Come, Let Us Go Up!

“It shall come to pass in the latter days
    that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
    and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
    and many peoples shall come, and say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
    and that we may walk in his paths.’
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem…

O house of Jacob,
    come, let us walk
    in the light of the Lord.” Isaiah 2:2-3,5

It shall come. In the latter days. One certain day people from all nations will turn heart and foot toward the Lord, treading in droves upward to His mount to learn His ways, to know Him. The promise of this day prompts us, O house, to walk now in His light. Let us walk in the light of this assurance, and the light of His word that gives strength for today and hope for tomorrow!

We must first see the need and urgency for going up to the Lord. Living in convenience and relative health, we may regard ourselves sufficient and think we need nothing. Living in a temporal world with no regard for everlasting, we dismiss thoughts or a sense of accountability for life beyond this one. No effort must be expended to thank or trust another when I have done it all here and now. But before God, I am sin-stained and unworthy, and I must go up out of my wantonness of soul to find mercy.

In order to learn His ways and walk in His paths, we must also go up out of daily routine. We must leave the lowlands of banal and purposeless living. We must leave behind habits that entangle, and alliances that pull us away from our first love. We must make determination to fall under His disciplines of thought and practice. We must learn His ways from His word in order to mimic them in relationships and work. (Hebrews 12:1; Revelation 2:4)

Once we have taken the initiative to go up, we must go among those around us and say, Come! Our call is to call others to go up also to see His excellencies and know His delights. Going up together, there is strength in numbers, and there is magnified glory to God. (Galatians 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:25)

Whom am I trusting apart from Christ for significance, help, salvation? Where have I been searching for purpose and love? Would I believe that the Lord is Savior and Redeemer, and beckons me come?

From what tendrils of distraction and affection do I need to rise and go up to Jesus? Are there longtime habits, misguided allegiances, or unhealthy relationships from which I need gracious and restoring extrication? The Lord awaits!

And who will I take alongside to the mount of the Lord, to His life- and light-giving word, so they can know Him too?

Lord, may I heed Your daily call to come, and bring others along to learn Your ways and walk in the light of your glory forever.