Episode 10: Isaiah 62:1-5

Translation: Common English Bible (CEB)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
What new name might the LORD give you?

Additional texts:
Psalm 36:5-10
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11

Transcript

00:02.06
Kevin Shock
Hello, Tend. Nathan and I are back. It's a new year. I mean, it's already been a new year, but this is the first time we're recording in 2025. And this is the first time post-hip surgery that we're recording. So um although Nathan wanted to be very gracious and tell you that I'm under the influence of narcotics, that's not the case. So if I say anything stupid, it's just my own doing.

00:29.71
Kevin Shock
um

00:33.10
Kevin Shock
But yeah,

00:33.90
Nathan Pile
But the beauty, the beauty that I get to see everyone is this lump of a friend on the other side here. He's just like, he's even the one he described himself as, I'm just kind of like a lump here.

00:40.53
Kevin Shock
yeah tre

00:45.21
Kevin Shock
yeah i yeah, I did describe myself that way. Yeah.

00:47.47
Nathan Pile
And so it'll be interesting to see if Hannah and Burton, our producers can, you know, spice up his video content or TikTok.

00:55.44
Kevin Shock
My look. Yeah.

00:56.52
Nathan Pile
Yes. Look, so he's like a sparkly lump or something.

00:57.70
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

01:00.15
Nathan Pile
I don't know.

01:01.90
Kevin Shock
something like that. Yeah, well, ah thankfully, I did find I found a position with the TV tray and the recliner where I'm comfortable sitting for an hour or two. So um' I'm good.

01:14.05
Kevin Shock
I'm good with that with my setup here. um But but we are not we

01:16.85
Nathan Pile
Good. but're We're glad to have you back.

01:19.22
Kevin Shock
Thanks, um I'm really happy to be back. ah We're not here to talk about all that, we're here to talk about scripture. And it's it's been a couple of weeks, more than a couple of weeks since we've recorded. So ah Nathan and I are looking forward to getting back at this. ah Today we are going to look at Isaiah chapter 62 verses one through five.

01:38.54
Kevin Shock
We're using the common English Bible translation and our three questions that we have as we ah discuss scripture with one another. What word phrase or image strikes you in this text? Toward what is God calling you in this text? And what new name might the Lord give you?

01:56.46
Nathan Pile
o o Well, Kevin, I don't know if you know.

02:01.50
Kevin Shock
I knew, I knew that you were gonna say something right away. I knew it. This is how well Nathan and I know each other.

02:09.43
Nathan Pile
You put money on it?

02:09.83
Kevin Shock
I knew exactly what was gonna...

02:10.59
Nathan Pile
You put money on Vegas? You call Vegas and put money on it? ah Nathan means gift.

02:13.77
Kevin Shock
I could, I could. Nathan, why don't you tell why don't you tell the audience?

02:17.10
Nathan Pile
Nathan means gift from God, everybody. It means Nathan means gift from God.

02:19.52
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

02:21.61
Nathan Pile
So like, I don't know if, yeah, it's exciting.

02:21.85
Kevin Shock
Yes.

02:26.19
Kevin Shock
i've I've probably only heard that a thousand times in our friendship. I've ah been reminded of that.

02:30.55
Nathan Pile
I like to remind everybody actually. So um as my family and all of the friends would say, yeah, Nathan, he's like a broken record.

02:33.18
Kevin Shock
Yeah. Yeah. Uh-huh.

02:41.47
Nathan Pile
Gift from God, gift from God, gift from God.

02:42.45
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

02:44.99
Kevin Shock
Kevin means handsome. So I just want, I just want people who might see me on TikTok to remember that as they're looking at the lump in this video. ah The recliner lump.

02:55.79
Nathan Pile
yeah Remember, Kevin means handsome. um here's a couple there's some Here's some more information about your host that you you've learned a couple of things already.

03:01.50
Kevin Shock
yeah

03:07.32
Nathan Pile
Now you're gonna learn a little bit more.

03:08.52
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

03:09.14
Nathan Pile
ah We are men married to women financial in financially stable households, white in our late 40s, college and seminary educated. We work in the Lutheran church and were born and raised in Western Pennsylvania.

03:21.12
Nathan Pile
All of this affects how we read scripture and discuss it, but none of it. But none of this makes us better at able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. We believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with God and one another. So we want to know what you hear and think from your life's perspective as we engage scripture together. Our reading is from Isaiah the 62nd chapter.

04:00.02
Nathan Pile
For Zion's sake, I won't keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake, I won't sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch. Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the Lord's own mouth will determine.

04:26.72
Nathan Pile
you will be a splendid garland in the Lord's hand, a royal turban in the palm of God's hand. You will no longer be called Abandoned and your land will no longer be called Deserted. Instead, you will be called My Delight Is In Her and your land, Married.

04:54.45
Nathan Pile
Because the Lord delights in you, your land will be cared for once again. As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you, with the joy of a bridegroom because of his bride, and so your God will rejoice because of you.

05:18.69
Nathan Pile
If you're meeting with a group, you can pause the podcast now and engage the questions on your own. Or you can listen to Kevin ah share his response to what word phrase or image strikes you in this text.

05:36.56
Kevin Shock
ah it's It's the name change. um Although there were several images that ah that kind of caught my attention but didn't didn't really stick with me necessarily. ah the The splendid garland in the royal turban ah in God's hand. um but Something that just, I don't know, that kind of my ear caught on to. But um I also I enjoy any time that there are name changes in the Bible, which I can't think of a ton of examples, but off the top of my head, the big one is Jacob becomes Israel after the wrestling match with the mysterious visitor in the in the depth of night. ah The other one is in Hosea, I think it is, where the people are no longer called not my people, but are now called my people.

