Voicing Heaven in Earth's Language

The Dream Isaiah Saw Lions and oxen will sleep in the hay, Leopards will join with the lambs as they play, Wolves will be pastured with cows in the glade, Blood will darken the Earth that God made. Little child whose bed is straw, Take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: Life redeemed from fang and claw. Peace will pervade more than forest and field: God will transfigure the Violence concealed Deep in the heart of systems gain, Ripe for the judgment the Lord will ordain. Little Child whose bed is straw, Take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: Justice purifying law. Nature reordered to match God’s intent, Nations obeying the call to repent, All of creation completely restored, Filled with the knowledge and love of the Lord. Little child whose bed is straw, Take new lodgings in my heart. Bring the dream Isaiah saw: Knowledge, wisdom, worship awe. —Thomas H. Troeger Lantz Professor of Christian Communication Yale University Divinity School in his book

God gave me some revelation today pertaining to the book of Luke that's really cool. I saw a good deal more of the humanity of Jesus today and the high calling and high view of human beings in God's eyes today. Luke really illustrates how like Jesus is to us even though he's fully God and fully man, albeit a perfect man. He had to be rooted in the sovereignty of God and his plan just as we have to be. He had to pray and trust the Holy Spirit just as we do. He had to face temptation just like we do. Luke's Gospel notes that Jesus, the perfect man, grew in wisdom and stature just like we all have to do. We all have to grow in wisdom and stature because we aren't complete. Jesus grew in self-awareness and found God's plan for his life just like we have to and walked it out victoriously, setting the stage for the rest of us. Jesus was the pioneer of our faith and now we are called to walk just as he did and does in accomplishing God's purpos