Chapter 51
Good Monday Morning to this week 51 of 2023
Isaiah 9.2
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows—light! sunbursts of light!” The Message
People who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. The Passion
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. KJV
Hebrew (ישעיהו 9:2):
עָם הֹלֵךְ בַּחֹשֶׁךְ רָאָה אוֹר גָּדוֹל; יֹשֵׁב בְּאַרְץ צַלְמָוֶת, אוֹר נָגַהּ עֲלָיו.
Amharic:
ሰማይ ሲል ድንግል ሰው እናደርጋለን; በሰፊው አሰፋላሊ ምሳሌ እንዲደርገው, አንደ መሠረት እንዲወገድላቸው ነው ይላል።
German
Das Volk, das im Finstern wandelt, sieht ein großes Licht; die da wohnen im Lande des Schatten, über die strahlt ein Licht.
French
Le peuple qui marchait dans les ténèbres a vu une grande lumière; sur ceux qui habitaient le pays de l’ombre de la mort, une lumière a resplendi.
Swahili
Watu waendao gizani wanauona mwanga mkubwa; wakazi wa nchi ya kivuli cha mauti, mwanga umewaangazia.
Spanish
“El pueblo que andaba en tinieblas vio gran luz; a los que moraban en tierra de sombra de muerte, luz resplandeció sobre ellos.”
Portuguese
“O povo que andava em trevas viu uma grande luz; sobre os que viviam na terra da sombra da morte, raiou-lhes a luz.”
Russian:
“Народ, ходивший во тьме, увидел великое светило; живущим в земле смертной тени свет взошел.”
Arabic:
“الشعب السائر في الظلمة رأى نورًا عظيمًا، على الذين يعيشون في أرض ظل الموت قد طلع النور.”
William Wilberforce, member of English parliament at the end of the 18th century who fought for the abolition of slavery, once took his friend, the Prime Minister of England, William Pitt, to hear a famous minister preach. During the service Wilberforce had felt, as he said, his soul rise to heaven, but Pitt said he had not the faintest idea what the preacher had been talking about. Light had shone into Wilberforce’s heart; but Pitt’s heart remained darkened.
In the realm where the light illuminates, our course is beyond our control.
The manner in which it graces us remains beyond our sway.
Whether we find ourselves in its radiance or shadow, influence eludes us frequently.
However, our response to The Light — that is where our role unfolds.
Wishing a great week anticipating The Light of Christmas
Philemon