“Drawing Water with Joy“, by Rev. Mike Holly
In today’s Scripture reading, we hear the hopeful words from the Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament saying to us that God is our strength and our might and that in Him we should put all of our trust. But notice what Isaiah also says: “I will trust and I will not be afraid.” Placing our trust in God is always difficult because we as human beings cling to both our own autonomy and to our fears. It is difficult to lose control and to hand it over to God because we fear what it will be like to be completely unguarded and vulnerable. And yet, we are given words of comfort time and time again that God is strong and able and infinitely more so than you or I.
While we continue to struggle with this, Isaiah speaks about a day that is coming where we will surely trust in God and when we will joyfully draw water from the wells of salvation. This day Isaiah 12 speaks about is brought up in Isaiah 11 when Isaiah speaks of a time where a shoot will spring up from the root of Jesse. This is a reference to how the lineage of King David was cut off like the trunk of a tree cut down. Seemingly, the life of that tree is over. It must have felt that way to the people of God — that their future was cut off. Isaiah speaks of a day when a future will arrive. The Church understands and confesses that Jesus Christ, son of Mary, is the embodiment of the day Isaiah longs for.
If Jesus Christ is the one promised then the day of promise that Isaiah speaks of has arrived. God has been faithful to His promise. The question for us is this: Are we ready to place our trust in Him?
~Mike Holly
The Word
Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day:
Give thanks to the Lord,
call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
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