Called to Comfort

One of my favorite movies is The Pacifier, if you have never heard of it let me tell you what happens. This is a family friendly film that was made in the early 2000s. It begins with an unfortunate death of the father of a young family, who was killed because of his work with the government. So, they send in one of his trusted friends to protect the family as they settle his affairs. Oh, did I mention the person they send in is Shane Wolfe, long time military Navy Seal, played by Vin Diesel.

 His job is take care of 5 kids, including two teens and two toddlers. It’s clear he’s never cared for children in his life and all he knows is how to enforce his military training, so you can imagine how this goes. As the film progresses, we watch as the Navy seal with elite training has to learn to change diapers and manage teenage hormones. Yet by the end of the film, he has turned into a true caretaker and understands the needs of each child. I won’t tell you how it ends because you should go watch it, however, I will say that even the toughest person in the room has a comforting mothering spirit inside of them. We will come back to that later.  

Sermon Series

A few weeks ago we began our summer sermon series “Called In”. A sermon series inspired by proverbs chapter 3, that explores the ways in which God continues to call us into community, and to divine relationship. Sometimes being called in means being called away from areas where we have clearly done wrong, caused harm, or fallen short. In other moments, God may simply be working to refine us further, encouraging us to continue on a path toward faithful maturity. In every other instance, however, God is inviting us into something better, fuller, and more holy. Yet sometimes they work together, calling out and calling in brings these moments full circle.

Let me remind you of the two things I wanted you to remember as we engage in this series: there are two ways people are called in. First, calling someone out. To call someone out is forcefully challenging someone’s words or actions. Second, calling someone in. And to call someone in is inviting someone, through conversation and relationship, to consider a better way.

We opened the series with the book of 1 Kings and the prophet Elijah. Elijah was a well-known prophet from the northern kingdom who found himself in the middle of conflict. Here's what we learned: the books of 1 and 2 Kings show us the long line of kings in Israel and the first week we spent time with Elijah at a pivotal moment in his life. And we received the first pillar in this sermon series the “call to self-care.”  This self-care that I talked about was calling out the things that are both obvious and subtle challenging your own actions. Removing yourself from the places where you have caused harm or been too complacent. Allowing yourself space and time to be forgiven, renewed and changed. Through Elijah we saw that after that time he had a renewed sense of call to return to the people. And when it was time to give Elijah a message, God waited until after all the chaos when it was quiet, to speak inviting him back into relationship.

Last week I introduced you to Elisha, a newly called prophet who is about to begin his ministry and the second pillar in our series, the call to connection. Specifically, connection between individuals, defined as a relationship in which a person or thing is linked or associated with something else. This call to connection is allowing God to use you to help others reveal and use their God given gifts. Through intentional relationship, you can foster growth in a friend that sparks change and maybe even inspire generations. Because part of our calling as believers has always been to walk with those around us and nurture the ones coming behind us. This call to connection is not simply that you become a teacher or a guide or a good friend, rather it is a call to deeper intentional relationship with others.

Now let's read our second scripture for today, our reading comes from Isaiah 66:10-14

¹⁰ Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
    all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy,
    all you who mourn over her—
¹¹ that you may nurse and be satisfied
    from her consoling breast,
that you may drink deeply with delight
    from her glorious bosom.

¹² For thus says the Lord:
I will extend prosperity to her like a river
    and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream,
and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm
    and bounced on her knees.
¹³ As a mother comforts her child,
    so I will comfort you;
    you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

The Reign and Indignation of God

¹⁴ You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
    your bodies shall flourish like the grass,
and it shall be known that the power of the Lord is with his servants,
    and his indignation is against his enemies.

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Our text this morning is found in the Book of Isaiah. The Book of Isaiah, one of the major prophetic books of the Old Testament, is traditionally attributed to the prophet Isaiah and spans a wide range of themes, from judgment to hope. There are two distinct sections, or two books in one if you will. The first part of Isaiah primarily addresses the impending judgment of Judah and surrounding nations due to their disobedience to God, while also offering glimpses of future restoration. Isaiah warns of consequences such as exile, yet introduces the idea of a faithful remnant that will survive and uphold God's covenant. Throughout these chapters, God's holiness, justice, and sovereignty are emphasized, as is the call to repentance and trust in divine deliverance rather than political alliances.

