Why it Matters - Justice

Readings for today: Isaiah 59-63

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi. Dr. Mangalwadi is considered India’s foremost Christian philosopher as well as a leader in political, social, and educational reform movements. The author of over thirty books, he is a sought after speaker in churches and conferences and universities all over the world. He began his work among the rural poor in India, challenging the unjust caste system, and overcoming all kinds of hostility, persecution, and even imprisonment. He has continued to fight for justice and righteousness in the public square in his country as well as around the world. He was the featured speaker at India Christian Day which our church had the privilege of hosting this year and stayed over to speak at both our services on Sunday morning. He offered challenging words to all of us about the desperate need to raise up godly Christian leaders who would carry on the fight for justice and righteousness in our world. He didn’t pull any punches, calling out the church for her failure to be the light in the darkness. Most of all, he called us to again put the Scriptures at the center of our lives and our educational, political, and social systems. I know I walked away feeling deeply convicted.

Then I read Isaiah’s words this morning and my conviction only deepened. “The Lord watches and is displeased, for there is no justice. He sees there is no advocate; he is chocked that no one intervenes. So he takes matters into his own hands; his desire for justice drives him on. He wears his desire for justice like body armor, and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. He puts on the garments of vengeance and wears zeal like a robe.” (Isaiah 59:15b-17 NET) There is no justice. There is no advocate for justice. There is no one who intervenes on behalf of justice. Feels very familiar especially when I consider the corruption and deception and exploitation and oppression that is taking place all around us. Every human system seems rife with it. Politics. Social systems. Educational institutions. All of them have turned away from the truth. They no longer promote justice. They no longer produce righteousness. And their failures are taking their toll on society at large.

God is not blind to what is happening. He sees it. He knows it. And He is preparing His judgment. We have only one hope. We must turn to God. We must seek His face. We must be filled with His Spirit. We must fulfill the commission He has laid upon us to “encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement.” (Isaiah 61:1b-3a NET) Yes, we attribute these words to Jesus because He quotes them in the Gospels but they apply all those who follow Him as well. As we live out our high and holy calling, as we pursue justice and righteousness in our communities, nation and around the world; Jesus is faithful. He will make us “oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.” He will use us to rebuild the “perpetual ruins” and restore the “desolate places.” We will be called “the Lord’s priests, servants of our God.” Why? Because the Lord loves justice and will repay us according to His faithfulness. This is His promise.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 64-66

Why it Matters - Tension

Readings for today: Isaiah 54-58

The great Reformer, Martin Luther, taught that we learn to hear God’s voice in three primary ways. Oratio - Prayer. Meditatio - Meditation. En Tentatio - Within the “tensions” of real life. It is this last one that resonates most often with my heart. Many years ago, I took a trip to Rwanda. A nation still recovering from a horrific genocide that resulted in the death of over 1.1 million people. Spurred on by a racist national government with a history of systematic abuse and oppression, many ordinary, everyday people turned into rabid killers. They murdered and raped friends. Family members. Neighbors. Co-workers. Things turned so evil that some pastors turned on their congregations. They turned their church buildings into charnel houses. They lured their parishioners into traps with the promise of safety. One pastor even bulldozed his own church down on the heads of those he served. These events provide a dark backdrop to these words from Isaiah this morning... 

“They lament, ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast? Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’ Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires, you oppress your workers. Look, your fasting is accompanied by arguments, brawls, and fistfights. Do not fast as you do today, trying to make your voice heard in heaven. Is this really the kind of fasting I want? Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves, bowing their heads like a reed and stretching out on sackcloth and ashes? Is this really what you call a fast, a day that is pleasing to the Lord? No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people. When you see someone naked, clothe him! Don’t turn your back on your own flesh and blood! Then your light will shine like the sunrise; your restoration will quickly arrive; your godly behavior will go before you, and the Lord’s splendor will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬‬)

Rwanda was known for many years as a Christian nation. Some 90% of the population claimed to know Christ prior to the genocide. So how does one rationally explain how these same people ended carrying out one of the most gruesome pogroms in human history? Bishop John Rucyahana, a key figure in the forgiveness and reconciliation movement in the wake of the genocide, suggests it is because their Christianity only went skin deep. It hadn’t penetrated to the heart. Yes, they worshipped. Yes, they fasted and prayed. They had all the appearance of godliness but they did not love God with their hearts. Isaiah was facing a similar situation in his own time. The people of God worshipped, fasted, sang, made sacrifices. They appeared to follow God’s commands but in reality they were seeking their own pleasure. Their own power. The results were obvious to anyone who could see. Oppression of the weak. Violence. Dissention. Pride. All were hallmarks of Israel at the time.

