5 September 2021
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert;
Isaiah 35:4-7, NRSV
At the time when this poetic prophecy was made, the people of Israel had been in exile for decades. Their spirits and strength had been drained by their oppressive treatment at the hands of the Babylonians. Here the prophet calls them to look forward to a time of recovery and hope. The metaphors he uses offer a vision of wholeness and joy with God coming to save them and to defeat their oppressors. These words of hope have given comfort to many more people in the “desert” times of their own lives – by God’s grace, we all have the hope of healing and redemption.
- What hope do you suppose these words gave to the people of Israel who first heard them?
- What hope do these words give you?
Read today’s reading in its entirety, reflecting on what it offers to our world today.
