Repeat the Sounding Joy

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer about the Day of Singing Mountains and Clapping Trees

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Isa. 55:11-12

Gracious Father, this portion of your Word gets my heart pumping—it fuels my hope and intensifies my joy. What an amazingly good and generous God you are. You know how much I love mountains, of all shapes and sizes. There’s just something about mountains that causes me to feel the greatness of your glory and the grandeur of your grace—the weightiness of your majesty and the endlessness of your mercy. What a Creator! What a creation!

That passion started early with hiking trips to the Blue Ridge Mountains around Boone and Banner Elk, North Carolina. And I’ll never forget my first sighting of the Rocky Mountains in Estes Park, Colorado—the shimmering aspen leaves against the rich blue of a humidity- and haze-free fall skyline.

But then there was the day I stepped off the train in the village of Interlaken, Switzerland, and got hammered with the holy wonder of three Alps: the Eiger, the Mönch, and the Jungfrau. I can still see, smell, feel, and taste the sensual overload of that day. Indeed, Father, the works of your hands declare your glory, loud and clear. Your clearly reveal yourself in the things you have made. There is no place in all of creation where your voice is not heard. How can I keep from singing your praise? How can I not dance with unfettered joy?

But, Father, these words of Isaiah envision a Day when trees clap and the mountains themselves will burst into song—the new song of the new creation, when heaven and earth are once again united. O hasten that glad and perfect day. Though your glory is clearly revealed in the beauty of your creation, it is revealed ten thousand times more in the redemption that you freely give us in Jesus. Jesus is the Alps of your mercy, grace, and love for us.

Because of Jesus, we, your redeemed pan-national people, will go out in joy and be led forth into peace—into the shalom of the perfect world of the new heaven and new earth. No more sin, death, crying or pain. Everything will be right, for Jesus is making all things new. Brokenness will be unbroken. Every semblance and evil and wrong will be eradicated forever. There won’t be anything left to reconcile, redeem and restore. You have spoken, you have promised, and so shall it be! Your Word will accomplish everything you decree and every one of your delights. O the hope.. the living hope that you have given us in Jesus.

So in light of the day of singing mountains and clapping trees, we enter this day singing, “Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; while fields and floods; rocks, hills, and plains; repeat the sounding joy; repeat the sounding joy; repeat, repeat the sounding joy.” By the power of your Holy Spirit and the truth of the gospel, we will seek to prove the wonders of your love all day long. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ matchless and majestic name.