Tag: Justice

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Talk that tears us apart.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.” Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What do we want? Anything and everything we can imagine. When do we want it? Now, always NOW.

Have you ever taken note of our human imaginations and desires that seem to have no end. Our wildest dreams and deepest aspirations are basically unrestricted in our own head. In the more “suppressed and constrained” years of our country and many others, dreams and aspirations were spent on great art, great music, great architectural structures and inventions. Our hearts were set on better education for the poor, peace on earth and good will for all. Supposedly, throwing off those “draconian” restrictions of the past has allowed humanity to what? Express total personal freedoms and behaviors because we have the right to do so? What did that get us? What has that accomplished?

The wisdom writers capture a truth that is old but seemingly lost in today’s personal rights, protests and cancel culture. What about the good for all? The upright are both good and prosperous for the cities we all live in! And, conversely, but predictably, the constant noise of the wicked tear the city apart. The honorable get quiet, while the immoral get louder. Oh, that’s right honor and morality are just ethereal constructs made up by a patriarchal past. Righteousness, goodness and integrity are seen as old fashion and oppressive. How has wickedness and casting off constraints helped us? I guess civility and respect had to go as well.

History is a harsh reality of truth, so it is no surprise that there are those who wish to reframe it to fit this selfie absorbed season in our cities. And, with truth gone, flipped or redesigned to fit one’s own narrative, it should be a lot easier to promote whatever wicked, er, “independent” thought comes into our morality-free minds.

Here’s some hope. Wickedness will come to an end, but truth will endure forever. God’s justice, in his mercy, will crush evil. So, pursuing evil will only lead to deep disappointment, depression and brokenness. Striving for God will not only satisfy it will bring wholeness and healing to our souls.

Prayer

Dad,
Our city is filled with the proverbial conflict in this passage. The upright are quiet and the wicked are very loud. My heart breaks for the lies that are being swallowed whole. The fake promises that tossing morality, goodness and honor aside will gain fulfillment. Using evil to pacify the emptiness and ache in our hearts. Please stop these insidious social viruses that are destroying the innocent! I ask for your mercy and forgiveness towards those who really do not know what they believe nor truly what damage they do to our city and their own soul. Come in your power, your grace and truth to bring the next revolution of hope.

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Symbols of promise.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭9‬:‭12‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The complete and total destruction of all creation is a powerful, but risky move. It’s is extremely hard for us, as humans, as created beings, to grasp the full extent of God’s right and ability to do what he wants. What is even more mind-blowing is the fact that God, being PERFECT, precise, right, true and just can both make life and destroy life in complete supremacy, and it is justified!

While on earth, I doubt I will ever understand the mystery of risk God took in creating free-will creatures. Since God is so far above and beyond my thinking, it’s even harder to imagine him obliterating an entire batch of bad characters and sparing just a small fraction of human life as we see with Noah and his immediate family. There are so many questions surrounding the discussion in Genesis 2:1-9. Who were the “Nephilites – Sons of God?” They were mass producing giant warriors! Maybe they were reproducing much faster than the descendants of Adam and Eve? All we know God said he favored Noah and said he was righteous, blameless and walked in close fellowship with God. Noah was not perfect, but his faith in God clearly stood out.

We get past the flood and total destruction of the rest of humanity and we come to the contract, the covenant promise God made with Noah. God loves covenants and absolutely ALWAYS keeps his promises. The symbols of promise are reminders of contracts. These symbols and token reminders move us to memory of the promises made. Our modern world is filled with contracts, NDA’s, Pre-nups and mountains of paperwork stating that both parties are held to KEEP their promise for the contract to be reliable and dependable. Normally, when one of the parties in the contract fail to keep the promise made, the contract becomes null and void. However, there are lots of instances where one party might keep the promise even when the other breaks from the agreement. You sign a written contract when borrowing money or purchasing something of value. When you fail to make a payment, you break the contract and the bank or lender can take back the item in question. That may be a car, house, land or anything of worth. A wedding ring is a powerful symbol of promise, a contract or covenant – not with the state but with God and each other. Why would the government care if a couple stays together or not? The system does not care. God cares, people care.

