Over and over the prophet Isaiah has warned the people of Judah and the surrounding nations that the way in which they are governing the people is in opposition to what God desires. Injustice, idolatry, corruption, and exploitation were rampant. Deals made with other nations resulted in Israel and Judah becoming subordinate parts of ever-larger empires financed by heavily taxing the people.
Orphans and widows weren’t cared for, people 
went hungry, and people wondered where is God? If we just fast enough, or worship the right way, or humble ourselves won’t God come? Yet these weren’t acceptable to God because the leaders’ hearts weren’t oriented towards true justice (Isaiah 58).
None of the deals or the heavy taxes or the fasts or insincere worship kept them from falling to the Babylonian empire, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple or being forcibly exiled to a foreign land. Where is God the people wondered – those left in Jerusalem suffered horribly. Those exiled while building new lives still suffered the trauma of forcible removal. How can joy exist in such a setting? How can we believe that God is still working, still present among us?
I don’t know about you, but these last months and especially the last two weeks have had me in a state of lament, of righteous anger, of wondering myself where is God?
I know I’m not supposed to admit that being a pastor, but the ongoing unjust wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, the gutting of the Voting Rights Act after people died over decades in order to achieve it, the return of Jim Crow policies which disenfranchise our black and brown siblings, the continued scapegoating of our LGBTQIA+ siblings, the promise of even more mass deportations, the celebration of 4.5 million people being kicked off of food stamps, and millions going without health insurance sure makes me wonder where is God? What good is my lament and righteous anger?
But then, I take a deep breath and I center myself, and I remember that my trust isn’t in human leaders, my faith isn’t in gold statues or other idols, my joy isn’t because all is right with the world, and my hope isn’t dependent on hopeful things happening. My trust and faith and joy and hope are still in God and in the certainty that God is working in the world through me and through millions of others who have taken on the fight to restore justice, to serve others, to believe in community and belonging.
To know that I am indeed still standing – standing today preaching joy and hope even when things are awful, even when everyday feels chaotic and on the verge of catastrophe. I am still placing my hope in God who dearly loves us and sent Jesus to teach us how to live and how to love, and folks, we know that that Jesus living and loving isn’t easy. It is an uphill battle most of the time.
I ask myself – what did those in Isaiah’s time make of these words from Chapter 35? That the desolate land of no water would suddenly burst into bloom, that the wilderness itself would rejoice and blossom. Can a suffering people really receive this living water that nurtures joy and singing?! That feeds a deep-seated hope in God? In Jesus? In the Holy Spirit? Have you felt that before in desolate times? That a Holy Way that has living water stations is being forged for you, me, all of us to walk alongside God?
Folks, we as a nation and a church have been here before! We have been in the desolate times that had us wondering where is God? We have seen progress made and then beaten back, only to see progress move forward once more. God has forged this community of faith together to be Christ’s hands and feet – to work for justice, to serve this community and one another, to create a place of belonging and safety for the most vulnerable among us. We have been in desolate wilderness times before, but living water always arrives, gushing up to produce blossoms of joy and singing.
Hear these words again: They will see the Lord’s glory, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the weak hands and support the unsteady knees. Say to those who are panicking: “Be Strong! Don’t fear! Here’s your God, coming with vengeance, with divine retribution God will come to save you!
But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a role to play – the Holy Way is the highway we need to get on and stay on. Do you remember that the earliest Jesus followers were called The Way, originating a movement that focused on radical community, love and devotion to God and one another. Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way – and be that radical community that practices loving God and neighbor, one another and even our enemies.
Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way and devote ourselves to prayer and study that deepens our desire to be in communion with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way – and be that radical community that actively works for justice for our black and brown siblings, for our immigrant neighbors, for our LGBTQIA+ siblings, for all those who are being scapegoated and marginalized. Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way where we know we are still standing, not knocked down by despair, disappointment and defeat.
Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way where the deep joy that comes from our relationship with God has us being the most hopeful people. Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way where we know God is calling us to more radical service. Let’s keep on walking the Holy Way with all the energy and enthusiasm we can muster. Because it is God who has created this Holy Way for us – let’s get walking! May it be so! Amen.