06:33.74
Nathan Pile
Hm?

06:34.14
Kevin Shock
um and um

06:38.92
Kevin Shock
yeah i i'm i'm just in truth when When the condition or the responsibility of the people changes, God sometimes changes the name. and I think that that's think it's noteworthy.

07:00.73
Kevin Shock
I like to hear that God changes the name of the people and the land, ah and it's very clear what the condition was before the name changed, deserted and abandoned, ah or abandoned and deserted, and now the people are called, my delight is in her, and the land is called married, which I think is a strange name for a land.

07:28.38
Kevin Shock
but um that it does speak to it does speak to um unbroken or unbreakable covenant that God has with the land specifically, but also the people. Yeah, so the name changes. that's what That's what captures my attention here. What about you, Nathan? What word phrase or image strikes you in this in this text?

07:52.76
Nathan Pile
ah the the I was i was um caught by the name change at the end. But for me, I think it the thing that that got me thinking first was at the very beginning, ah for Zion's sake and for Jerusalem's sake, um you know the the um the author here is, is

08:23.02
Nathan Pile
connecting us with, again, the the the places of of God's people, so Zion and Jerusalem.

08:36.68
Nathan Pile
um

08:39.71
Nathan Pile
But that is, you know, at the very beginning of this chapter is is calling our attention to

08:50.79
Nathan Pile
hey, I'm sharing this, not just for me. and So recognizing there's a community aspect to this message that is that is coming to be shared. And so I was just struck by, for for Zion's sake, um and and then right after the repetition with for Jerusalem's sake. So you know Zion and Jerusalem are, it would be like saying,

09:20.35
Nathan Pile
I can't even think of what, for for Pittsburgh's sake, and then saying, or let me reverse that for, um well, growing up in the age that we were for like three rivers sake.

09:39.23
Nathan Pile
um

09:39.89
Kevin Shock
Yeah, there you go.

09:41.06
Nathan Pile
for Three Rivers sake, ah for Three Rivers stadium sake, and then saying, and for Pittsburgh sake. So it's like talking about the same place twice.

09:50.68
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

09:51.28
Nathan Pile
um So there's some level of emphasis here that's that's happening. And so, um you know, I I picked a Three Rivers because actual, or whatever it is now, stadium, it doesn't roll off the tongue the same way.

10:05.90
Kevin Shock
Oh, Acrisure.

10:06.30
Nathan Pile
um Acrisure, Acrisure Stadium um doesn't roll off the tongue.

10:07.72
Kevin Shock
No, it doesn't roll off the tongue. No.

10:12.69
Nathan Pile
so but it's So you have the same idea that's happening here. But but the author of Isaiah is is telling us here, or trying to get get our attention, that they are not going to um sit still and be quiet, um but make sure that others recognize um what's happening here.

10:37.50
Nathan Pile
and so

10:40.36
Nathan Pile
and and Proclaiming, as as we get later on, this name change that that occurs as a part of it. It was that idea of of the the simple repetition of the space in place, but also trying to, you know the reason that repetition is being used and and trying to kind of stir up our focus or our attention on what the what the author is is going to proclaim in these next passages, in these next verses um as ah as a literary tool, I guess.

11:20.19
Kevin Shock
Yeah, I think I think your example is a good one. I especially like it because you chose a ah like a geographical feature. um

11:30.18
Nathan Pile
Right.

11:31.34
Kevin Shock
Three Rivers in Pittsburgh. The first thing that came to my head was the for the Big Apple's sake and for New York City's sake.

11:38.94
Nathan Pile
Right.

11:39.09
Kevin Shock
ah But that's just a nickname.

11:39.77
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

11:40.80
Kevin Shock
I mean, Pittsburgh's the steel city, too.

11:41.23
Nathan Pile
Yeah, that's just, an yeah.

11:42.97
Kevin Shock
But that but what you what you chose there was a was a a geographical feature. So the the land of the three rivers for the land of the three rivers sake and for Pittsburgh's sake, which we know to be the same thing, um but two different names for the same thing.

11:51.08
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

11:53.77
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

11:56.98
Nathan Pile
Right.

11:59.36
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

12:00.76
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

12:00.94
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

12:02.73
Nathan Pile
Right. and And so we're talking about Zion. When we're talking about Zion, we're talking about the the the Temple Mount space and Jerusalem, all you know all of that.

12:09.16
Kevin Shock
Yeah. Mm hmm.

12:10.93
Nathan Pile
So it is geography-based um um kind of a piece here.

12:13.15
Kevin Shock
Yep. Yep.

12:16.99
Nathan Pile
So yeah.

12:20.20
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

12:21.07
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

12:21.61
Nathan Pile
Uh, and, and like, uh, you're ah to kind of build off, a you're like, I'll be honest ah reading verses four and then getting into five, like, I understand the author's going in that direction, but boy, you're, um, it is, it is, uh, it catches your attention and then you're like, now what exactly are we doing here?

12:21.77
Kevin Shock
Good.

12:40.38
Nathan Pile
So we'll talk about that probably a little bit more next. So I don't want to get too far in there, but, uh, but it's, uh,

12:45.17
Kevin Shock
Yeah, i yeah i i don't I don't entirely understand verse five, I'll be honest with you. ah

12:53.47
Nathan Pile
I figured it was just one one of those, well, you said about it, we said about married up here.