God gives Noah the most famous, sustainable symbol humans have ever known – a rainbow in the sky. And it comes in its amazingly beautiful array of color when sunshine strikes water molecules sustained in the air. Oh sure, it can scientifically be explained, but science (physical explanations of natural phenomenon) is a recent discovery that didn’t happen in ancient times. The rainbow precedes our understanding of modern scientific explanations! The rainbow shows up in ancient texts! Oh, we’re so smart to be able to explain the mystery now, but we still can’t explain why it’s so amazing. How awful to reduce such extravagance down to a evolutionary anomaly that is treated as nonsensical coincidence!

The rainbow symbol has been used and abused to represent something it was never intended to represent. When the symbol is separated from the promise, it becomes worthless to help us remember what it is for. The rainbow still occurs as a reminder, but now it’s lost luster and beauty. Search it for yourself. What does the rainbow symbolize? Here’s the top result: “Rainbows symbolize good luck, wellness, happiness, and health, [and] could indicate a positive shift in vibration and positive energy.” What a nonsensical pile of 💩. Next time you see a rainbow, remember it’s a promise that God keeps his word! He didn’t flood the whole earth again. However, next time it will be another “natural” phenomenon… FIRE.

Prayer

Dad,
First of all, I love rainbows! Great job on that. However, I have seen your consistent love and grace to keep your promises in many more tangible ways in my life and in others. You are THE promise keeper! And, I am grateful that you are trustworthy.

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Delayed judgment gratification.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭70‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David wrote this Psalm while running from his own son, Absalom, who wanted to take the throne by force. Yet, in David’s fear and desperation, he writes a prophetic/messianic Psalm projecting the future moments leading up to Jesus, on trial for blasphemy, and eventual judgment of death on a cross like a common criminal.

The prayer of Jesus, in the garden, asking that this “cup” may pass. Maybe not the cup of suffering alone, but the cup of wrath, the moment God, the Father, would turn away, not able to look at His only son. The one and only time, EVER, the intimate presence of the Father, His full and complete love, would not be felt on the cross. Yes, this Psalm was most likely on the lips of Jesus in the garden and in his thoughts while hanging on the cross. “Please God, rescue me!” The rest of David’s Psalm though, would not be uttered by Jesus on the cross. All the judgment, shame and disgrace that you and I deserve would be stored up and poured upon Jesus that one very dark afternoon around 3:00 pm. The cursing of shame and disgrace would not be wished upon the crowd that jeered. All the hatred of humanity being shouted at Jesus, masking their own culpability of lies and murder, would be quietly confronted by a different prayer, a whole different ending to David’s desire for justice and revenge.

Jesus’ prayer was, “Father forgive them,” they just don’t know any better. Jesus’ rewriting Psalm 70 asked that all the retribution of judgment be redirected on him and He asked that they (all of humanity) be forgiven. Are you mad at God? He’s forgiven you. Do you hate God for something that happened to you, something you blame Him for? He’s forgiven you. Why? Because the perfection and blamelessness of Jesus, took your gripes and grief and paid the price for you to even hold those feelings of ill-will towards God and others. This Easter, drop your charges against God! He’s not who you think He is. He loves and forgives you.

Prayer

Dad,
Even with all the crummy things that happened in my life as a child and through youth, I never held you responsible for it. I didn’t carry a grudge, thinking you had cursed my family and that I was just stuck with it. I knew my moms and dads were broken. I knew the way they chose to live out their lives was not healthy nor helpful to me. But I also knew that without some kind of massive miracle and change in my own ways, I would end up just like them! You were that miracle. You reaching out to me and offering life would be my one chance to get out of generational cycles of pain, addictions and dysfunction. Yet still, I knew that I needed forgiveness for my own decisions that could never be blamed on my origin story. Thank you for permanently not just delaying judgment that I deserved, but removing it completely through Jesus death on the cross.

