The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isa. 11:6-9 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, since every promise God has made finds its “Yes!” in you (2 Cor. 1:20), we worship and adore you, for securing the eternal Day of peace Isaiah describes in this heart-enflaming, hope-fueling, joy-igniting passage. Our longings for this Day keep getting piqued, especially during recent days when nations no longer just rattle their sabers at each other, but threaten nuclear war. Your sovereignty is our sanity, and your promise of peace is our living hope.
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 meandering through the new heaven and new earth as friends; cows and bears lunching together, rather than having one another for lunch—the Day when everything broken will be healed and everything sad will come untrue.
As much as we love the vision of shalom in the animal kingdom, a gazillion times over we long for the Day when we, two-legged image-bearers of God, no longer harm one other, in any way. No more wars or rumors of war; no more suicide bombings or human trafficking; no more “nukes,” only niceness.
No more profiling or stereotyping, marginalizing or despising one another because of race, gender, or skin color. No more demeaning or dismissing, vilifying or using one another; no more hating or hurting, ignoring or igniting one another in any way, shape, or form.
Jesus, hasten the Day when God’s glory will cover the earth like water covers the sea; the Day when knowing the Lord won’t be something we do, but who we are; the Day when we will finally and fully love one another as you love us.
Until that Day, keep us groaning and growing in grace, and keep us joyfully committed to the Great Commission and the New Commandment. When we love poorly, convict us quickly and grant us humble repentances. May the world recognize us as your disciples by the way we love one another. So very Amen we pray, in your powerful and patient name.
