Friday 02 December 2022

Psalm 50:1-15

Background

We are living in this first week of Advent. We are continuing our preparations to welcome the Christ child in a few weeks’ time. The excitement is mounting. Today’s reading reinforces the importance that, to welcome the incarnate God into our lives in a fully holistic way, there are steps we need to take.

In years gone by, the season of Advent was observed as a time of reflection, penitence, prayer and even fasting. Only if we are in the right frame of mind and aware of our need to be assured of God’s forgiveness, can we fully appreciate the wonder of God’s gift of love to us all. The great festivals of Christmas and Easter are reminders of the depth of God’s love.

Today’s reading may be familiar to many in the Church. It is a favourite text when people are on the cusp of a new stage in their ministry and service with sermons preached on the words: "'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I; send me!'" (v. 8). However, as we are in Advent, let's take a step back and remember what leads up to this visionary conversation between Isaiah and his Lord.

Firstly, Isaiah presents an interesting and understated comparison between a worldly monarch, King Uzziah and the Lord of hosts. Perhaps Isaiah is consciously remembering the 'haughtiness' (Isaiah 2:17ff) and earthly frailty of the king; and comparing it with the lofty and timeless majesty of the Lord. Faced with such an extraordinary sight of the Lord before him, Isaiah is completely humbled. His words in verse 5 are a mixture of wonder and unworthiness. How can he even set eyes on the Lord of hosts when he is "a man of unclean lips"? In the lovely verses that follow, Isaiah has a vision of seraphs touching his lips with a live coal so that his guilt can be taken away, which opens the way for him to hear God speaking and for him to answer God’s call with confidence.

An important lesson from Isaiah’s vision in today’s reading is that we need to get ourselves ‘right’ with God, if we are to appreciate the full blessing of love for us, and also appreciate the strength that we can depend on if God calls us. The more we prepare to align our own lives with the Lord, the more we become aware that “the whole earth is full of his [God's] glory”.(v. 3).

To Ponder: 

• Not every 'calling' in the Church is easy or popular, and those who volunteer for safeguarding roles need our prayers. May they know that God will strengthen them in their work; and may they see God’s love and glory in the safekeeping of the vulnerable, both young and old.
• Meditate on the lovely words in the Advent hymn 'Praise to the God who clears the way, preparing room and space' (Singing the Faith 183). These build on today’s reading and thoughts.
• Another good text for meditation today comes from the hymn 'Lord of creation, to you be all praise!" (StF 449): “We strain to glimpse your mercy seat and find you kneeling at our feet.”