“Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He Who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; Who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.” Isaiah 40:21-24
Devotional Thought For The Day
Many people are concerned with the state of affairs among the nations of the world today. Those of us who are older have witnessed great changes – the establishment of new nations, redrawn boundaries for many other nations, the rise and fall of dictators, nations coerced into “unions” and then breaking out again. The future status of many nations and boundaries are even today being determined anew, in many places by bloodshed. We might think that this is somewhat unique, but those well-versed in human history probably consider this to be the norm. Still, it is rather remarkable. I remember studying maps in “geography” classes with the assumption that once memorized I would have it down; that of course is relative to time, and what I once knew is not necessarily so today.
The prophet Isaiah recorded God’s description of this phenomenon, as well as God’s role in all of this. Rulers, princes, nations, and even empires are under His power and control. He plants them and they serve His purposes, but then it is time for Him to blow on them “and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.” There is no nation that has not been subject to God’s power and control, even those which have great histories. Ancient powers such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Persia, Greece, and Rome have had ups and downs, changes, periods of time when not much was left of them. The European hegemonies, modern powers such as Japan, Germany, the Soviet Union – these have also lost their previous glory and power, though vestiges remain. We should not think that our times are any different, or that any empire, nation, prince, or ruler is bulletproof and immune from God’s power and control.
We can lose sight of this as we immerse ourselves into the details of political and military struggles. Our ability to learn and know a great number of facts can cloud our view of the greater organizing and controlling principles. Obviously rulers, kings, presidents, and dictators suffer from this myopia, and often make tragic mistakes in their governance and leadership. We, as small and puny Christians, can also lose sight of the reign and rule of God – with tragic consequences. We can lose cognizance of how we are drifting and moving along with the thinking, values, and foundational understanding of our own culture – which when dominated by unbelievers has no understanding of the power and role of God in human affairs, or the final plan which He is moving all of human history toward, the Last Day of judgment, the destruction of this present universe, and the implementation of a new heaven and earth, the feast of the Lamb, the eternal heavenly kingdom.
It is for this that Christ came as our Savior, to take away our sin and guilt and punishment. It is for this that He has called us to faith, so that we know and believe His great love for us. It is for this that He governs and rules all things, to bring us along through this present and temporal life to the glory that shall be revealed in us [Rom. 8:18]. This is at the core of our hope and trust in God, and this confidence in God and knowledge of His power, love, and will, also dictates how we are to view all of the international news that we are exposed to and digest. We are still alarmed by the horrid violence and the uncertainty of things, and by many of the changes that occur, and we are still somewhat daunted by the challenges that we face, but we are not overwhelmed – we know Who is in control and what the end is going to be. It is our Lord Jesus Christ Who will stand in the latter days, on the final day, and who will dispense the final reality according to His Word: “He that believes the Son has everlasting life, but he that believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [John 3:36] So let us take comfort and courage, and continue devoting our lives to His loving will, confident that in all things God is in power and control!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to remember Who You are, and the awesome, unimaginable power that is Yours – all authority in heaven and on earth. Help us to grow in understanding the realities, and to build our experiences into what is real, so that we grow in wisdom and faith, and stand joyful and confident at all times. Grant such vision also to our leaders that our nation be protected from wicked and foolish actions and the consequences that inevitably follow. Keep us joyfully mindful of what is soon to come! Amen.