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Liberty and justice for all.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah describes the future Messiah who comes to liberate and bring justice to the nations, to ALL who have been wronged. And this revolutionary will do so not by war cries or violently crushing those who are weak and unable to rise up to fight or follow. The conqueror and promised savior will come to restore bruised reeds, to fan the flickering flames of oil light that are struggling to remain lit. The coming messiah sounds more like a red cross volunteer than he does a tank commander.

It is with this drive to both bring true justice for all and this extremely delicate care of mercy that allows him to continue to move through the war torn battlefields of humanity never leaving the wounded, disenfranchised or hopeless behind.

The Messiah will accomplish the mission of saving all who wish to be saved. The NIV translation gives us the tiny little Hebrew word for coastlands or island (אִי ) and tell us in that in his teachings, instructions or law that “even the Coastlands will put their hope.” Isaiah saw the prophetic picture not only of the future results of the Messiah’s justice, but somehow he saw how that tender message of hope would reach the furthest points on our globe. Places like Cuba, Fiji, Ireland, Jamaica, Philippines, Japan or Hawaii. There are some who believe that includes all cities on the coast of their countries. This would mean states like New York, California, Florida and Washington!

Isaiah foresaw the Messiah finishing his work of justice until it is set up or established throughout the earth! Christ’s death was payment for the price of freedom, and it was His resurrection that guaranteed that He and He alone had the power to bring about justice for all. Here’s the hard part, there is no true justice without sound and thorough judgment. No qualified judge let’s wrongdoers escape accountability. There is no justice for those who will not submit to God’s judgment. And since the judgment of God, His wrath towards eradicating sin, is accomplished through Jesus, His only and perfect son. The only way to justice is through Jesus himself. It just so happens that the only real liberty and justice for all is not in a pledge of allegiance to a country’s flag, it’s in Christ and Christ alone.

Prayer

Dad,
I feel the ache of those who seek justice through so many causes, campaigns, slogans and celebrities. They will never find true justice in any of them. Not only do I believe Jesus to be the one and only promised Messiah, I believe Him to be the only one capable of bringing real judgement and justice, real liberty and freedom for all. I have experienced that freedom in my own life. And, I have grown to only trust you more, not less. I have decided to pursue your way and not my own. I just want all those who ache for justice to see the day it is fulfilled in you, through Jesus. Pour out your Spirit once again. Breath on us once again. Let the people of the coastlands put their hope in you!

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Newsflash Reminder.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Once you were dead! I don’t know about you, but I remember my disobedience and MANY sins. I wasn’t born a believer. I did not surrender my life to Jesus as a child. I had a fairly high sin-rate in Junior and Senior High School. I agree with the Apostle Paul, I used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world – obeying the devil and the disordered desires of my heart. In fact, I’m not exactly sure I had a decent conscience. I had a twisted view of guilt. Not only did I rarely feel guilty for my decisions and behaviors, I was really good at masking those feelings behind massive blame of others and the crummy chaotic, dysfunctional life I was handed from my parents.

It was those decisions to ignore my conscience where I can clearly see myself being subject to God’s anger – just like everyone else. Being a sinner didn’t make me special or unique at all. In fact it was slowly stripping away the real me that I was trying to push away.

When I look around at the multiple sin-fests on constant display in entertainment, socials and curated news cycles, I must remember Paul’s words. There is a real devil and he’s commanding the powers of unseen world! My heart breaks as I see my friends, family and neighbors swallow the reverse sour-patch candy. First the lies are sweet, by a well crafted design to follow our passionate desires and inclinations, but turn bitter as they produce rotten results.

