Daily Readings - Thu Jul 18 2024
Isaiah
7The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.12LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.18We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages of hope and comfort amidst suffering. The passage from Isaiah speaks to those enduring hardship, assuring them that their struggles are not in vain. It paints a vivid picture of a people in anguish, yearning for deliverance, yet holding onto the promise of resurrection and new life. The Gospel offers a complementary message, as Jesus invites the weary to find rest in Him, promising that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Isaiah's words are set against the backdrop of a nation in distress, likely during the exile, where the people are grappling with the consequences of their actions. Despite their tribulations, Isaiah instills hope, reminding them that God's judgments are not merely punitive but transformative. Jesus, in Matthew's Gospel, addresses those burdened by life's challenges, offering a different kind of rest—one that comes from surrendering to His will. Both readings converge on the theme of trust: trusting in God's plan even when the path is difficult, and trusting in Jesus' promise of rest.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace faith and trust in God's providence. When we face struggles, we are reminded that our efforts, though they may seem futile, are part of a larger divine plan. Jesus' invitation to take His yoke upon us is a call to reorient our burdens, finding strength and comfort in Him. The moral lesson here is clear: in times of trial, we must turn to God with unwavering faith, trusting that He will bring light out of darkness and rest to the weary. This trust is not passive but active, a choice to seek God in every moment, knowing that true rest and redemption are found in Him.