11 January 2006

We continue in "Hopeful Imagination" by Walter Brueggemann.

Scholars have long noted that the poetry of 2 Isaiah is bounded by "the word." At the beginning in 40:8:
The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
The grass presumably refers to the pretensions of the Babylonian empire. That empire, contrary to appearances, is incredibly transitory and not to be feared or respected. The purpose of God will outlast the empire and all of its posturing. At the conclusion of the corpus, the poet returns to the theme:
So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth.
It shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I propose.
The promise of God over the historical process cannot be defeated.

We must remember that in the present - in the middle of the dangers and threats and confusion of the day - it is not so easy to hear about how the promise of God cannot be defeated. In fact, for the most part, we will not listen to it and take it to heart. Instead, it is much easier to go along with whatever is the prevailing wind of the day. That is precisely why 'the word' must be repeated and the vision within the promise announced again and again. It must not merely be spoken. It must be announced as though it is indeed the truth that cannot be defeated. What a powerful thing to hear when we are in the darkest of days: '...it (God's word) shall accomplish that which I (God) proposes." The poet is the one who will not let us forget that. The poet is the one in the community who is not completely overwhelmed by the powers that attempt to rule us and take our lives from us. The poet knows the reality of such a place in life...but the poet, having been beaten down and discarded, is inspired to write and speak again the promises of our God.

Connection: Poets do not need to be the folk who write poetry. Few of us are gifted like that. Rather, we all run into people who see and speak like poets who are able to unravel the lies and assertions of the day and then...make eternal sense of your promises within the ordinary times of our lives. Lend an ear today and try to notice when you are hearing that voice of that which will 'stand forever.'

Come, Lord, Jesus, be our guest and let this day be filled brim full with the promises of new life and inspire us to make those promises our lives. Amen.