I pray that God reveals Himself and rescues them, just as He did for me. These verses lead Paul, via the Holy Spirit, to release one of the most powerful truths found in the New Testament. “For it is by grace you are saved, through faith. It is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” My path, my decisions, my sin was disrupted and redeemed by that powerful, undeserved grace of God. I will never forget who I was. Yet, I will remember what God can do that for others even today.

Prayer

Dad,
Do it again in those I love! Arrest them by your grace. Hunt them down by your love and mercy, relentlessly pursuing them as you did for me. Lift the blinders from their eyes. Penetrate their hearts with light that shatters the lies that lead them to darkness. Expose the wicked plans against them to reveal your love and true freedom. I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

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God’s spiritual agenda.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ezra writes about what people have when they trust in and depend on the God of Jacob. They have a helper. Ezra uses a unique form of the word “blessed” here. They are blessed (esher), but it’s the Hebrew root word that becomes interesting. They are “ashar” to go straight, go on, advance. People who have the same God that rescued Jacob from his own bad decisions, his own manipulative, self-serving, grab-what-you-can and can-all-you-grab lifestyle are given the blessing of a pass.

When our hope, our tested and examined look at our future, is placed in God we are shown a way through, even when we can’t quite see it at the time. Ezra pens this beautifully, restorative phrase. It is timeless and worth remembering and repeating – even if it’s just to ourselves. God “keeps every promise forever.” Then Ezra lists off the kind of work that God is constantly up to.

He gives justice to the oppressed and hungry. He frees prisoners. He opens blind eyes. He LIFTS those weighed down. He loves the godly and protects foreigners. God cares for orphans and widows. Lastly, God frustrates the plans of the wicked.

Do you ever hear about that God in social media, shows, movies or podcasts? No. God is depicted as old, disconnected and for sure hates people just having fun. What a bunch of Shhhhhaving Cream!

God has been seriously misrepresented. Look carefully at that list of what God cares about and how He makes a way, makes a pass for people. You should see what the Church, followers of Jesus should be about as well. It’s what we should stand up for, not against.

Our responsibility to be involved in the things God cares about are listed in this and many other Psalms. We too should be about justice, about food, about prisoners. We too should be opening the eyes of the blind, lifting those weighed down, protecting foreigners among us and caring for widows and orphans! We can be way makers, opening a pass, helping advance the underserved. When we do, we reflect God’s goodness and put hope into the hearts that need it the most. Ezra’s words still challenge me today.

Prayer

Dad,
In this inspiring and challenging Psalm, I see what we (The Church) can and should be about. I see how we should be tending to the same needs that you care about and constantly work on to bring joy through hope – a pass, a way out to those who struggle. Please help us, as your called ones, to figure out how to not only serve people in these situations, but to flip the narrative from being politically motivated to be spiritually motivated because this is what you are about. This is a big ask God! Help us get there together.

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Our pronouns.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah uses a lot of cooperative personal pronouns when he writes about the desperate state and culture of Israel. He starts most of the sentences in these passages with “we.” “So there is no justice among US, and WE know nothing about right living. WE look for light, for bright skies. WE grope, we stumble, we are like the dead. WE growl like hungry bears; WE moan like mournful doves. WE look for justice, but it never comes. WE look for rescue. For OUR sins are piled up before God and testify against us. WE know what sinners we are. WE know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord. WE have turned our backs on our God. WE know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies. OUR courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed.”

We, us, our… Isaiah understood THEY were all willful, purposeful participants in the culture of WRONG. There is no waggling finger pointing out of a self-righteous soul declaring – YOU…. you did this! No, it’s us and ours.

After a slew of declarations attributed to the mess WE make of things – almost entirely against each other, Isaiah boldly declares that God will roll-tide in by His mighty breath of judgment and justice to make things right. God will rise like a raging river to “nō·sə·sāh,” drive, make to flee all evil. Who would NOT want God to sweep across their land and clear out the evil that has destroyed life, love, families and friendships?