In the face of such evil, God calls His people back to Himself. He calls them to lay aside their comforts, their safety and security, their wants and desires to serve a higher calling. A greater purpose. To humble themselves before the Lord and lay their lives and their future in His hands. Prior to returning to Rwanda, Bishop John was leading a flourishing ministry in Uganda. He was doing God’s work and many people were being saved. But God wanted Bishop John to leave his comfortable life and return to his own country. Bishop John reports hearing God telling him, “If you do not go there and present the healing gospel, then the fate of Rwanda will be in the hands of those who carry guns. If God is the remedy and the solution, whom shall He use, if you don’t allow Him to use you?” This powerful message from the Holy Spirit convicted Bishop John and he laid everything aside to return home. Isaiah calls his people to a similar return. To return back to God in faithfulness and service. To “remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke…to share your food with the hungry and to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.” God promises when His people commit their ways to Him, their light shall break forth like the dawn and the glory of the Lord will be their rearguard.

So...here’s the challenge for us...do we believe these words are as much for us today as they were for the people of God in Isaiah’s time? Do we believe God has called us to place our lives in His service? To loose the bonds of wickedness in our own communities and nation? To give all that we have and all that we are to the higher calling of righteousness and justice and peace? To set aside our own agendas and let God guide and direct our steps so that we might serve the oppressed and hungry and helpless in our midst? This is what it means to follow Christ. There are no other options. There is no other way.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Consolation

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 50-53

“How do people make it without Jesus?” I get this question a lot especially in times of tragedy and great loss. Death comes suddenly for someone we love, leaving us no time to say goodbye. A famine hits or a drought sets in and we watch our children suffer from hunger and malnourishment. Conflict breaks out. War between tribes. Villages are destroyed. Cities are looted. Residents are internally displaced. It’s brutal. It’s hard. All hope seems lost. And yet, even in the midst of the most difficult circumstances, people of faith find reserves of strength to draw on. They share what little they have with others. They find ways to serve even though they themselves barely have any strength. They experience joy even in the midst of grief and pain. All because of the presence of Jesus in their hearts and lives.

What set Israel apart from the other nations of the earth? The Lord. His abiding and faithful presence. The Lord persevered with Israel despite her sin, despite her rebellion, despite her rejection. And though He allowed her to suffer the consequences of her actions, He also was faithful to renew and restore. He met His people in the ruins of their lives. He visited them in the wilderness of their wandering. And He brought consolation. Comfort. Peace. “Certainly the Lord will console Zion; He will console all her ruins. He will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the Garden of the Lord. Happiness and joy will be restored to her, thanksgiving and the sound of music.” (Isaiah 51:3 NET)

Those who love the Lord live with a deep assurance. A certainty that undergirds them. A firm foundation on which they can stand. Jesus Himself talked about it. He talked about building one’s life on the rock so when the storms come and the winds blow, your home can stand. Isaiah would agree. “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return; they will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear. I, I am the One who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?” (Isaiah 51:11-12 NET) Do you live with this assurance? In the midst of stressful and difficult times, do you find yourself turning to the Lord for wisdom? When you experience grief and loss, do you find yourself trusting the Lord to give you hope and restore your joy? When you endure suffering and pain, do you find yourself looking to the Lord for healing and strength?

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 54-58

Why it Matters - The Absurdity of Idolatry

Readings for today: Isaiah 43-45, Psalms 80

“But is it true?” I often ask this question a lot when I meet with people who are not yet Christians. We talk about faith. We have deep discussions about the meaning of life. We discuss philosophy and religion and history and how humanity has interacted with the world. We compare and contrast belief systems and ethics. I don’t ever question their sincerity. Many of them are passionately devoted to their faith which I respect. They live lives I deeply admire. But eventually we do find ourselves coming to the fundamental question…is it true? Do the gods they believe in actually exist? Does their understanding of life and the universe and the world around us and even the human heart square with reality? This is where the rubber meets the road in our conversations and I find if I have done a good enough job listening and learning and loving them well, we end up in a sacred space where the Lord makes Himself known.

