Worship Statement

In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
Isaiah 30:15a

It is the end of the eighth century B.C. in the kingdom of Judah. The days are filled with fear and uncertainty. The armies of the Assyrians press upon the people of Judah. Isaiah looks at the unfolding political events around him and, through God-given insight and word, proclaims that the fall of Jerusalem to the Assyrians as a part of the divine plan of God brought about by the unfaithfulness of the people. "Do nothing. Wait. In trust you will find your strength and your salvation," he says.

But the kingdom of Judah could not sit still. Instead of trusting in God they sought the alliance of Egypt. Isaiah warns them that this action is not God's will.

Oh, rebellious children, says the Lord
who carry out a plan, but not mine;
who make an alliance, but against my will,
adding sin to sin;
who set out to go down to Egypt
without asking for my counsel,
to take refuge in the protection of Egypt;
and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt.
Isaiah 30:1-2

Isaiah pointed to a wisdom that would enable the faithful to understand God's plan through the political events of the day, even recognizing that what happens must involve a cleansing judgment. The choice before the people was between divine trust or a trust in foreign powers. The people made their choice. Instead of trusting God's plan, they said, "We will ride upon swift steeds."(Isa. 30:15c) Their fate was sealed. Judah would ultimately fall into the hand of the Assyrians, the temple would be destroyed and many would be taken captive to Babylonia.

I certainly do not pretend to understand that the events unfolding around us today are all a part of God's plan. To me this would be to know the mind of God. What I can say that God is in the midst of them in ways we may never comprehend or see. As we reflect on the painful situations in the world and in our own lives we can recall Isaiah's words to Judah. The main point that Isaiah is making is that we must trust in God to bring us salvation, and not ourselves. This does not mean that we do not take action that might help a situation. It means that in the process of our decision-making we first acknowledge our trust in God and then ask for the guidance of God in whatever action we finally take.

Key to the choice for taking action or choosing non-action is the whole idea of returning and rest, of quietness and strength. We need to return to God. We need to stop our planning, our plotting and our active seeking to change a situation. We need to be in quiet trust. We need to just sit still for a while in order to really hear God's plan, God's direction and God's grace for us.

Very hard to do, this waiting in quiet trust. We get a headache; we take a pill and the headache goes away. Our joints ache; we take another pill in the hope that the ache will go away. It is difficult to stay put in a painful situation long enough to find the action or non-action which is a part of God's plan for us.

Perhaps we can take a lesson from nature. It's a part of good gardening practices to prune. Our shrubs and bushes thrive after a pruning. We forget that the often painful "pruning" in our own lives brings about an increase in our fruitfulness. Returning and rest, quietness and trust is the way that we can strive to live through the pruning. We can return to God in prayer, in worship, in scripture, in the beauty of the created world. We can be quiet and let the healing hands of Christ work on body, mind and heart, restoring, shoring up, and supporting. We can accept the gifts of strength that God gives to us while we rest.

Returning and rest, quietness and strength is an antidote to non-productive spinning of wheels. We will not make the best choices when we are pressed or agitated. We must recognize that there is an intricate weaving of our lives with the lives of others. We must wait for God to put the pieces into place so that not just our needs but those of others can be gently served. Taking some time, whatever time we can crave out each day or each week to be in returning, rest and quiet can help us to wait until God's time.

So, put your feet up and slow down even just a bit. Let's bring the practice of returning and rest, quietness and strength into the days ahead and see where God is leading us.

– The Reverand Dr. Jane A. Tomaine, Rector