We embrace the call to let our light shine so that all will know that love will overcome by letting our light shine bright with hope. And to do that, we find courage and strength in these words from Isaiah, “I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason. I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison, and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon.”
December 1, 2024
This Little Light
“This Little Light Shines Bright with Hope”
Isaiah 42: 1-9
Rev. Dr. Heather W. McColl
This Little Light Shines Bright with Hope Isaiah 42: 1-9
During Advent, we retell the story of how God’s light came into the world, how God’s light continues to come into this world. During Advent, we are reminded that in times of deep darkness, we not only need light. We are also called to be light for one another. During Advent, we retell the story of how God is with us. In Advent, we see how even a small light can brighten the darkest room, reminding us that Christ’s light brings hope, brings peace, brings joy, brings love. In Advent, we prepare for the coming Christ child. We open our hearts, our spirits, our minds, our very beings to embrace the Christ in our midst. We do so by remembering the promises given to us, promises which tell us that “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” During Advent, we retell the stories of the light told to us by the prophets. During Advent, we embrace our call to lean into the light and to “let our light shine before people, so they can see the good things we do and praise our God who is in heaven.”
For Advent, Midway Christian Church is going to let our light shine as we explore how God’s light comes into the world, how each of us has a “little light inside each of us” and how sharing our light helps us appreciate, respect and binds us together in community. On this first Sunday of Advent, we are invited to let our light shine bright with hope. We find courage and strength to do so through these words from the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 42; 1-9
But here is my servant, the one I uphold; my chosen, who brings me delight. I’ve put my spirit upon him; he will bring justice to the nations. He won’t cry out or shout aloud or make his voice heard in public. He won’t break a bruised reed; He won’t extinguish a faint wick, but he will surely bring justice. He won’t be extinguished or broken until he has established justice in the land. The coastlands await his teaching. God the Lord says the one who created the heavens, the one who stretched them out, the one who spread out the earth and its offspring, the one who gave breath to its people and life to those who walk on it—I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason. I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison, and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon. I am the Lord; that is my name; I don’t hand out my glory to others or my praise to idols. The things announced in the past—look—they’ve already happened, but I’m declaring new things. Before they even appear, I tell you about them.
I want to remind everyone of Isaiah’s words: I, the Lord, have called you for a good reason.” I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to lead the prisoners from prison, and those who sit in darkness from the dungeon”.
The reason I want to bring our attention to this particular verse again is that this is one of three times in which in using covenantal language God uses the word “to” instead of “with”. Yes, I know it doesn’t seem like that much of a difference but in reality, this simple change of phrase transforms everything and brings us hope.
Now, this is where I get a little bible nerdy…. Usually when covenantal language is used within our sacred story it is used to describe a business relationship, meaning it lays out what each side will do, what each side will give, and how each side will benefit from this relationship. Sort of a “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” type of relationship. It also includes an escape clause, meaning that if one side doesn’t do what it promised, the relationship can be broken.
That is not the covenantal language or relationship which we find here in this passage from Isaiah. Instead, by using the language of “to” when describing this covenant, God is going back to the first covenant God made when Abraham when God tells Abraham that he and his descendants will be blessed to be a blessing, meaning that God would be setting them up as an example, not because they were perfect. Please, we know that’s not true. No, God sets them up as an example, as a gift, as co-creators for the building up of God’s Beloved Community here on Earth. God had named them and claimed them as God’s own and through them, God would bring about healing and wholeness for all of God’s people.
By using this specific covenantal language, Isaiah is reminding the people who they are. He is reminding them whose they are. Because in exile, they have forgotten. Because in exile, all they were focusing on was the fact that their world had been turned upside down. Because in exile, all they were focusing on was the fact that they were still reeling from all the changes they had experienced, from the fact that things were happening within their world which were out of their control. During this time of exile, all the people were focusing on was the “now what “questions, and in doing so, limiting their vision. The people were only focusing on the brokenness which filled their world and missing out on this new thing God was doing in their midst.
By using this specific covenantal language of “to” instead of with, Isaiah expands the people’s vision. He reminds the people that their relationship with God does not stop simply because they are no longer in familiar territory, that there is no escape clause in their covenant with God, that God had not broken any promises to them. Instead, when God entered into a covenant with them, offered the people of God as a covenant to the world, God called them to be God’s people for all time, in all situations, wherever they may be. This covenant with God’s people did not end because they are in exile. They were and are still named and claimed by God. They were and are still loved more than they could ever imagine. They were and are still called to be a blessing for others. They were and are still called to love kindness, to make justice and to walk humbly with their God no matter where they are, no matter what is happening around them, no matter the season. God’s covenant remains. God’s promises remain. God’s Word and wisdom remains.
By using this specific language of “to” instead of “with”, Isaiah reminds the people of their mission, which is for all time, in all places, bring healing, to make justice, to be a light shining bright with hope so that all will see, so all will know what God is doing in their midst.
With this turn of a phrase, Isaiah reminds them that God is not limited to a certain time, to a certain place, nor to a certain people, that God is here for God’s people, that the God who created the stars at night, who brought forth life has called them to be partners in bringing about God’s Beloved Community here on Earth for all of God’s people. And the life-giving news is that it can happen anywhere and anytime… Because as Isaiah reminds the people back then and reminds us still today, “Light does not exist for its own sake alone. Rather, the Light, [our light as the people of God] makes it possible for everyone to see other things that would be invisible to them otherwise.”, things like God’s love, things like God’s peace, things like the many life-giving, life-transforming ways God is moving in and among us, bringing healing and wholeness.
With a turn of a phrase, Isaiah is reminding the people, is reminding us that God’s promises do not end simply because we find ourselves filled with “now what” questions. God’s promises do not end simply because there is so much brokenness in this world. God’s promises do not end simply because we find ourselves surrounded by change. Rather instead, no matter where we are, no matter what is going on, no matter if we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, as people of faith, we are called let our light shine, to let our light shine bright with hope so all will see this new thing God is doing in our midst, so that all may see God bringing about healing and wholeness. As people of faith, we are called to let our light shine so that all may see God’s Beloved Community in our midst. May it be so. Amen
See also: Theology Tuesday for Sunday, December 1, 2024 – This Little Light Shines Bright with Hope Isaiah 42: 1-9.
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