The Unbearable Heaviness of Being
Isaiah 66:18-23
“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see My glory. “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations —to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. They will proclaim My glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to My holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD —on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the LORD. “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the LORD."
When Micaiah, the only remaining truthful messenger of his time prophesied against king Ahab of Israel, he said: "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace' (I King 22:17)?" It was moreso, a message for the men in the army, helpless and without a true leader, it was of God's compassion for the soldiers against a rebellious and despotic king. Let us also, being redeemed, share the Good News in truth and in love (~Eph 4:15), having compassion like Christ's. Czech author Milan Kundera describes compassion as such: "There is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes." There is indeed suffering in compassion, to feel another's pain, "and Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matt 9:35-38, Luke 10:2).” And so God sends us not only "to proclaim God's glory among the nations" (v. 19), but to deliver the very same message of hope in Christ, of His glory in His love, compassion, and redemption. The Living Life writer says, "God’s glory will be made known and proclaimed throughout the world. He will be worshiped by people from all nations, not just His chosen people, Israel, as many will hear of His greatness and come before Him to offer their worship to Him. God has extended His invitation for salvation to all through His Son, Jesus Christ. Let us share the good news of the Gospel with people from all nations so that they too can receive God’s love and grace." We were once blinded, "harassed and helpless", and in some ways we still fall into those traps of frustration, of sin, and helplessness, for our sanctification is not yet complete, however, we have this precious hope in salvation through trusting in Him who is the author, finisher, and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2), and He bears the heaviness of our being, He is the only one who can truly provide for us the lightness of existence. This is a refreshing message of peace and hope that needs to be shared with others. He offered, "come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt 11:28-29)"
“And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see My glory. “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations —to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. They will proclaim My glory among the nations. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to My holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD —on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the LORD. “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the LORD."
When Micaiah, the only remaining truthful messenger of his time prophesied against king Ahab of Israel, he said: "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace' (I King 22:17)?" It was moreso, a message for the men in the army, helpless and without a true leader, it was of God's compassion for the soldiers against a rebellious and despotic king. Let us also, being redeemed, share the Good News in truth and in love (~Eph 4:15), having compassion like Christ's. Czech author Milan Kundera describes compassion as such: "There is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes." There is indeed suffering in compassion, to feel another's pain, "and Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest (Matt 9:35-38, Luke 10:2).” And so God sends us not only "to proclaim God's glory among the nations" (v. 19), but to deliver the very same message of hope in Christ, of His glory in His love, compassion, and redemption. The Living Life writer says, "God’s glory will be made known and proclaimed throughout the world. He will be worshiped by people from all nations, not just His chosen people, Israel, as many will hear of His greatness and come before Him to offer their worship to Him. God has extended His invitation for salvation to all through His Son, Jesus Christ. Let us share the good news of the Gospel with people from all nations so that they too can receive God’s love and grace." We were once blinded, "harassed and helpless", and in some ways we still fall into those traps of frustration, of sin, and helplessness, for our sanctification is not yet complete, however, we have this precious hope in salvation through trusting in Him who is the author, finisher, and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2), and He bears the heaviness of our being, He is the only one who can truly provide for us the lightness of existence. This is a refreshing message of peace and hope that needs to be shared with others. He offered, "come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt 11:28-29)"
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