God is God. Without rival. Without peer. There simply is no other. And this God has made Himself known to His people. He has chosen them from before the foundations of the earth. He loves them and protects them. He guides them and directs them. When they go astray - as we all do - He lovingly disciplines them and corrects them. This is especially true when it comes to idolatry. God knows the poverty of our spiritual condition. He knows how tempting it is for us to worship gods of our own making. And He also knows how futile and empty and powerless such gods are. They are nothing. They have no form. They have no function. They have no authority or power. It doesn’t matter how sincere our devotion to them may be…they simply are not real. They do not exist. They are a lie. And that’s why God goes to such great lengths to make Himself known. He wants His people to know the truth. “I am the Lord and I have no peer.” “No god was formed before Me, and none will outlive Me.” “I, I am the Lord, there is no deliverer beside Me.” “I am the first and I am the last, there is no God but Me.” Over and over again, God makes it clear. He is God. There is no other. He is God. All other idols are worthless. He is God. He alone has the power to deliver and save.

Some place their trust in idols. Some place their trust in themselves. Some place their trust in their wealth and resources. Some place their trust in their influence and worldly power. All of it is an exercise in vanity. None of it has the power to deliver us from sin and death and the devil. None of it has the power to guarantee our eternity. Only God can provide the answers we are looking for. Only God can give us a sure and certain hope for the future. Only God can deliver on His promises. Because God is God and there is no other. Believe and trust and walk in this truth today.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 46-49, Psalms 135

Why it Matters - Confidence

Readings for today: Isaiah 36-37, 2 Kings 18:9-37, 19, 2 Chronicles 32:1-23, Psalms 76

“Where is your confidence?” What a great question from our reading today! Where is your confidence? Is it in your strength? Your wisdom? Your wealth? Your influence? Is it in your allies? Those who may come to your aid in time of need? Is it in human plans and human schemes? Where is your confidence? This was the challenge put before the people of Judah by the messenger from Sennacharib. In the face of overwhelming odds. An army that dwarfed their own. A military machine that had swept through nation after nation. An unstoppable force that now lay encamped on their doorstep. Where was their confidence?

This was Hezekiah’s greatest test and he passed with flying colors. He forbid his people to respond. He didn’t argue or try to defend himself or try to buy his way out of danger. He simply took the words of the pagan king and laid them before the Lord. “Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the Lord’s temple and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed before the Lord: “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” (Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭14‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬) Note what Hezekiah does not do. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his kingship. He doesn’t ask God to preserve his life. He doesn’t ask God to protect His Temple or even the city of Jerusalem. Hezekiah understands this battle is not about him. It’s not even about his people or his nation. It’s about God. It’s about God’s glory and God’s honor. So he calls on God to glorify Himself by delivering His people. He calls on God to defend His honor by humbling Sennacharib. He proclaims His faith in God as the one who commands legions and rules the nations of the earth. It’s a powerful prayer and one God answers miraculously.

Where is your confidence? When the principalities and powers of this world seem to be closing in on you, where do you turn? When things aren’t going your way and you feel hurt or betrayed by those you once thought were friends, where do you go? When the pressure is on and your situation is intense and you feel overwhelmed, who do you trust? The Lord or yourself? How do you pray? Do you pray with a desire to see God honored and glorified or are you just looking to get out of the situation you find yourself in? Let me challenge you to take Hezekiah’s prayer to heart and use it as a model the next time you feel anxious or afraid.

Readings for tomorrow: No readings on Sunday

Why it Matters - Fruitfulness

Readings for today: Isaiah 27-30

“I am the vine and you are the branches.” That’s the first thought that came to mind when I read our passage for today. Take a step back and one can easily see how Jesus draws on the imagery of the Old Testament when He teaches His disciples. He’s not just making it up. He’s taking them back to their history. Back to the sacred words of the prophets. Infusing new and fresh meaning in ancient words of revelation.

In the midst of all the fire and judgment, Isaiah looks forward to a day when God will plant a fine vineyard. He will tend it Himself, refusing to trust the work to another. He will watch over it, refusing to trust her safety to another. He will protect it and provide for it. He will cultivate it and nurture it. Even when weeds spring up, God will simply pull them up and burn them so the vine stays healthy and strong. This vine will cling to God. She will find her life in God. She will hold onto God all her days.

