Seeing Beyond Today

See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Isaiah 42:9

It's hard for us to imagine.

The people Isaiah is speaking to in the passage above had formerly been slaves in Egypt, but God acted to free them. God led them through the wilderness, gave them laws to govern their common life (the 10 Commandments) and finally brought them to the "Promised Land."

There, they lived for centuries in relative stability. So much of their identity was wrapped up with this "Promised Land" that they occupied. God had indeed chosen them to be a light to the nations, and the homeland given to them was a sign of that blessing and call.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The kingdom of Babylon defeated them...and it wasn't just a military victory...it was total and complete devastation. They ransacked the temple, destroying it and taking all of Israel's national treasures. They captured a large percentage of the people and forced them to walk back to Babylon to live in exile. The people were slaves in a foreign land once more.

The conclusion would have been simple: God has abandoned us. All hope is lost.

And yet, God sent prophets such as Isaiah to remind the people who this God is; not just the God of Israel, but the God of the whole earth. In a few powerful sentences, Isaiah reminds the people that God's purposes cannot be thwarted by mere human powers like the Babylonian Empire. No, God has set the Israelites aside to be "a light to the nations."

Isaiah conquers despair through reminding the people of the sovereignty, and goodness, of God.

Today, that same reminder comes to us. God is sovereign. No challenges we currently face can hold a candle to the purpose God has for us. No mere political turmoil, partisan rancor, or institutional decline can thwart God's movement in the world...

We, too, have been sent to be a light to the nations; to be courageous in current trials because of the hope we have in the new things that will spring forth. Indeed, whatever we face personally or as a community, God's proclamation through Isaiah cuts across the generations: there is hope because God is busy redeeming the whole world, and nothing will stop that dawn from breaking upon us.

May we walk today, facing every challenge, grateful for every blessing, and certain that God's love continues to spring forth...to us, and through us to others.

PRAYER:
God, grant us today the blessed assurance of your love beyond the challenges we face. Give us the courage we need, and the hope that comes from knowing you. Amen.