The second part of Isaiah shifts toward a more hopeful and redemptive tone, offering comfort to the exiled Israelites and promising a future restoration of Jerusalem. These later chapters speak of God's enduring compassion, the coming of a new heaven and earth, and the ultimate triumph of righteousness. Together, the two halves of Isaiah present a powerful vision of judgment tempered by mercy, and a divine plan for the redemption of both Israel and the nations.

Our passage today is the end of the Book of Isaiah, and the prophet is speaking to give one final message of hope about Jerusalem. Letting them know that through the mothering nature of God this city once left hopeless, has been restored and it is time to rejoice. We are seeing God as a type of mother, one who cares deeply, watches closely and calls us in at the right time.

Isaiah has been sent to warn the people of Jerusalem that God is sending down judgments based on their behavior. Remember they have disobeyed God, forgotten to worship God, chosen their own kings instead of God and more. Before our reading the people of Jerusalem made bad decisions like trusting many nations, their hearts were hardened, then ultimately exiled to Babylon and sent to live a life in captivity. There’s a lot more to this, but for today I just gave you the short version. So, they have lost hope, and Isaiah is left to bring them messages along their journey.

Isaiah is giving us a chance to reaffirm and trust in the promises of God as Jerusalem will be restored. Isaiah offers this message to all who will listen, that God is invested in restoration and renewal, not only of the holy city, but of the hearts and souls of those who love God. In addition, Isaiah believes that the promises are so close to being realized that they are no longer simply aspirational or a matter of hope, they are to be expected.

So, when the time comes, “rejoice and be glad for her,” and “drink deeply with delight.” Jerusalem has been destroyed, she is a barren land, and the people left have no hopes of seeing her in glory. Yet the prophet says, “you shall see, and your heart shall rejoice.” Isaiah is writing this because they are still in exile, and they need hope to believe there is something greater coming.

The image of a nurturing mother is intentional in understanding how deeply God cares. This image shows us the consistent, providential care and oversight that God offers to the people. The nurturing God of Isaiah will ensure the renewed physical world would be met with a renewed emotional world as well. What we are looking at today is a promise to Jerusalem, that when the time comes she will stand tall for the world to see, and God will comfort her.

Conclusion

Another key piece to understanding Isaiah is understanding the feminine language we see today. Feminine language for God in the Bible, while less common than masculine imagery, is present and deeply meaningful. For example, in verse 13, God says, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you," highlighting a nurturing, maternal aspect of divine care. Similarly, in other passages in the Old Testament, God is depicted with the compassion and protectiveness of a mother. These passages do not redefine God’s gender but rather enrich our understanding of the divine by showing that God's love and presence transcend human gender categories. Such feminine imagery invites us into a more expansive and inclusive view of God, affirming that both women and men are made in the image of a God who embodies qualities traditionally associated with both genders.

Maternal figures call us in, offer us comfort and remind us of our worth. This call to comfort is a call to release our mothering spirit. A spirit that offers more than just a helping hand in tough times, but also reminds us who we are, who we belong to and what we can do in this world. It is a reminder that no matter how hard this life gets, or how far you may have strayed away, God is here to comfort you in many way, similar to ways that only a nurturing mother can.

In our text today, Isaiah shares a clear vision of Hope for the people of Jerusalem, also referred to as God’s holy city, to let them know that new life is coming. As the holy city experiences new life, so will God’s people experience new life.  Theologian Carol Dempsey says this about Isaiah, “Isaiah's image of Jerusalem calls each person to recognize the indwelling presence of God in his or her life, and thus to become people of profound compassion knowing that God's presence dwells in each person, has the capacity to work in and through each person within the human community to heal and to restore life.”

This call to comfort is more complex than we first realize. This call to comfort not only introduces and calls us into a mothering spirit, but it also acknowledges the Spirit of God that dwells among us. No matter who you are, we all have this mothering spirit. Whether or not you have children, whether or not you identify as female and simply because it is a part of who God is and we are made in that image.

Let this call to comfort, refine you. Let this call to comfort open up your heart. And let this call to comfort release your mothering spirit.