12:53.89
Kevin Shock
ah

12:57.59
Nathan Pile
So let's just keep talking about marriage. inverse like it's that kind of It has that kind of feel to it.

13:01.98
Kevin Shock
Yeah, it seems, yes, yeah, yeah.

13:05.41
Nathan Pile
so

13:06.46
Kevin Shock
Yeah, because the Lord delights in you, your land will be cared for once again. I mean, that ah that I understand.

13:13.01
Nathan Pile
Yep.

13:13.25
Kevin Shock
And as a young man, Mary's a young woman, so your sons will marry you. I don't know. is that Is that like your sons, the people's sons will marry the land? Is that what that's saying?

13:25.33
Kevin Shock
um Or will like we'll be caretakers of the land? that's Honestly, that's the closest thing to making sense that I can figure out.

13:32.07
Nathan Pile
you could yeah

13:33.86
Kevin Shock
um But it's not entirely, it's not entirely not entirely clear, no.

13:34.11
Nathan Pile
yeah yep

13:38.25
Nathan Pile
It's not entirely clear here and I was going to jump up and grab a book and and see if ah some more context would help me. but um

13:47.88
Kevin Shock
Yeah, also also though, I think it's all right to just a voice that ah prophecy is not always entirely clear.

13:58.32
Kevin Shock
No. Sometimes getting the getting the sense of the matter is more important than understanding all the details about what God is saying.

14:07.69
Nathan Pile
Yeah, yeah.

14:09.15
Kevin Shock
And I think we can i think we can get the sense of what's going on here from from the things you and I have already discussed.

14:15.07
Nathan Pile
Yeah, yeah.

14:15.28
Kevin Shock
so So we'll read through it a second time.

14:17.14
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

14:18.43
Kevin Shock
We'll see if we have any other brilliant thoughts or insights, but we'll also discuss the second question. From Isaiah 62. For Zion's sake, I won't keep silent.

14:30.02
Kevin Shock
And for Jerusalem's sake, I won't sit still until her righteousness shines out like a light and her salvation blazes like a torch. Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory.

14:42.21
Kevin Shock
You will be called by a new name, which the Lord's own mouth will determine. You will be a splendid garland in the Lord's hand, a royal turban in the palm of God's hand. You will no longer be called Abandoned, and your land will no longer be called Deserted. Instead, you will be called, My Delight Is In Her, and your land Married. Because the Lord delights in you, your land will be cared for once again. As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you. With the joy of a bridegroom because of his bride, so your God will rejoice because of you.

15:18.86
Kevin Shock
Nathan, toward what is God calling you in this text?

15:23.55
Nathan Pile
um I think, again, the connection to marriage for me um makes me feel as if, as ah as I hear this, as I heard you read this, there's a piece of being claimed and connected.

15:44.23
Nathan Pile
um and so um the author, as I read this, as as I interpret it, I feel called to recognize that God has a connection and a claim

15:59.45
Nathan Pile
for me um and for um for God's people. And so yeah so it's not just Nathan, even though Nathan does mean a gift from God. um

16:12.46
Nathan Pile
the But that there's in this, that there is this

16:20.01
Nathan Pile
like It feels like it's almost a secret, but and and Isaiah is telling us, this isn't a secret, but you should know this. like um I'm not going to be quiet about this. I want you to know that you are claimed and connected um um in in in in in this relationship.

16:46.63
Nathan Pile
And so we're no longer you know we're no longer the outcasts. ah We're no longer alone. um Instead, we are we are connected.

17:05.46
Nathan Pile
We are connected to the divine. And because of that connection, it also means other connections, if that makes sense.

17:18.01
Kevin Shock
What would some of those other connections be?

17:20.52
Nathan Pile
Well, it would be, as you were as you were alluding to earlier, as you were defining the young men, um because we're connected, the others that the the people that we're gathered with, the communities that we live in, also steward relationships with us.

17:38.19
Kevin Shock
okay

17:38.83
Nathan Pile
because we are because we are um we live in relationship with God, we also therefore then live in relationship with others. And that those relationships um are designed out of care and connection um because of the one who has claimed us.

17:48.93
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

18:05.04
Nathan Pile
Does that help define that a little bit more?

18:06.41
Kevin Shock
Yeah. Yeah, sure. Mm hmm.

18:15.21
Nathan Pile
So because we're claimed in relationship um and connected in that relationship because of of of the divine, there are others that also will will walk with us, that will be united with us.

18:33.86
Nathan Pile
um

18:37.74
Nathan Pile
in in our living, in our in our you know service, work together, um love of love of love of neighbor, we do this together.

18:59.42
Kevin Shock
Yep. Got it.

19:02.10
Nathan Pile
What about you, my friend? Towards what? um do you are you Is God calling you towards in this?

19:09.13
Kevin Shock
Um, I'm, I am drawn to that first verse. And the, um, God says, I won't sit still until, until her righteousness shines out like a light and her salvation blazes like a torch.

19:28.16
Kevin Shock
um I think that there are times in our lives, I'm kind of in the middle of one of those times right now, where ah i don't ah on my well I never on my own feel like I'm righteous, but I also feel like my ah my my ability to live into my righteousness or God's righteousness is ah is lessened now than it normally is um just because I don't, I'm not functioning like I normally would. ah And so i'm I'm drawn to being, um I feel like I'm being called to look for how other people exhibit righteousness.

