Advent Meditation - December 8th

On This Holy Mountain

     The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 
They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain.
       ~ Isaiah 11: 6-9 (full reading 11: 1-10)

            These familiar lines from Isaiah take us to a place in our hearts of improbable balance.  The word together returns over and over again. Here in this vision we are invited to live into the not yet. And perhaps it is up to us to shape our prayers around the possibility of why not?

            It is verse nine tbrings everything into focus.  No more hurting, no more destroying, for we are standing on holy ground. This holy mountain, this place we call home was created by the One who first called all things, all of it good. In our shortsighted, selfish ways we have taken what was a precious gift and brought brokenness. It is here on this holy mountain where God’s vision for balance, for peace and justice resides.

            In and through this Advent season we are invited to welcome in a greater, life-bringing light. It can be our daily practice to work toward bringing balance and restoring harmony here and now one melody at a time. Who knows what all we might do – together?

 

Breath prayer: “a little child”  “shall lead them”

Prayer: God of grace and mercy lead us into living our days toward why not? (end with period instead of question mark, please).  May we no longer settle for what is, but together work toward peace and justice on your holy mountain. To you and with you, we pray, Amen. 

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