By Pastor Don Schatz
Hearing with the Eyes
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“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
Isaiah 52:7 New International Version
Storm clouds, still pregnant with darkness, reluctantly lift up from the waters. Are they sentient? Are they cognizant of the wonder they reveal? Is that why they are loath to rise? Do they know that the mountains revealed by their rising will cause us to momentarily catch our breath? The visage that comes into view in the sharp contrast of the scene works the wonder of helping one hear with the eyes.
The waters beneath reflect, in muted steel-gray colors, the darkness of the storm. Much as our life-storms leave behind their shadow when they rise. Shadows of a remnant of fear, of the moment between the soul’s release and the full sight of hope, of peace, of joy. These are the work of the Lord our God in our lives. Through his Word of life in Jesus Christ, of hope, of peace, of joy.
And, ironically, sometimes seeing enables us to hear. The beauty of the mountains were always there, unseen behind the storm. The Lord our God can seem removed from us by the dark moments and seasons of our lives. Then real clouds lift. Then the wonder conveyed by the sight of the mountains now seen. And seeing, the words of Isaiah come to mind. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” We see, and seeing, we hear again Isaiah’s own wonder. We see, and we hear again, welling up inside us, the Word of the Lord speaking his Word of good news in Jesus.
Mendelsohn wrote Isaiah’s words like this: “How lovely are the feet of those who preach us the Gospel of peace.” Are there storms for you today? Can you see the mountains? Whether by sight or picture or memory? Can you hear the words of Isaiah?
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