20:15.22
Kevin Shock
and let that inform me and how God's salvation is made known through other people and let that inform me as well. um

20:28.60
Kevin Shock
Yeah. um I think that ah I think i think it's easy to kind of get wrapped up it's easy for me to get wrapped up in like what I do, ah even though you and I have talked so much on this podcast and in other places in life and ah in in all kinds of venues about how what we do is not nearly as important as who we are.

20:54.26
Kevin Shock
Um, so often what we do or what we're able to do does defines for us who we are. And that's not really, that's not true. It's not the case. Um, but I, you know, I can, I can speak from personal experience. I know you can speak from personal experience that when our, when our ability to do is diminished, uh, there's, it changes it changes our view of who we are.

21:21.92
Kevin Shock
um And it's an odd feeling, but I think it's a it's like good reminder sometimes that that god God is still at work in the world beyond just what we're able to do. And in fact, God is still working on our behalf.

21:41.01
Kevin Shock
um

21:44.12
Kevin Shock
and and And even if we can't live into the normal ways of

21:52.29
Kevin Shock
how we work on behalf of others, um God is still working on their behalf. god is God is finding other people with gifts who are able to help in ways that are necessary. I don't know how else to articulate it really, but that's just... I guess to boil it down, when ah when when we're feeling

22:19.87
Kevin Shock
when we're feeling a little less worthwhile or worthy or whatever, um God's righteousness still shines out and God's salvation still blazes like a torch.

22:38.07
Kevin Shock
So I'm feeling called to look for those things.

22:44.47
Nathan Pile
And so in seeing that blazing, the rest of us are nourished by it, nurtured by it.

22:51.78
Kevin Shock
Well, I'm certainly nurtured by it. um ah I think that there i think that there are times there are times when I'm more want to ask the question, how how can I be blazing with God's salvation for the sake of others? And there are times when I just can't do that. And so I have to look for how God's salvation blazes for me as well, or not as well, but that has to be the primary thing that I'm looking for.

23:21.86
Kevin Shock
I, yeah, I just it's It's a constant struggle for me and my preaching and such, where I you know ah i think many of us so easily turn to, this is what God has done for us, and so then this is what we should do in response.

23:42.63
Kevin Shock
as good Lutherans. We talk about it in response. It's not but what we do to earn God's favor. It's what God's favor has enabled us to do. um But again, that's not it's it's it's not possible for everyone at all times.

23:59.54
Nathan Pile
Sure.

24:00.44
Kevin Shock
and Yeah.

24:00.52
Nathan Pile
sure

24:03.32
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

24:08.52
Kevin Shock
Yeah, that's that's just what's kind of been swirling around my head. I think a couple of things that have informed that. um this says i I was reflecting back on Christmas Eve ah that this was this was the first Christmas Eve in 27 years, which seems so long, that I haven't been doing some kind of church work.

24:34.69
Kevin Shock
ah on Christmas Eve. not I haven't been ordained that long, but I was working in a church before I went to seminary and then I was in seminary and ah since then I've been ordained. um But not only, ah you know, I couldn't tell you the last time that I didn't even go to church on Christmas Eve.

24:59.31
Kevin Shock
It's been a lot longer than 27 years.

25:02.26
Nathan Pile
Right.

25:02.72
Kevin Shock
ah And so it was a weird experience.

25:03.03
Nathan Pile
right

25:06.43
Kevin Shock
And I ended up late at night, you know, kind of realize it's still in my eye. I got home at like, I don't know, noon, one o'clock on Christmas Eve day and was just kind of like settling in and getting used to being back home and trying to figure things out.

25:25.63
Kevin Shock
And then it wasn't until it was very late at night. where I was upstairs in bed and had the thought, oh, I could watch a worship service so happening somewhere, um but it was already like 10 30 here.

25:42.45
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

25:44.78
Kevin Shock
And I thought, well, I think I probably missed a good portion of the ones that are being live streamed around here. So ah ah a colleague of mine but that got to know through coaching ministry, um Has a pretty big active church in rural Minnesota. And so I kind of figured they must be live streaming something out there. And sure enough, they were live streaming their 10 PM service. So it would have been 11 PM here. And I ended up watching it, but also was very grateful that they, you know, for the hymns had the words to the hymns that came up on the screen.

26:23.97
Nathan Pile
Mm, participate.

26:24.42
Kevin Shock
So I could, you know, I like I could sing along.

26:27.29
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

26:27.90
Kevin Shock
Yeah. And. um And it was ah it was a really weird feeling to be.

26:38.25
Kevin Shock
ah Alone in my bed. But but then also connected. um Yeah, just. It was a connection I think I needed. Yeah.

26:56.05
Kevin Shock
And then afterwards, you know I I made a he didn't preach as one of his other yeah their pastors in the congregation preached. um And it was a great sermon too. I couldn't really tell you what it was about at this point. But um but I commented on the feed during the sermon, so something she said really spoke to me.

27:19.94
Kevin Shock
and

27:23.10
Kevin Shock
And then I sent him a message afterwards and um and he wrote back a long response and you know it was just nice to make that connection.

27:34.98
Kevin Shock
Yeah. and you know it's it's i think I think you're worse at it than I am, Nathan, but but sitting still and not being able to do things is really frustrating.

27:49.31
Nathan Pile
I like how you yeah backed over me um in the bus first.

27:52.90
Kevin Shock
No, you know, it's true, though.

27:54.15
Nathan Pile
and

27:54.67
Kevin Shock
You know, it's true. You know, it's true. I like I'm I'm Mr. Hey, give give me a give me a week and like, you know, I will find every way possible to disconnect and relax.

28:06.53
Kevin Shock
ah that you Yeah.

