The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 11:6-9
Jesus, there are so many things I love about the Christmas season—the songs regaling your birth and kingdom; decades-old ornaments on our tree, each with its own story; the taste and aroma of yuletide foods. But I especially love filling my heart and fueling my faith with the promises God made about your Advent—both your first and second comings. Every promise in the Scriptures finds its yes in you, and every one of them creates a holy salivation in my soul. I long, I crave, I yearn for the fulfillment of your work in us and around us.
Today in particular, I’m stirred to think about the Day of no more harm, of any variety. “They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain.” Oh, for the day when all “tooth and claw” violence gives way to wolves frolicking with lambs; leopards and goats napping together; calves, lions, and young horses strolling through the new heaven and new earth as friends; cows and bears eating together, rather than munching on one another; snakes as pets rather than pests.
But as much as I love the vision of shalom in the animal kingdom, ten-thousand-times-over, I long for the day when we two-legged image-bearers of God, will never again hurt one another. No more marginalizing or minimizing one another; no more demeaning or dismissing one another; no more vilifying or idolizing one another; no more hating or hurting one another; no more using or abusing one another in any way.
No more gossip, just gospel. No more slandering anybody, just serving everybody. No more labeling, just loving. No more resentment, just enjoyment. No more meanness, just kindness. No more retaliation, just reconciliation. … FOREVER
Hasten the Day when we will finally and fully love one another as you love us, Jesus. Until that day, keep us groaning and growing in grace. Don’t let us get used to hurting each other. Grant us a beautiful sadness and quick repentances when we love poorly. May the world recognize us as your disciples by the way we love one another. So very Amen we pray, in your powerful, patient and loving name.