Hold my Hand

One of this week's lectionary readings: Isaiah 42:5-9

Our wonderful, amazing God,
who painted the heavens with the deepest blue
and flicked them out,
to spread over the earth
like a satin cloth;

Our wonderful, amazing God,
who engineered the earth,
the trees which spring from it in green canopy,
the animals who hide among its crevices,
and the wind,
blowing across its surface carrying the breath of God;

Our wonderful, amazing God,
who crafted his children to carry his image
who breathes life into them,
and sets them into motion,
pacing across his world,
carrying his Holy Spirit
so that whenever we turn around,
we can see God;

Our wonderful, amazing God
speaks to us, and says,

I am the Lord,
I have set you free
from the sin which enslaves you,
I have set you free
and called you to come to me.
I take your hand, like the child you are
and lead you to safety,
I have created among you,
something more wondrous than the trees
than the sky
than the clouds above or the sea below.
I have placed your hands together,
and created community.

In your clasped hands
you carry my covenant.
My promise to never leave you alone.
My presence and my grace,
I have left with you,
so that you can be a light
to all who live in darkness,
reaching for their hands
and pulling them into the circle.

With my power and my presence
you can open the eyes of the blind,
so that they can see me,
even if they never have before.

You can release prisoners from darkness
and give them life,
even if they have never breathed in freedom before.

I am the Lord.
Hear my name.
Let it echo through your spirit
and fill your heart.
I am the Lord your God.
There is no one and nothing like me.
Are you listening?
Do you hear me?

I am the Lord.
Open your eyes.
I am walking on the earth,
in your lives,
I stretch from one clasped hand
to another.
I am the Lord your God,
and I share with you my plan.
Open your eyes, and see my vision.

The old is passing away,
the new is taking its place.
I am the Lord your God,
and I am whispering in your ears
of the new world.
I'm telling you about it
before I release it,
and it springs into place.
Listen.
Look.
Hold my hand.