28:06.97
Nathan Pile
right

28:08.40
Kevin Shock
you You get antsy. I know you get antsy. I'm not saying I'm not saying it's a I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Let's say it's a failure.

28:15.62
Nathan Pile
I should.

28:15.91
Kevin Shock
You get antsy.

28:16.31
Nathan Pile
Okay.

28:16.71
Kevin Shock
I know you.

28:16.98
Nathan Pile
All right. one fit Yeah, I do get it.

28:18.95
Kevin Shock
Yeah, I know you do.

28:18.98
Nathan Pile
Um, listening to your reflection, though, it does make me like you haven't used those words, these words, but there's still a feeling of what you're sharing.

28:31.57
Nathan Pile
You know, because you're talking about a connection with others um that you experienced, even though through a screen, at a time when your body was was you know had been ah beaten up and abused the day before, essentially in surgery.

28:50.01
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

28:51.53
Nathan Pile
And so you weren't able to do the things that you were accustomed to doing and everything takes longer now. um And though you weren't alone because your spouse was there and supporting you in the midst of things.

29:04.37
Nathan Pile
there's still that piece of, again, I don't think it's as as extreme as these the name of abandonment or being deserted, but that piece of um of still a loss of community that you're accustomed to over the last 30 plus years of your life that occurs at a Christmas Eve service when you're in person.

29:16.13
Kevin Shock
No, no, definitely not.

29:31.11
Kevin Shock
Sure. Yeah.

29:33.37
Nathan Pile
um and there's And there's a piece of, well, so it's just, it's interesting to hear you kind of reflect on that Christmas Eve and and then to to see the same piece of,

29:48.28
Nathan Pile
of as you as you shared, seeing that torch of God, that light of God. um presented on the screen um through a worship service still allows that those connections of of of being claimed, of belonging to the divine and to the community that surrounds the divine.

30:17.84
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah. Yep.

30:22.10
Nathan Pile
Yeah. Well, and there is something about singing and and we do it more at Christmas time or whatever, for whatever reason, we feel more free to do it. You know, obviously at Christmas time, I make comments about the homework movies that have to be watched in my household.

30:42.13
Nathan Pile
um But like every time I'm always like oh, yeah, let's just break into Christmas Carol like with that's normal um But like on Hallmark, that's what they do like people just all of a sudden they break it Let's sing and I'm like, yeah that never happens in real life like other than at Christmas time in, not just in churches, but in like, in commute, like it's an okay thing down to sing, you know, kind of thing.

31:05.56
Kevin Shock
Yeah. Yeah.

31:07.64
Nathan Pile
But there is something about, again, there's really good music at Christmas time. Not that there's not really good music all of the time in in places, but like we know them, where we feel confident in singing them.

31:19.38
Nathan Pile
And so we will sing them. And there's something about that, again, as community. like that you walk out the door and your just your spirits are lifted because group singing happened.

31:26.63
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

31:32.94
Nathan Pile
um Again for Martin Luther that was a big thing of making music together but

31:34.53
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

31:39.91
Nathan Pile
And so it's a part of our tradition in that way. And so there might be others that don't aren't familiar with that tradition. um But in our liturgy and and worship oftentimes there is that. But it does kind of lift the spirits that were connected together. you know And one of the things that I recall talking about in the car ride back from Christmas Eve was The music was really good and the singing was really good, you know, kind of a thing.

32:05.43
Nathan Pile
And we were all together and doing that piece, the confidence of of ah doing that together. So, yeah.

32:13.28
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah.

32:14.84
Nathan Pile
All right.

32:15.34
Kevin Shock
Let's.

32:15.70
Nathan Pile
I'll do this a third time.

32:23.84
Nathan Pile
For Zion's sake, I won't keep silent. And for Jerusalem's sake, I won't sit still. until her righteousness shines out like a light, and her salvation blazes like a torch. Nations will see your righteousness, all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name, which the Lord's own mouth will determine. You will be a splendid garland in the Lord's hand, a royal turban in the palm of God's hand. You will no longer be called Abandoned,

32:57.51
Nathan Pile
and your land will no longer be called Deserted. Instead, you will be called, My Delight Is In Her, and your land, Married. Because the Lord delights in you, your land will be cared for once again. As a young man marries a young woman, so your sons will marry you.

33:27.39
Nathan Pile
with the joy of a bridegroom because of your bride, because of his bride, so your God will rejoice because of you.

33:41.66
Nathan Pile
What new name might the Lord give you?

33:47.33
Kevin Shock
That's a hard question. I don't know why I chose a question so hard. um

33:55.57
Kevin Shock
ah I, I, mmm Well, okay. i What did I say earlier?

34:06.44
Kevin Shock
A new name comes with either a change of condition or a change of responsibility, which maybe those go hand in hand.

34:11.52
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

34:14.66
Kevin Shock
ah I think I would like to be called, I mean, I'll still be called handsome, that's okay. But I would like to be called renewed.

34:22.72
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

34:25.84
Kevin Shock
ah I think I'm ah i'm in a um in a time of physical renewal for sure. ah I also in the past few days have found myself longing for some spiritual renewal.

34:42.84
Nathan Pile
Mmm.

34:43.76
Kevin Shock
And

34:46.65
Kevin Shock
Not that I'm in like a, not that I'm in a bad place, but, um,

34:54.99
Kevin Shock
I, yeah, I just, I think I, I think I want some growth to come out of this experience and, and I kind of, I trust that it will. I just don't know what it looks like right now. I don't know what, uh, yeah, I don't, I don't know exactly what that looks like, but.

