Tuesday 03 December 2013

Background

The Hebrew view of God sometimes attempts to describe God invery human terms because God is recognised as personal and not justa sublime, changeless being. God is beyond us, yet involved withus. The silence of God represents his loving restraint until themoment is right - not any uncaring remoteness. Isaiah speaks of Godas acting with pains and pangs like a woman in childbirth becauseGod cares so intensely for God's own people.

The "blind" are the helpless exiles that cannot see a way out oftheir darkness of captivity. God's light will break out for themand they will return to their beloved homeland by a direct routeacross the desert that will - to the eye of faith's imagination -involve the hills flattening and the valleys rising to give them alevel path for their safe return.

When our horizons seem to be blanked and ways to resolve issues andforge a way forward seem frustrated - we can prayerfully wait forGod to reduce obstacles and show us the way. New light will begiven to help us to see ahead.

In verse 19 we see that the one who is blind and deaf is strangely"My (God's) servant" and "My apostle". Lack of current insight maymake the going tough but God has a plan and will clear the way. Weshall be better servants and apostles because we have learnt towait for new light.

To Ponder

• Think of an occasion in your life when you saw mega roadblockson the way to progress when God had already demonstrated how theycan fall like a pack of cards. How can you use that experience tohelp you now and in the future?