October 20th

To those who faced men meant to protect us

In fear but also hope

To those who became doctors on site

Whose businesses freely gave

Or hotels provided refuge

To those who every night was a sleepless night

Whose voices in darkness brought forth light

To those who smelt the aroma of hope

Quickly polluted by a stench of fear

To those whose names we do not know, whose families never shared

To those whose hearts were pricked as the evil one laughed in his chair

“Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,

I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli.

I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.

Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work.

And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;

no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 54:11‭-‬17

For those whose lust for power and love of life pit them against the Lord

Repent!

For the Lord God is mighty in battle

He who watches over Israel never sleeps or slumbers

He waits patiently for all to seek refuge in him

Do not be deceived by your chariots of Gold or clothes of silver

All is vain in the eyes of the Lord

All will fade at the might of God

Even the oceans roar and the mountains skip at his voice

The Lord God is just as he is merciful

He is husband to the widow

And father to the fatherless

He hears their cries and comforts the mourning.

Tremble in fear, hide in the fields, mourn and put on sackcloth for you have taken up battle against the Lord.

Your priests prophesy by Baal

And your leaders do not know me

You murder his image bearers out of fear and greed

Yet deny in it, claiming mockery.

Ask the Sons of Korah who rebelled against the Lord

Ask the armies of the Gentiles who have seen the might of the Lord

Like an Eagle he watches over his people

Those who devour his harvests shall answer to him

Turn from your ways

To those who ask, where is the Lord, your God

The Lord is raising a new army

One whom he stands at their forefront

Tremble in fear or rejoice in hope

For the armies of heaven surround the surrounded

In the last days he will pour out his Spirit upon all people

Can you not see them in the training grounds

Can you not hear the sound of the trumpet in the distance

Or see the Satan tremble in fear

Do not resist for it is useless

Do not ignore a sound even the realms can perceive

They grow in numbers and in strength

The Lord is their guide, they will not fall

The Lord is their God, they will not fail

Why sit on the branches of the trees in the plain

Or look in fear upon the armies of the enemy

Seek refuge in the camp of the Most High

For the victory is already ours

Did you not hear as the sun hid its face

Or the earth gave a cry

When the Son of God gave his life

Now he lives amongst his children

Working in them to will and to do according to his power

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

“Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you;

your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.

Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy;

the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

“The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the fir and the cypress together, to adorn my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place for my feet.

The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you;

all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

“Although you have been forsaken and hated, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.

You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts.

Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver in place of iron.

Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones.

I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more;

the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.

Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever.

They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.

The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation.

I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

Isaiah 60

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