“Who has wrought and done these things? He has called her (αὐτὴν) who called her (αὐτὴν) from the beginning of generations; I God, the first and to all futurity, I am (ἐγώ εἰμι). The nations saw, and feared; the ends of the earth drew near, and came together, each one judging for his neighbor and that to assist his brother: and one will say, The artificer has become strong, and the coppersmith that smites with the hammer, and forges also: sometimes he will say, It is a piece well joined: they have fastened them with nails; they will fix them, and they shall not be moved. But you, Israel, are my servant Jacob, and he whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraam, whom I have loved: whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and from the high places of it I have called you, and said to you, You are my servant; I have chosen you, and I have not abandoned you. Fear not; for I am with you: wander not; for I am your God, who have strengthened you; and I have helped you, and have established you with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Is 41: 4-10, Septuagint-translation)
He is the One Who is. That’s the most important truth about God, and the most immediately consequential one for me, on a daily basis. And yet it’s quite easy, ever-so-subtly, to lose sight of the fact that God “is” throughout my day, and to slip into trying to play God myself.
But let me embrace the life-giving truth that God “is” this morning, once again, and let Him into my day. He is the One Who has called “her,” meaning me, and the rest of us His church, gathering all of us together in His Spirit “from the ends of the earth,” even as we are physically separated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. He helps and strengthens and establishes us, or gives us stability in our chaos, with His “right hand,” our Lord Jesus Christ, “Who sits at the right hand of the Father.” So we don’t “wander” to and fro, like sheep without a shepherd. Thank You, Lord, for this life-giving reading today from the Prophet Isaiah, which helps me approach this Wednesday with the proper perspective: in Your presence, and as one of Yours. “Fear not; for I am with you,” You’re saying to us today; “Wander not, for I am your God, who have strengthened you.” Today I embrace Your strength, not mine; and open my heart to Your word and Your wisdom, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen! Happy Wednesday of the 5th or 6th Week of Lent, my friends! Tune in to our daily, weekday “Morning Coffee” audio-podcasts, for some daily inspiration on your Lenten journey, and through this Coronavirus epidemic! Join our 490+ faith-inspired subscribers at: patreon.com/sistervassa. Love from Vienna, and please wash your hands & take heart, Sister Vassa
