Over My Head...

SCRIPTURE

Isaiah 11:1-9 (NRSV)

A ruler brings justice and peace

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

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;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

DEVOTION

My heart absolutely soars when I read Isaiah 11. It amazes me that this prophet so accurately described events to come many generations after his life time. It is exciting to me that Spirit moves in this way—giving people with an ear to hear insight into the heart and plan of God.

Today, we get a beautiful and prophetic recitation regarding the coming of Christ! It seems that even in Isaiah’s day he was living in a season of Advent; he was expecting the coming of the Messiah.

I love the description of the “god-man” that we eventually learned to call Jesus! Isaiah says, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.”

This most accurately describes our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

During this Advent Season, I want to be like Isaiah. I want to write poems, prophesies, and narratives under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit which will foretell that great and awe-some day when Jesus will return in all of His glory!

Right now, we’re waiting, hoping, anticipating and repenting as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ first “birthday” on the Earth (December 25). But, we are also excited about the day that Jesus will come again bringing perfect peace, harmony, and goodwill to all people, creatures, and creation.

When I look at Isaiah 11: 1-9, I imagine that the initial two paragraphs may foretell the first coming of Christ! But the third paragraph seems to signal a time that is still unfolding--and will become completely manifest--when the new heaven and the new earth are established!

Hallelujah!

I can’t wait for that great day! I walk into the sunrise each and every day with my eyes uplifted to the clouds.

Over my head, I hear music in the air! How about you?

Please pray with me:

Come, Lord Jesus, Come! Come, Lord Jesus, Come! I can’t wait to greet you! In Your Name, Amen.

THE INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html