For wickedness burned like a fire,
consuming briers and thorns;
it kindled the thickets of the forest,
and they swirled upward in a column of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
the land was burned,
and the people became like fuel for the fire; no one spared another.
They gorged on the right, but still were hungry, and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied;
they devoured the flesh of their own kindred; Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,
and together they were against Judah.
For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still. Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees,
who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey!
What will you do on the day of punishment, in the calamity that will come from far away?
To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth, so as not to crouch among the prisoners
or fall among the slain?
For all this his anger has not turned away;his hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 9:18-10:4
and the people became like fuel for the fire; no one spared another.
They gorged on the right, but still were hungry, and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied;
they devoured the flesh of their own kindred; Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,
and together they were against Judah.
For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still. Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees,
who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey!
What will you do on the day of punishment, in the calamity that will come from far away?
To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth, so as not to crouch among the prisoners
or fall among the slain?
For all this his anger has not turned away;his hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 9:18-10:4
Dear Aunt Elizabeth,
we finally got back on our way, having gotten help from the kind elders who housed us. It took a while for us to get back to where we were supposed to be, and the going is very treacherous. I know the men wanted to spare us from any further attacks, but sometimes the road itself is a real danger. I was hanging on for dear life as we skirted along the mountain passes. It is windy and cold, and I felt so tossed and ragged by the time we rested for the day. It seems like it is taking forever and I wish we could travel on the better roads. When we finally got to a stopping place for the night, every muscle in my body was sore and aching. Joseph tried to rub my muscles, but then I started to cry. He drew away. I didn't mean to scare or upset him. I just missed Momma terribly then and the sweet salve she used to rub on me as a child. I am a grown woman and I still want my mother. What is wrong with me? Fortunately, he has already fallen asleep, so weary from walking these challenging paths.
Tomorrow we will continue on our way. I hope the time to Bethlehem isn't too long. We are camped for the night in a deep cave, and I can barely sleep the baby is making me restless and I can't get comfortable. There are shepherds in the fields below us who promised to keep watch for us since they will be up all night, watching their charges. All these poor folks on the margins, and yet they are so generous and kind. Why are the supposedly faithful people of our hometown ready to hurt us, while poor strangers make us welcome? Where would we go, if we didn't have the help of outcasts? I pray that God will give me insight into all of this. In the meantime, I will try to get some sleep so I can be cheerful for the next part of the journey. Joseph deserves so much more than me weeping and whining all the time.
love
Mary
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