If Only You Would Come Down

It has Been Hard

Back in March, we did something that had never been done before. We closed to church our of uncertainty for our health. We may have had one or tow snow days in the past but we closed because we faced an unknown enemy. Even now we sit apart behind masks, even now we limit our time together as a church community in the hope we do no harm to our neighbors. We try to show love the best we can be remaining at a distance. In many cases it is our very actions of worship in this space that create the greatest risk.

We stack all of that on top of a tumultuous election, where I believe the extremes of both sides create more division against the rest. If you lean left, then anyone on the right is considered a Nazi a fascists. If you lean right then anyone on the left is a socialist or communist. There is little in the way of agreement. And even now our state, and I really mean your state because I reside across the state line you state has become a battle ground for political power. As Christian people it pains us to see such hate and animosity.

The world seems to falling deeper and deeper into despair and so as children of God we echo Isaiah and ask “O’ that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil—to make your name known to your adversaries.”

The Troubles of Isaiah

Isaiah is clearly in a stage of lament O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. Isaiah remembers the stories of his people when God did come down. He came and rescued them from Egypt. He came in the burning bush that did not consume. He came to Sinai and spoke with a thunderous voice frightening the people and shaking the mountains. The Lord’s fire consumed the altars Elijah had made though it was soaked in water. The Lord won victories for David. And now Isaiah sees Gods people suffering because of their own sin and he calls our “Lord where are you?”

The Israel Isaiah knows is in disarray. They are in exile. God has hidden his face from them. Their sanctuary their temple is in ruins. Their home destroyed, “Your holy cities have become a wilderness, Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful house, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.”

All of this because of Israel’s rebellion. All of this because of sin. God’ love was steadfast, God’s love was abundant. God’s deeds were wondrous and gracious. He was the saviour to these chosen people. The Lord showed them great favor as they were led our of Egypt through the wilderness and to the promise land. All of these wonderful things the Lord had done gave made for God a glorious name.

But all the deeds and wonders of the Lord were too easily forgotten by his people his care and his love were greeted with rebellion and sin and selfishness. God’s chosen people, the Lord’s covenant people had rejected him and so God turns from their savior to their enemy, and Israel then feels abandoned. They wait for the Lord’s deliverance. Isaiah is even so bold as to give God no excuse for keeping his face hidden from his people. He blaming God for Israel’s continued wandering, “because you hid yourself we have transgressed.” He realizes that without the Lord they are nothing, they became unclean without God, any good they try to do is tainted, their sin has caused God to hide himself from them and they are left to be blown away by their sin, blown away like dried up leaves. Isaiah is urging God to intervene, to not let his project his people whom the Lord has work so hard on carried this far go to waste by continuing to punish them with his absence. Israel is God’s people despite what they have done. Though they may have to wait God will reveal himself again. Because they are his people God will act.

Breaking Into the World

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. We wait, we struggle, their are times when we look at the world and wonder when will God come and do something? Isaiah told his story reminding both the people of Israel of the faithful things God had already done. Reminded them of their history together. He pleads with God not to hold his grudge forever. Finally God did return the people from exile, he returned them to their home in Jerusalem and they rebuilt. Yet they continued to rebel and turn away. And God was silent for a long time. And the whole of the world waited for the moment God would break in The whole creation waits breathless with anticipation for the revelation of God’s sons and daughters. Creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice—it was the choice of the one who subjected it—but in the hope that the creation itself will be set free from slavery to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of God’s children. We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains up until now.

As children of God it should pain us to see how darkness is prevalent. As kingdom people we yearn for God to break in, for God to be faithful to us. We are anxious for God to do something. O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. Come down and fix this virus, come done and fix our political tensions. Come down and fix our racial tensions. Come down and fix hunger, come down and fix sickness. Come down and fix our brokenness.

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. And come down he did. The heavens did tear open as God came down as Jesus was born unto a virgin. God came into this world and started fixing the brokenness. He started fixing the divisions of people. In Jesus God came and began the fix for our sin, for our selfishness for our rebellion. God came and was present with the world. And God’s presence continues with us even now.

God’s Presence

Yet O Lord, you are our Father we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are the work of you hand…now consider, we are all your people. Isaiah found hope in the character of God. The children of Israel suffered a great deal. But there was hope God would one day redeem them. In our own lives many of us have called out to God. Come down O Lord tear open the heavens and come down. Remember when you have called. Remember how God has answered. Remember the waiting for God to act. Remember God has been faithful.

We cry out to God right now. Come down! Be with us. This a season we hope for just that but remember that God already has come down. He has torn open the heavens and come to our rescue. It is easy to forget in the darkness of the world that Jesus is already here. Facing down the darkness giving us hope. Right now, here and now Christ is with us to offer us hope. But recognizing his presence is something we must do in each and every moment. Remember God has been visible he has turned his face toward you at some point. Remember what God has done, remember what God has done even if it was subtle, even if it was not what you wanted, God has been present in you and around you. Have faith and have hope because God has already come down.