In other places in the Bible, God tells us exactly who opposes His removal of evil – those who love evil and benefit from it. You start to understand that it’s the selfish, the tyrants, the proud and powerful, those on top that do not want God’s way. The ones who do not want justice are those who better themselves by keeping others down and dependent on their systems of power and control. God brings freedom where all others bring control, or enslavement.

Prayer

Dad,
I’m beginning to understand just how upside down our world and our thinking really is. When you bring justice and righteousness, it is to our advantage, it is for our freedom. It’s not just a freedom from tyrants, it’s the ability to be free from our own selfish, devilish desires! It’s not just my sin that is so destructive within, it is my sin that is devastating to all those around me, those that I love and want the best for. And as I read about the mass of people Isaiah is talking about, I see the effects of our unity in brokenness and darkness rather than wholeness and light. It is just so clear to me now. I pray that in the east and in the west that you rise and breath justice into us and ours.

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innocence illuminated

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​David writes this Psalm as if he knows what he’s talking about. His confidence is in his own experience from the past – delighting in the Lord.

There are a thousand words I could reach for and dozens of emotions to match each morning that I open my eyes and begin to think about my day. Except for Christmas, the first day vacationing in Tahoe or just a solid day off – I don’t think this word or attitude of delight rises out of my brain with the sun. David learned this delight from years of disappointment and despair.

I am currently listening to an audio book by John Mark Comer called, Live No Lies. He writes that the number one weapon the devil (slanderer) uses is lies and deceit. It’s even more fascinating that we WANT to believe these lies, thinking they will get us what we want without God. Like we can do what we want or get what we want on our own, avoiding God and creating our own version of truth (which is a lie itself).

These words that David wrote – trust, delight, desire and commit are all words of an intimate relationship with the Lord. Being still and patient in God’s presence is a gift. I often want to think, and worse, other people push me to think, that I can control, fix, or make humans do what is right! I cannot. These are things that require me to wait for God to act. God can move, change or flip the human heart. Even the evil schemes of the wicked are used and positioned for His plans and ultimately His glory.

When I worry I am behaving like those who don’t trust, those who scheme to manipulate others and God himself. I would rather wait so my innocence radiates and justice shines because God IS AT WORK, not me.

Prayer

Dad,
Really, all I want is for you to be honored and glorified in and through my life. Of course that does not happen if I continue to control, manipulate or scheme to try to make YOU or others do my own will. You shine brightly when your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Your ways are accomplished through me. Then, and only then, can I be innocent and just in my pursuit of your plans. May it be said of me that I do trust, do delight and desire you with all my heart.

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Future fairness and justice.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“Soon—and it will not be very long— the forests of Lebanon will become a fertile field, and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭29‬:‭17‬-24 ‭NLT‬‬

Things are not just, not fair, and absolutely not equitable here on earth. It’s not possible in a broken system, a humanly flawed system. It’s flawed because there are so many who just want what they want, when they want it. And everyone else is just a nuisance in the way.

Isaiah sees that just on the other side of this whole human experience, which has tremendous highs and devastating lows, awaits justice, wholeness and a global, godly equality that we all yearn for. The earth itself waits and aches for all things to just be made right again. Isn’t that something we ALL share? The angst and anticipation for everything to make sense? Isaiah gives a shortlist of examples of those who want but are not satisfied, but that completion is coming – “SOON,” he writes. In that day…

Goodness and justice will rise:
▪️ the deaf will hear words, read from a book, and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.
▪️ The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord.
▪️ The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Evilness and selfishness will subside:
▪️ The scoffer will be gone, the arrogant will disappear, and those who plot evil will be killed.
▪️ Those who convict the innocent by their false testimony will disappear.
▪️ A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.

We can all agree on these terms and future hopes! Ah, but for those who have no sense of, nor belief in eternity, they only have annihilation as the end of everything. I get it. They should try to cram it all into what is a very brief existence called life. