Reflection:
Isaiah and Micah were prophetic partners ministering in Judah in times not unlike our own. They were all too aware of international threats and political instability, both near and far. Nations to the north were poised with dominating menace. At home, there was moral decay driven by spiritual indifference and idolatry. Isaiah was the well-positioned city prophet ministering in the hub of the big city. Micah was the country villager observing the same problems in a rural setting. Both share an almost verbatim message (see Micah 4:1-4) to speak right into the heart of this tension with a collage of ancient stories and future hope. As they address their conflict-filled situation they prophesy with words that carry echoes of Eden and glimpses of the New Jerusalem. Weapons of warfare will be turned into instruments for tilling the earth. The norm of violent warfare will give way to settled peacefulness.
In the midst of our conflict-filled international landscape, will you hold the balance of persistently engaging with our times and longingly looking forward to the restored peace that awaits us?
Chaplain Paul Quicke is an Army Chaplain serving in Western Australia.
Prayer:
King Jesus, Prince of Peace, thank you for the peace-making work you completed at the cross. You know the conflict of the days in which we live. As we await your glorious return and the restoration of all things, which you will establish once and for all, keep us balanced in the tension of engaging in present ministry and longing for our future hope.