your church? Maybe it feels like transformation is far away or isn’t even possible. Getting up the mountain is too hard. Remember Isaiah’s vision wasn’t for people who made it to the mountaintop; it was for those who needed hope. Carrying this vision gave them courage to take one more step. Wherever you are today, hold Isaiah’s vision close and take one more step.

Jennie Barber

Pray

Giver of hope, fill me with courage to trust your work of transformation. When the road ahead leads to confusion and despair, when I don’t want to take another step, let the words of your promises lift me up and keep me going. Amen.

Go

Watch with hope.

See today with God’s vision: catch glimmers of goodness and beauty.

Embrace today with Christ’s compassion: let others know they are deeply loved.

Walk today with the Spirit’s boldness: sing, create, serve, and play.