35:16.42
Kevin Shock
one thing One thing I've been thinking about, um I want to do a better job of keeping Sabbath.

35:26.49
Kevin Shock
Lisa and I kind of had a conversation last week sometime where we were, we were talking about you know what what happens if ah what happens if I need to take more time off work or things like that. and We both kind of came to the realization that, boy, this past year, we have we have been terrible about using our vacation and our paid time off and things like that.

35:47.02
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

35:48.13
Kevin Shock
And so that's that's one of my goals for this new year is to use all my vacation.

35:55.71
Kevin Shock
And because I think, first of all, there's no shame in that, um but it's also

36:06.69
Kevin Shock
It's a way to care for myself and care for my family and also care for my own sense of vocation and connection. So maybe maybe yeah maybe renewed is a good new name for me. ah Yeah.

36:28.46
Kevin Shock
I, I, one of One of my friends from Seminary, I just saw a Facebook post from her a few days ago that apparently she picks a word to focus on every year. And i I didn't know that that was a practice of hers, or at least I didn't remember that it was a practice of hers. But I think that's a... I can see how that would be a ah helpful practice. Kind of kind of a ah theme for the year.

36:54.70
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

36:55.14
Kevin Shock
Uh, and I can't remember what her word was, but I, but I think maybe my word has needs to be renewed. I think that's a good word.

37:05.46
Kevin Shock
Yeah. What about you, Nathan? What, what new name might the Lord give you?

37:09.53
Nathan Pile
Well, I wanted to talk a little bit more about yours. um Well, just because I like it makes it make, ah you know, being your friend and recognizing, um, what has led up to what's gone on for you here the last two weeks, this time of healing, but the time of surgery that was before it, like, um, it makes, I guess there's ah words of affirmation for you is that it makes absolute sense that you would want to feel.

37:42.69
Nathan Pile
or or be in a time of renewing yourself in that, yes, you got this place that's been a literal pain in the buttocks.

37:47.33
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

37:54.55
Nathan Pile
um

37:56.62
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

37:56.57
Nathan Pile
See how I cleaned that up for the podcast?

37:58.41
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

37:58.59
Nathan Pile
I cleaned up for the podcast, everybody.

38:00.39
Kevin Shock
Thanks. Thanks.

38:00.78
Nathan Pile
um

38:03.35
Kevin Shock
My gosh.

38:04.34
Nathan Pile
What Kevin is in telling you is that he spent an hour with his friends texting him after his surgery asking about his buttocks. Because that's the kind of friends he has, um ah me being one of them.

38:19.38
Nathan Pile
Anyway, ah but like like so there's been this pain that has been a part of life for you and and it really has been consuming.

38:19.51
Kevin Shock
so Yeah.

38:23.31
Kevin Shock
ah

38:27.40
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

38:31.12
Nathan Pile
um

38:31.86
Kevin Shock
Yeah, it has been.

38:32.63
Nathan Pile
and and we and And as much as you tried to care for yourself in that midst, it's not the same as now the pain has been removed and you can actually care for yourself in other ways.

38:49.24
Nathan Pile
um Like there's things that you just couldn't do.

38:50.28
Kevin Shock
Mm hmm.

38:53.83
Nathan Pile
Your hip was destroyed. um

38:58.45
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

38:58.95
Nathan Pile
but And so you were just trying to make it through, whereas now there's that hope of things are physically better. You have some rehabbing and things like that that have to happen, but there're there's hope for um what you can be doing and helping yourself to renew in that process.

39:19.75
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

39:19.71
Nathan Pile
And and so it makes complete sense that you wanna take some time and be able to process. all of it and and what's the lessons from it. So I say, yeah, take the time to do it, my friend. um Take the year to renew.

39:33.61
Nathan Pile
um

39:34.60
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

39:35.54
Nathan Pile
you know That's an interesting ah piece. It's obvious. um you know You're so thoughtful here with your answer. And I have been very busy the last three weeks. um We have had lots of groups in since the 20th of December. and and And so there would be, for me, a a place of, like i've I've probably gone through three different words of things that I would like to be named.

40:06.15
Nathan Pile
um and some of them were like things like persistence, but being persistent um and stuff like that. But I think the the if the the one I'm resting on at this moment and in five minutes, you could ask me again and I might have another one, um but would be grateful.

40:26.31
Nathan Pile
ah

40:29.37
Nathan Pile
I've spent the last 10 days

40:35.11
Nathan Pile
cleaning multiple buildings, moving snow, pushing vehicles out of the snow. um

40:42.92
Nathan Pile
and And I've come to the place of like, is this really what, is this what the camp director, it means to be a camp director? ah Like ah that's where I'm at. And so I'm like, uh, and so like not really feeling grateful at all for anything that's gone on the last two weeks um ah because it's been, you know, you know, I, I know.

41:05.53
Nathan Pile
that um my break is coming. My break is coming in two days when I'm going to take a week off. and so But I haven't had very much of that, whereas typically I do. But because of our season right now this year, that we were super, super engaged with groups ah since the 20th of December. And so um it's been really Wonderful in seeing that host and being a host and and and doing all of those pieces but um but and the selfish side of me is like, when's it my turn, you know, kind of a thing and so.

41:41.83
Kevin Shock
yeah

41:42.76
Nathan Pile
um And so that piece of being able to be grateful for what was here, knowing that I got my time is coming that for that rest and renewal for my spirit kind of a thing you know we squeezed in Christmas Day I did take Christmas Day off.

