"And they shall train for war no more ... "

This past Sunday marked the first Sunday of Advent and the Christmas season. (Of course, in our culture, christmas begins the day after Thanksgiving, but that's a whole other story. If you're interested, ask me about my sermon I preached on it this week.) One of the way our church participates in the Advent season is we have a scripture reading and reflection, along with a prayer and the lighting of a candle. In this way our community joins with the larger Church in their expectant longing for the coming of Jesus to visit his people.
Our scripture reading this week was from Isaiah 2:2-5,

"In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains and will be raised up above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will 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 concerning his ways, and that we may walk in his paths.' For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples. And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will train for war no more. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."

I love this passage. And I was reminded afresh of a calling of mine as a servant of the gospel. I went to West Point. I love West Point. I grew there and was molded there, in fundamental ways, into who I am today. And at West Point I learned war. I trained for war. Yet, I serve a King (part of) whose vision for our world is one in which there is no more need to train for war. I labor and strive for this vision. I recognize that in the frailty of our times there will be an ongoing need for West Point and war. It saddens me, but I know it is true. Christians can learn from the courage of the men and women who risk all for others.

And yet, this Advent season, I'm reminded again of how part of my calling is to work for a day when West Point is put out of business. "May they train for war no more." Come, Lord Jesus.