Are You Looking for Something You Can Really Count On?
It’s harder and harder to trust these days. Partly, this is due to the epidemic of cynicism that plagues our society. But, our cynicism comes as the institutions and individuals we once counted on turn out to be untrustworthy. Yet, even in our cynical age, there is something in us that looks, even yearns for something truly reliable, something that we can truly count on.
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Comfort . . . Finally!
With occasional oases of hope, the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah are a desert of divine judgment. But then, beginning with Isaiah 40, the tone changes. Though the Lord is still a God of justice and judgment, emphasis is placed on restoration and renewal.
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Watch Out for Pride!
Hezekiah was manipulated by flattery and fell prey to pride. Like any other human being, he had his weaknesses, and these were costly, not only to him, but also to his people. Our leadership whether in our jobs or families, whether in our churches or communities, can also be compromised by our weaknesses.
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The Power and Puzzle of Prayer
This story portrays vividly the power and puzzle of prayer. God healed Hezekiah, doing that which required supernatural power, in response to Hezekiah’s supplication. This is the power of prayer. The puzzle comes from the fact that God seemed to change his mind in response to Hezekiah’s prayer.
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Praising God in Tough Times
The challenges of our lives may not be quite as dire as those of Hezekiah, but we all face apparently invincible problems in our lives. There are times when these challenges – at work, at home, in our relationships, in our own hearts – seem overwhelming. In such circumstances, we are certainly free to pour out our fears and needs to the Lord. Yet, sometimes we need to do more than ask for God’s help.
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Challenges to Faith
What enables us to remain faithful when our faith is severely challenged? What will help us to trust in the Lord even when his ways are puzzling or contrary to popular beliefs?
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Joyful Expectation of Our Homecoming
We are inspired and empowered to live today by our vision of God’s future. We pray to the Father as Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And we allow this prayer to shape our lives wherever we are: in our offices and stores, in our studios and conference rooms, in our churches and cities, in our homes and schools.
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The Reality of Healing Today
Isaiah 35 inspires Israel to hope for the day of God’s salvation when all things will be renewed.
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What Can We Learn from God’s Vengeance? Part 2
I want to spend another day reflecting with you on Isaiah 34. This chapter can be troubling because it seems to celebrate God’s vengeance. God seems to relish the thought of judging the nations. How is this picture of God consistent with the God revealed to us in Jesus, a God of love, mercy, and forgiveness? What in the world are we to take away from Isaiah 34?
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What Can We Learn from God’s Vengeance? Part 1
When we read a chapter like Isaiah 34, we can easily feel confused, even distressed. God’s judgment on all nations, and Edom in particular, seems to come with such zeal and violence. How should we understand God’s vengeance? Does it give us the freedom to be vengeful people in our own lives?
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Serving the King Even on the Fourth of July?
One of the great challenges and delights of the Christian life is learning to truly know God and to relate to him in the fullness of his multifaceted character. We live to please the judge, though free in the gift of his justification. We seek to obey his law, but only in his strength and in response to his forgiveness. We offer our whole selves to the King of Kings, yet remembering that he gave himself for us first.
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The Key to a Bountiful Treasure
Though we ought not to be afraid of God so that we avoid him, we must not minimize his majesty. Nor may we diminish his holiness. Biblical fear of the Lord brings us to our knees in worship, so that God might lift our faces and embrace us with his love. True fear of the Lord helps us never forget that our Friend is also the King of Kings, that the One who died for our sins is also the Judge of our sins.
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A Vision of Godly Leadership
Throughout the opening chapters of Isaiah, we are repeatedly confronted with God’s judgment. Not only the chosen people, but also the pagan nations are condemned for their wickedness. Yet, every now and then, a glimmer of hope shines through the darkness. Isaiah 32:1-2 is such a ray of light.
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Turn Around and Follow the Lord
Isaiah calls Israel to “return . . . to the One you have so greatly revolted against” (31:6). The fact that God’s people have rebelled against him does not preclude them from turning back to God.
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Learn from God Your Teacher
In times of suffering, it can seem as if God is completely absent. We wonder if God has forgotten about us completely. The good news is that he continues to be with us, even when we cannot perceive him. In time, he will make himself known with new clarity and intimacy. He will teach us, and we will be in a place to learn with open minds and hearts.
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