42:00.67
Nathan Pile
um and told the groups that were here, don't expect to see me unless there's a major problem. um But otherwise, like, but how do we in our world, how do we in our world um be grateful in the midst of, because I got to see lots of wonderful things um of of, you know,

42:08.59
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

42:27.84
Nathan Pile
some of it's family reunion, some of it's a large group that comes and and spends their Christmas break together as a community. And so being able to watch that unfold and be a part of it to to assist in making that happen. Just, you know, I spent way much way more time with snow and snow removal than I wanted to do over the holiday.

42:54.72
Nathan Pile
But again, it's a beautiful part of where we live. And so being able to kind of take that in. And so how do i how am I grateful for that and the and the the busyness of this season along with all of the things that we have to do to wrap up our year as a as a nonprofit in Pennsylvania and so forth. and so um but individual having, you know, having contacts with donors and alumni and stuff ah is, it happens a lot here at the end of the year. And so all of those conversations and phone calls and in-person meetings, also what a blessing they are and and not to be, to have them, oh, it's just one more thing. It's just one more thing, kind of a thing. So, um you know, I think the, the

43:49.82
Nathan Pile
to to hear A1 that the Lord is delighted with us um and that that delight might free me to be to be grateful for the ways that others care for this space and place and even for me.

44:05.36
Kevin Shock
Oh, yeah.

44:18.29
Nathan Pile
as we do that. So like that that's I think that would be the the name i that the or or the word that would stick out as, I'm sure somebody's name means grateful.

44:31.24
Nathan Pile
If Nathan, Nathaniel means gift from God. Nathaniel, there's gotta be somebody's name that means grateful.

44:37.77
Kevin Shock
Mhm.

44:42.83
Nathan Pile
um Back in the Hebrew someplace, I don't know.

44:43.49
Kevin Shock
Probably.

44:46.99
Nathan Pile
um maybe Miriam or Mary might connect with that. So, ah you know, ah ah your your reflection kind of made me think it a little bit on a little bit deeper level of what ah what would that new, you know, I wouldn't would be humbling to receive a name um from God that God would give us or the Lord would give us a name a new name.

45:15.63
Nathan Pile
um But I would hope that in that gift of a name, that it might call me to be yet a new version of, maybe not a new version, but um a more complete version of myself um by seeing that in others and helping me to be a light as Zion and Jerusalem might be a light in the world kind of thing, so. Yeah, I think that's where I'm at.

45:54.63
Kevin Shock
um

45:58.20
Kevin Shock
Shakira means but grateful.

46:01.23
Nathan Pile
Oh.

46:02.75
Kevin Shock
And Asher means blessed, happy. I think that's more blessed, but yeah. Jaden is a Hebrew boy's name, meaning thankful, grateful.

46:20.70
Kevin Shock
and he will judge. Anyway, ah it's scary how our phones listen to us because i um I started to type in my phone, what name means? And Google wanted to auto populate with gift from God.

46:44.40
Kevin Shock
Well, Google, I already know the answer to that one because I've heard it a million times.

46:44.57
Nathan Pile
So I don't need that answer. I don't need that answer.

46:51.52
Kevin Shock
but Yeah, I don't need that answer. Yeah. Well, I, I really i appreciate your reflection, Nathan. then it um There's been a theme throughout this episode, too, where we you especially have kept talking about connection. And it your reflection has made me reflect, too, on on that new name, that word that I want to focus on, and and and thinking about how that how um seeking a grateful spirit, how seeking renewal ah aids us in our connections to others. um And I think that, um you know, it's it's easy to lose our focus on things. It's easy, it the um the urgent things or

47:47.59
Kevin Shock
Yeah, no the the urgent things are often what get our attention, and we don't often get to name what's urgent for ourselves.

47:51.83
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

47:56.01
Nathan Pile
Well,

47:56.83
Kevin Shock
You and you and I both work in, although we wouldn't traditionally call them service industries, their industry they're, they're calls in which we serve other people. and so

48:06.87
Nathan Pile
sure oh

48:08.29
Kevin Shock
you know you and I both get emails or text messages saying, I need to talk about this right now.

48:14.65
Nathan Pile
yeah

48:16.28
Kevin Shock
And right now, we we tend to accommodate right now because we can. And I'm not talking about you and me, I, everybody does, I think.

48:28.17
Nathan Pile
Sure. Sure.

48:28.63
Kevin Shock
um but ah But I think building boundaries, and I think about the work of building boundaries, And I think about it, if I prioritize taking the time to connect with God, with the people I love and care for, ah with my spouse,

48:53.43
Kevin Shock
um which often, you know, I mean, honestly, When you have two people in a household who have fairly demanding jobs, it's it's easy to not focus on each other. And that's and it's not right, it's not healthy, it's not good. ah I think Lisa and I find that time, but I would, you know, I, I, part part of my renewal for this year is I wanna find more time to focus on her.

49:22.10
Kevin Shock
ah

49:24.79
Kevin Shock
um But also do prioritizing those things helps me to enter connections with people that I do serve but that with a healthier attitude. um you know I don't, I don't, I never I don't gripe at the people who text me after hours or on my day off.

49:50.65
Kevin Shock
not personally, I don't gripe to them, but I gripe internally. And and ah that probably affects how I interact with them to some extent.

49:55.29
Nathan Pile
Sure.

50:01.73
Nathan Pile
Hmm, yeah.

50:04.64
Kevin Shock
And um and so building some of those boundaries where there are times where ah not not everything um not not every other person's emergency has to become my priority.

