Welcome to Weekly Reflections, where each Monday, a student will reflect on the text(s) of the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday.
Isaiah 40:21-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
¿No lo sabíais? ¿No lo habíais oído? ¿No os lo había mostrado desde el principio? ¿No lo entendisteis desde que se fundó la tierra? El está sentado sobre el orbe terrestre, cuyos habitantes son como saltamontes; él expande los cielos como un tul, y los ha desplegado como una tienda que se habita. El aniquila a los tiranos, y a los árbitros de la tierra los reduce a la nada. Apenas han sido plantados, apenas sembrados, apenas arraiga en tierra su esqueje, cuando sopla sobre ellos y se secan, y una ráfaga como tamo se los lleva. ¿Con quién me asemejaréis y seré igualado?, dice el Santo. Alzad a lo alto los ojos y ved: ¿quién ha hecho esto? El que hace salir por orden al ejército celeste, y a cada estrella por su nombre llama. Gracias a su esfuerzo y al vigor de su energía, no falta ni una.
¿Por qué dices, Jacob, y hablas, Israel: “Oculto está mi camino para Yahveh, y a Dios se le pasa mi derecho?” ¿Es que no lo sabes? ¿Es que no lo has oído? Que Dios desde siempre es Yahveh, creador de los confines de la tierra, que no se cansa ni se fatiga, y cuya inteligencia es inescrutable. Que al cansado da vigor, y al que no tiene fuerzas la energía le acrecienta. Los jóvenes se cansan, se fatigan, los valientes tropiezan y vacilan, mintras que a los que esperan en Yahveh él les renovará el vigor, subirán con alas como de águilas, correrán sin fatigarse y andarán sin cansarse.
너희가 알지 못하였느냐? 너희가 듣지 못하였느냐? 태초부터 너희에게 전하지 아니하였느냐 땅의 기초가 창조될 때부터 너희가 깨닫지 못하였느냐 그는 땅 위 궁창에 앉으시나니 땅의 거민들은 메뚜기 같으니라 그가 하늘을 차일 같이 펴셨으며 거할 천막 같이 베푸셨고 귀인들을 폐하시며 세상의 사사들을 헛되게 하시나니 그들은 겨우 심기웠고 겨우 뿌리웠고 그 줄기가 겨우 땅에 뿌리를 박자 곧 하나님의 부심을 받고 말라 회리바람에 불려가는 초개 같도다 거룩하신 자가 가라사대 그런즉 너희가 나를 누구에게 비기며 나로 그와 동등이 되게 하겠느냐 하시느니라 너희는 눈을 높이 들어 누가 이 모든 것을 창조하였나보라 주께서는 수효대로 만상을 이끌어 내시고 각각 그 이름을 부르시나니 그의 권세가 크고 그의 능력이 강하므로 하나도 빠짐이 없느니라
야곱아, 네가 어찌하여 말하며 이스라엘아 네가 어찌하여 이르기를 내 사정은 여호와께 숨겨졌으며 원통한 것은 내 하나님에게서 수리하심을 받지 못한다 하느냐 너는 알지 못하였느냐? 듣지 못하였느냐? 영원하신 하나님 여호와 땅 끝까지 창조하신 자는 피곤치 아니하시며 곤비치 아니하시며 명철이 한이 없으시며 피곤한 자에게는 능력을 주시며 무능한 자에게는 힘을 더하시나니 소년이라도 피곤하며 곤비하며 장정이라도 넘어지며 자빠지되 오직 여호와를 앙망하는 자는 새 힘을 얻으리니 독수리의 날개치며 올라감 같을 것이요 달음박질하여도 곤비치 아니하겠고 걸어가도 피곤치 아니하리로다
你们岂不曾知道吗？你们岂不曾听见吗？从起初岂没有人告诉你们吗？自从立地的根基，你们岂没有明白吗？ 神坐在地球大圈之上，地上的居民好像蝗虫。他铺张穹苍如幔子，展开诸天如可住的帐棚。 他使君王归于虚无，使地上的审判官成为虚空。 他们是刚才栽上（“刚才”或作“不曾”。下同），刚才种上，根也刚才扎在地里；他一吹在其上，便都枯干，旋风将他们吹去，像碎秸一样。 那圣者说：“你们将谁比我，叫他与我相等呢？ 你们向上举目，看谁创造这万象，按数目领出，他一一称其名，因他的权能，又因他的大能大力，连一个都不缺。”
雅各啊，你为何说“我的道路向耶和华隐藏”？以色列啊，你为何言“我的冤屈 神并不查问”？ 你岂不曾知道吗？你岂不曾听见吗？永在的 神耶和华，创造地极的主，并不疲乏，也不困倦，他的智慧无法测度。 疲乏的，他赐能力；软弱的，他加力量。 就是少年人也要疲乏困倦，强壮的也必全然跌倒； 但那等候耶和华的，必从新得力。他们必如鹰展翅上腾，他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。
“Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted.…” Can I get an Amen Somebody!!! Is there anyone else reading this reflection feeling exhausted and exasperated? Is there anyone besides me who is feeling like grasshoppers being blown in the wind and wondering if the sovereign Lord of creation sees and hears us?
We are one month into 2021, but we still bear the scars from 2020 that can have us questioning, will things ever get better? Will we ever return to in person learning, in person worship and in person fellowship with one another? Will persons who promote and execute insurrections be held accountable; will they face consequences for their actions or just fuss about “the cancel culture?”
The daylight is beginning to extend just a bit more these days, but the pressure of papers, exams, presentations, grading, teaching duties, not to mention church and field site responsibilities will be soon upon us Spring Semester begins. We may be asking ourselves; Lord I know you have an inexhaustible supply of understanding and strength, but I have moments where I am too tired to even ask! Well, the good news is that God already knows all about it and is ready to meet us at our various points of need – but just like our various electronic devices that must be plugged in to recharge, so must we! Just as the Deutero-Isaiah author of this text reminded Judeans living in exile to remember God’s covenant with humanity, so must we remember that God replenishes our bodies, minds, and spirits so we too can mount up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary; walk and not faint.
Have you recharged and recalibrated lately using the G.P.S.? God’s Positioning System is ready and available for our use on our various life journeys! Ready….set…..go with God!