Originally posted March 1, 2013, at Ben Unseth’s Red-Letter Ideas.Republished with permission of the author.
If you are not careful, your life might change between now and Easter. March’s Old Testament readings are leading us on a journey together into the heart of an ancient sage, Isaiah, who is both prophet and poet. Although Isaiah lived 700 years before Christ, he wrote more clearly about Jesus than anyone else in the Old Testament. His words are sometimes difficult to decipher by logic and deductive reasoning, and for many years that bothered me. I wondered if there was something wrong with Isaiah? Or much more likely, something wrong with me?
I am experimenting with a third explanation. I think that Isaiah aimed straight at our hearts. His clear prophetic vision is not expressed in the journalistic simplicity we prefer but in the sensual images of an artist.
The good news of Jesus is most clearly found in the Old Testament right here in Isaiah. Isaiah will speak past your mind and straight to your heart. We are going to camp with this prophet-poet through Easter. The promise of Easter is God’s promise for you and me: Even where there is death and despair, God will bring life and joy!
Here’s my path through the lectionary this month:
- Time to find God, Isaiah 55:1-9 — March 3
- Time for God’s provision, Joshua 5:9-12 — March 10
- Time to forget, Isaiah 43:16-21 — March 17
- Time to wake up, Isaiah 50:4-9 — March 24
- Time for a new beginning, Isaiah 65:17-25 — Easter Sunday, March 31
Find a link to Ben Unseth’s blog Ben Unseth’s Red-Letter Ideas at Lutheran Blogs.
You might also want to read:
Is the cross bad for business?
Testing and hope
Don’t worry — you won’t be forgotten
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