50:20.92
Kevin Shock
I can still attend to it in due time, even if I don't do it right now. um But building up some of those boundaries or or keeping those boundaries, um I think will allow me to be healthier in in the work that I do as well.

50:39.61
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

50:43.70
Kevin Shock
So i can I can grow into being more grateful for the for the interruptions that I have.

50:50.51
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

50:54.05
Kevin Shock
yeah Yeah, I just, I wanted to reflect too. I think that um I think that I, I, I went into the surgery thinking that I would I would get a new hip and everything would instantly change.

51:10.17
Kevin Shock
um And it's not the case. I should, I should have known that. i did know I did know that. I think I had in my head that, yeah, I'll have to do some physical therapy, but you know all all my all the pain that I had been experienced would be gone. I mean, some things I didn't consider is that you know I've been, my my body has been operating out of whack for nine, 10 months. And so it it takes some effort to get it back into, like they' you know there were things physically. I went to the, you know my first visits of physical therapy

51:46.82
Kevin Shock
the one exercise they gave me, which should be a simple exercise I could not do without assistance. And I was just dumbfounded at it. Like, why won't this muscle work? And and it's gotten a lot better.

52:04.19
Nathan Pile
Sure.

52:04.35
Kevin Shock
through some through some work, it's it's gotten a lot better. But i that kind of was an awakening to me that um you're you're not renewed yet. And so I do want that to be my word for this year because I'm realizing that two weeks out of surgery, I'm not at the end of the journey.

52:21.25
Kevin Shock
I'm i'm still very much in the middle of it.

52:25.05
Nathan Pile
Yeah.

52:25.82
Kevin Shock
And and I'm I'm I'm at a point now where I feel like I can really, now I can begin to be renewed.

52:34.10
Nathan Pile
Mm.

52:34.99
Kevin Shock
that I'm not already renewed, but I can begin it.

52:37.94
Nathan Pile
Begin. Yeah.

52:41.86
Kevin Shock
So yeah, that's, yeah. it it that I think that's something I've had to contend with these past couple of weeks. And and um and i'm and I'm grateful that I'm at a place where I can begin that renewal.

52:57.02
Kevin Shock
um I had a conversation with a woman at physical therapy yesterday, who she wasn't there for PT, but her husband was. And I realized pretty quickly that I had to put on my pastor hat.

53:11.48
Kevin Shock
And and and renewal is not an option for him.

53:15.86
Nathan Pile
Hmm. Hmm.

53:18.98
Kevin Shock
um they they have They have stopped the deterioration He's he's not necessarily going to get worse, but he's not going to get better than what he is right now and and You know, she was talking to me about "I Have to convince my husband that we need to move" And that's why that's a burden So anyway, I can I

53:28.12
Nathan Pile
Not gonna get better. Hmm.

53:41.26
Nathan Pile
Wow, yeah.

53:49.74
Nathan Pile
Well, and and the part of your renewal, the part of your renewal piece is that there's hope there for you. But that this individual that you were talking with, she she there's not that there there is there hope.

53:56.71
Kevin Shock
Right. Right.

54:02.98
Nathan Pile
You know, as a part of that, that he- can help drive her and and and her husband.

54:04.92
Kevin Shock
Right. Right.

54:08.69
Nathan Pile
um

54:12.30
Nathan Pile
And if so, what does that look like? If there's, if there's not getting better, but maintaining where they're at, which, you know, the reason you go to the doctor is because you don't feel good.

54:24.82
Kevin Shock
Yeah. Yeah.

54:29.05
Nathan Pile
So you feel better. You know, that's the whole, um,

54:32.46
Kevin Shock
Right, right. Yeah, and so I think that takes us full circle back to, well, not full circle, but where I was earlier too, that that um there there's,

54:49.96
Kevin Shock
I think I saw yesterday that there's, that my, that God's righteousness is going to shine through me again and God's salvation is going to blaze. I, I hope that it was shining for that woman yesterday. As I sat there listening to her. um But yeah, yeah, it's. I mean, I'm grateful. I'm I'm grateful to be where I am now and.

55:27.47
Kevin Shock
And it's it's not a. It's not a gift I want to waste.

55:33.96
Kevin Shock
ah Not just for myself, but for others.

55:34.12
Nathan Pile
Hmm.

55:35.92
Kevin Shock
So so this is a year of renewal.

55:36.90
Nathan Pile
Sure.

55:39.75
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

55:45.84
Kevin Shock
Well, anyway, that's ah was a lot more reflecting than what I thought I was going to get out of that, but any case.

55:47.75
Nathan Pile
Yeah. Well, thank you for. sharing

55:54.40
Kevin Shock
um There are some additional texts that you can reflect on and think about. This is the season after Epiphany, so there's a lot of ah revelation,

56:11.86
Kevin Shock
a lot of light, a lot of ah discovering who God is in the readings that we have, and they also then discovering things about ourselves in light of God. So some additional text, Psalm 36, verses five through 10, we feast upon the abundance of your house, O Lord. ah From 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, verses one through 11, there are a variety of gifts, but the same spirit.

56:40.86
Kevin Shock
And John chapter two, verses one through 11, the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performs his first miracle ah after he gets into a little argument with his mother in the gospel of John. So ah we hope that in this new year, you're finding time to reflect and ah think about the year ahead and think about your place in in your connection with God. um And as always, we welcome ah your reflections if you would like to share them with us. So Nathan, thanks for the discussion as always. And friends, we hope to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you.

57:28.55
Nathan Pile
and peace.