Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. - Isaiah 35:5-8
I often feel like I spend most of my time wandering in circles. Yes, I pray for God’s direction, but those answers don’t come in the form of pronouncements from angelic messengers. Rather, it’s about paying attention to whether an idea or action seems blocked or if I feel at peace about it. A bit like groping around in the dark, but I feel like that’s how I receive my direction.
So I long for the image from this passage from Isaiah with a prophecy about God’s kingdom. A highway that I can walk on and not worry about wandering off of it? Yes, please. Verse 9 mentions that there will be no dangers - no lions or ravenous beasts to threaten the travelers. Verse 10 promises that sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
And yet, perhaps this Highway has already come - the Messiah. No longer do we have to offer sacrifices, but instead we can follow Jesus, the Way, to redemption. Following his way is simple, though not very easy. But in him we can see the fulfillment of this passage: he opened the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, and he healed the lame and mute. He opened his way to salvation to anyone who had faith; the narrow road widened to allow for all peoples of all nations to travel it.
So I can rejoice that the Messiah has come and opened the way, but also look forward to the second coming when peace shall reign and the way of walking in relationship with God will be made plain. Amen, come Lord Jesus.
A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
- Isaiah 40:3-5