“When that time comes, sing about a delightful vineyard! I, the Lord, protect it; I water it regularly. I guard it night and day, so no one can harm it. I am not angry. I wish I could confront some thorns and briers! Then I would march against them for battle; I would set them all on fire, unless they became my subjects and made peace with me; let them make peace with me. The time is coming when Jacob will take root; Israel will blossom and grow branches. The produce will fill the surface of the world.” (Isaiah‬ ‭27‬:‭2‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬‬)

Why does Isaiah use the image of a vineyard? And why will Jesus lift this image up when He could have chosen so many others? I think it has to do with the last sentence, verse six from the above passage. Vineyards are planted for one purpose…to produce fruit. They are cultivated to produce the finest of grapes which, in turn, produces the finest of wines. The goal of the vineyard is not to keep the fruit to itself. The goal of the owner of the vineyard is not to keep all the grapes to himself. No, the goal is to fill the world with what the vineyard produces. Fill the earth with beautiful grapes and fine wines so that all might taste and see how good is the vineyard of God. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” In other words, if you cling to Me, if you find your whole life in Me, if you hold onto Me alone for a good and whole life; you will bear much fruit. You will fill your home, your neighborhood, your place of work, your school, your city, your nation, and even the world with your fruit.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 31-35

Why it Matters - Restoration

Readings for today: Isaiah 23-26

God loves the world He has made. He loves everything about it. He loves everything within it. He spoke it into existence and shaped and formed and fashioned it with His own hands. God’s desire is to see the earth flourish. To see the world become what He designed it to be. He wants to see all the creatures, great and small, within it live lives of blessing and contentment and peace. This is God’s will. It has been His will from the beginning. It remains His will today. And it will be His will until the end of time. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and His plans for the world have not changed, will not change, and do not change.

However, the creature God made in His own image. The creature God set up to care for and nurture and work and keep the earth has fallen. Humanity abandoned her original purpose. Rejected her original mandate to “be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion” over all God has made. As a result, creation suffers. The world is in turmoil. The Earth herself is cursed. Imagine you come home to your house one day only to find it full of black mold. Black mold everywhere. On every surface. Behind every wall. In every corner. The place would be toxic. Impossible to live in. There is no way to redeem it. No way to cleanse it. No way to get rid of all the corruption. What would you do? You would scrape the house. You would call in bulldozers. Earthmovers to clear the ground. And then you would rebuild. Essentially this is what God is doing in our reading today. He judges the earth not to destroy it but to cleanse it. Not to eradicate it but to prepare it for His great restoration work.

The earth, as it stands, cannot be redeemed. The corruption runs too deep. The rot goes all the way to the core. So God does what any good and faithful homeowner would do. He scrapes it. He scours it. He purifies and cleanses it with fire and judgment. “Look, the Lord is ready to devastate the earth and leave it in ruins; he will mar its surface and scatter its inhabitants. Everyone will suffer – the priest as well as the people, the master as well as the servant, the elegant lady as well as the female attendant, the seller as well as the buyer, the borrower as well as the lender, the creditor as well as the debtor. The earth will be completely devastated and thoroughly ransacked. For the Lord has decreed this judgment.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬) This is not an easy process. It will involve a lot of pain and suffering. A lot of tearing down in order to build up. “The earth dries up and withers, the world shrivels up and withers; the prominent people of the earth fade away. The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty. So a treaty curse devours the earth; its inhabitants pay for their guilt. This is why the inhabitants of the earth disappear, and are reduced to just a handful of people.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬) God will not stop until His cleansing work is complete. He will not relent until sin has been eradicated once and for all. He will purify every nook and cranny, every crack and corner. He will ascend to the heights and plunge to the depths. No stone will be left unturned. No square inch of creation will escape His notice. The result will be complete devastation as God prepares His world for what’s to come. “The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬)

And what is the goal of all this terrifying work? The restoration and renewal of worship. All of creation joining together in song. The mountains and oceans. The rocks and trees and flowers. The stars and planets and other heavenly bodies. Every creature finding her voice. The fish in the sea. The birds in the air. The animals that walk the earth. Even in the insects that crawl on the earth. And humanity will be God’s great conductor. God’s great worship leader. Drawing all the different melodies into one resounding voice. “They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west. So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel. From the ends of the earth we hear songs – the Just One is majestic.” (Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 18:1-8, 2 Chronicles 29-31, Psalms 48

Why it Matters - Prophecy

Readings for today: Isaiah 18-22

There are a lot of people who claim to be prophets these days. They claim to speak for God. They claim to know the future. They claim to have seen visions and dreams. Almost all of it is utter nonsense. How do I know? Because their prophecies never come true. The true test of a prophet, according to the Bible, is if their predictions actually come to pass. “How can we tell that a message is not from the Lord?’ – whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬) Sadly, I have seen far too many Christians fall for false prophets. They trust their words. They make decisions on what the person predicts. They buy their books and trinkets and whatever else the supposed prophet may be selling. It’s tragic. It’s an offense to God. It’s why God assigns the death penalty for false prophesy. He hates what they do to His people.

