Won’t It Be Wonderful There

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
 the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
He will delight in obeying the Lord.
 He will not judge by appearance
 nor make a decision based on hearsay.
 He will give justice to the poor
 and make fair decisions for the exploited. 
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
 and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
He will wear righteousness like a belt
 and truth like an undergarment.

In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
 the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
 The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
 and a little child will lead them all.
 The cow will graze near the bear.
 The cub and the calf will lie down together.
 The lion will eat hay like a cow. 
The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
 Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
 for as the waters fill the sea,
 so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

In that day the heir to David’s throne
 will be a banner of salvation to all the world. 
The nations will rally to him,
 and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.

Growing up in a small West Virginia community in Gilmer County in the late 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s, I felt safe, loved, and cared about. It was a wonderful place to grow up because you didn’t have to worry too much about being harmed. We didn’t lock our doors or take our keys out of the vehicles. Your belongings were safe outside and inside your home.

Rarely did I hear of anyone being robbed, assaulted, or even murdered. People treated each other with respect and dignity, regardless of their position in society. As a young person who was not well traveled, I assumed this was the way everyone lived.

Once I joined the Army and left the safety of my small community, I soon realized how safe my small community was and how naive I was to the real world.

I soon realized that I had to be on consistent guard to protect myself and my belongings. I was exposed to prejudice because of the way I spoke and my country mannerisms. I witnessed how cruel people could be to each other and how life itself was not valued. I soon became very homesick to return to the safety of my community.

In our current 24-hour availability of news and information, we are so aware of the evil in our world today. We are exposed to the horrors of evil that come in all shapes. It’s enough to depress any person.

For believers of the word of God, we are told in Isaiah 11:1-10 that a person is coming to rectify the injustice of the world. We are promised that we will live in harmony with those who we would normally fear and that all persons will be treated fairly and equally.
The thought of living in such a place reminds me of the old hymn “Won’t It Be Wonderful There?“ The lyrics say, “having no burdens to share, joyously singing with heart bells are ringing, oh won’t it be wonderful there.?

For this small-town West Virginia boy who naively believed this place already existed, I am once again homesick for such a place. Let us start practicing now to treat others with understanding, respect, love, and kindness. Let us remove hate for one another based on age, sex, race, religious beliefs, politics, and social standing.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your promise of peace and harmony among all people. Help us to love our neighbors and to care for those less fortunate than ourselves. Amen.

Buck Edwards, Buck.edwards21@gmail.com, Heart & Hand House, Philippi, WV Disaster Coordinator