“My word that goes out from my mouth, it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:11-12
Gracious Father, you know how much I love mountains, of all shapes and sizes. There’s just something about mountains that causes my heart to feel the greatness of your glory and grace—the weightiness of your majesty and the endlessness of your mercy. What a Creator! What a creation!
I guess it started with Boy Scout trips to the hills of western North Carolina, then onto exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, around Boone and Banner Elk, NC. And I’ll never forget my first sighting of the Rocky Mountains in Estes Park, Colorado… the shimmering Aspen leaves against the rich blue of a humidity-free haze-less fall skyline!
But then there was the day I stepped off the train in the village of Interlaken, Switzerland, and got hammered with the holy wonder of three Alps, the Eiger, Monch and the Jungfrau… I can still see, smell, feel and taste the sensual overload of that day. Indeed, Father, the works of your hands declare your glory, loud and clear. How can I keep from singing your praise?
But, Father, these words of Isaiah envision a Day when the mountains, themselves, will burst into song—the new song of the new creation. Though your glory is clearly revealed in the beauty of your creation, it is revealed ten thousand times more in the redemption that you freely give us in Jesus. Jesus is the Alps of your mercy, grace and love for us!
Because of Jesus, we, your redeemed people, will go out in joy and be led for into the peace—in the shalom… the perfect order, society, environment and world of the new heaven and new earth. You have spoken… you have promised… and so shall it be! Your Word will accomplish everything you decree and all your delights.
So in light of that Day of singing mountains and clapping trees, we enter this day praying and singing… “Joy to the World, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.” So very Amen we pray and sing, in Jesus’ matchless name.