Isaiah is a true prophet of God. Everything he predicts in these passages comes to pass. Cush - think modern day Ethiopia and Sudan - ruled Egypt for a time and sought allies against Assyria. This happened during the reign of Hezekiah. Isaiah’s warning not to ally with Cush bore itself out when Assyria ultimately defeated the Egyptian/Cushite forces. Egypt experienced all kinds of civil unrest during the Late Period of her empire. Assyrian kings conquered Egypt in the seventh century BC and she later came under Persian, Greek, and Roman rule. Egypt and Cush were led away as captives when the Assyrians defeated their forces at Ashdod. Babylon fell to the Persians in 539BC. Edom steadily declined and eventually disappeared as a nation. The tribes of Arabia were crushed by the Assyrians as well. Jerusalem would eventually fall to Babylon, Shebna would be demoted, and Eliakim would assume higher office. Everything he says comes to pass. And that brings me to the most important prophesy from this section. A glorious vision of the future God has for the world. One that looks forward in anticipation to the end of days. “At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth. The Lord who commands armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!” (Isaiah‬ ‭19‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬)

It’s incredible. God expanding His reach. God extending an invitation to the nations of the earth, including the former enemies of His chosen people, to worship Him. At that time, He will call Egypt “my people” and Assyria “the work of my hands” alongside Israel “my chosen possession.” It’s a foretaste of what John will later write about in Revelation 7 when he sees every tribe, tongue, and nation worshipping before the throne of God. It’s a vision we are called as God’s people to live out in our own day and time. Welcoming all who would come to worship with open arms. Regardless of ethnicity. Regardless of economic status. Regardless of cultural difference. Regardless of life experience. God has thrown open the doors of His house. His arms are wide enough to embrace all who would come to Him. He will not turn away any who would seek Him with all their heart.

Readings for tomorrow: Isaiah 23-26

Why it Matters - God’s Authority

Readings for today: Isaiah 13-17

It’s easy to look around the world today and despair. We wake up everyday and are inundated with reports through social media and other traditional media outlets. Wars between nations. Tribal violence. Ethnic cleansing. Corrupt governments perpetuating cycles and systems of exploitation, injustice, and oppression. Preventable famine and starvation. Lack of access to clean water and nutritious food. Limited opportunities for education. Entire regions with no healthcare. The largest human migration in history as refugees cross borders and others are internally displaced. It’s heartbreaking and overwhelming and easy to feel hopeless in the face of it all.

I imagine the prophet Isaiah may have felt the same way. He looked around his world and saw mighty empires like Assyria and Babylon who seemed unstoppable. Their war machines trampling everyone in their path. Closer to home, two of Israel’s ancient enemies - Philistia and Moab - continued to create all kinds of chaos. Their constant attacks causing all kinds of suffering and pain. But then Isaiah does a curious thing. One we would do well to learn from. He lifts his eyes. Above all the tumult and tribulation of our world. He places his faith in God who reigns in absolute authority over all He has made. And when he looks to God, what does he see? Righteous judgment. God holding the nations accountable. God exercising His power to bring them to heel. God will not let His people suffer forever. God will not let the oppression of His people stand. He will not allow the empires of this world to have the final word. Indeed, God says to Isaiah, “I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants…I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the Lord who commands armies, in the day He vents His raging anger.” (Isaiah 13:11, 13 NET)

I think of some of the places I’ve been where tyrants rule with an iron fist. They put down any opposition. They pay off their family and friends. They rob their nations blind while so many suffer and die. It’s hard to see how such things end but then I look to God. I turn my eyes to the one who will judge the nations. I know their end is near and I know everything I am doing to help alleviate the pain they cause is not in vain. I think about my own country. I think about how many of our political leaders act in corrupt ways, taking advantage of our system to enrich themselves. Everything seems stacked against the ordinary person in favor of the privileged and connected and elite. But then I look to God. I turn my own eyes to the one before whom every single person must appear to give an account. I know their end is near and I know everything I do - from voting to serving the least resourced in our communities to advocating for justice to doing all I can to make things safer and better for all - is not in vain. God sees all. God knows all. And God will judge all and one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays