Epiphany Week 2 - "So Shall God Rejoice Over You"

It’s the Second Sunday of the season of Epiphany. 

The word "epiphany" means a realization, a sudden revelation that changes everything.  

The Season of Epiphany is when we reflect on the transformation that Jesus still has in the world and our lives.  

Many of us might well be asking, "If Jesus is supposed to change everything for the better, then why doesn't it seem to be getting better in the world and in my life?" 

That's a very good question.  

It’s a New Year, but We’ve Got Some Familiar Worries… 

Maybe you were really ready to turn the page on the calendar… 

At some point, maybe you start to wonder: 

“Is it really going to be any better?”

Tomorrow, we will inaugurate a new president.  For some, this is simply a harbinger of terrible things to come.  For others, it's the fulfillment of their hopes.  

I won't be watching.  I've grown weary of all of it.  In fact, I have been so much happier since I stopped paying close attention to the news.  We should all try it.  

Tomorrow is also Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  The juxtaposition of these two commemorations is interesting and has given me a lot of pause to reflect and ponder.  

Dr. King's dream of an equal and just society for all has seen enormous strides since his famous "I Have A Dream" speech on the Capitol Mall.  But over the past several years, we have had to confront the fact that we are divided and, in many ways, farther apart than ever. 

So, with all those things in mind, I want to dig into a passage from an ancient prophet to find meaning for our current location.  

Today, we’re going to be focusing on a very important idea: 

THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE MADE NEW BY GOD

Isaiah 62:1-5

A bit about the prophet Isaiah - or “prophets.”

The passage we’re reading comes to us from 3rd Isaiah

It’s full of poetry, cultural imagination, and defiant hope. 

Isaiah 62:1-5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
    her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your vindication,
    and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.
3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand,
    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4 No longer will they call you Deserted,
    or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah (My delight),
    and your land Beulah (spouse);
for the Lord will take delight in you,
    and your land will be married.
5 As a young man marries a young woman,
    so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
    so will your God rejoice over you.
There’s a massive turning of events in this passage from despair to hope. 

“So shall your God rejoice over you…” What a beautiful phrase. It speaks of intimacy, imminence and a very present presence. 

Understanding the reality of the people who are being spoken to. These people had not yet seen the vision that is being presented here. They had experienced the horrors of war, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, a generation in exile.  

This passage offers hope in a season where the people hearing the prophet had little to make them believe things would be better. 

The challenge is to find hope and serenity in the middle of uncertainty, trusting that God's purposes are not meant to harm us but to give us hope for the future.  

What We Can Do To Express Defiant Hope

Remember the moments when our hope was realized.  

Surrender ourselves and our outcomes to God. 

Keep our eyes wide open for the next massive turning.  

On Saturday Night Live last night, comedian Dave Chappelle had this to say, and I find it very encouraging: 

The presidency is no place for petty people. So, Donald Trump, I know you watch the show. Man, remember: Whether people voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you. Whether they like you or not, they’re all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you. 

I mean this when I say this: Good luck. Please, do better next time. Please, all of us: Do better next time. Do not forget your humanity, and please have empathy for displaced people, whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine.

We all should want our President to do well.  We should all continue to do our part to bring God's kingdom closer because of our commitment to equality and justice, just as Dr. King dreamed. 

We should all live with the defiant hope that even though we have yet to see the Promised Land, it is just over the horizon where God is rejoicing over us, preparing a place for us, and making all things new despite our best efforts to thwart God.  

THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE MADE NEW BY GOD