Isaiah 35:10 “Gladness and joy will overtake them.”
Browsing social media and watching news stories of fellow citizens overtaken with loathing, mockery, rage, and envy, does anyone feel encouraged by the direction of society? Are we better off for it? Those who screech obscenities at civilization and try to tear it down are most unhappy of all. Perhaps they anticipate a time of elation when everyone is finally divided and everything burnt to the ground. Alas, if they achieve their goals, only misery lies ahead.
In these times it can feel like the Enemy has the upper hand and that God is just standing by, strangely silent. But he is not silent. In the long history of God’s dealings with mankind, he has allowed things to get quite bad before he intervenes with judgment, giving human beings numerous and repeated opportunities to turn around and come back to him.
No matter the circumstances, however, a Christian can be overtaken (found, reached, caught) by gladness and joy. There is hope for all who love God and follow his ways. Our Lord promises a day when things won’t be as they are now. Biblical prophecies often contain both a near-term and a long-term fulfillment. The long-term is how I think about Isaiah 29:20-21, a promise originally given to God’s invaded and exiled people, but how timely and hopeful these words are for us today:
20 The ruthless will vanish,
the mockers will disappear,
and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down—
21 those who with a word make someone out to be guilty,
who ensnare the defender in court
and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.
We live in a time when irrationality flourishes, when the fool is called noble and the scoundrel highly respected (Isaiah 32:5). Yet God promises to bring an end to these absurdities. Satan, the enemy of all human beings, wants to wipe us out. But he will not succeed (Revelation 12:7-12). Don’t ever forget that his days are numbered.
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This week: For the past several days I’ve awakened with this prayer on my lips. Having memorized it, I pray it before leaving my bed and am committed to continue every day for the rest of the summer. I encourage you to pray it with me:
2 Lord, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress.
3 At the thunder of your voice, the peoples flee;
when you rise up, the nations scatter.
Isaiah 33:2-3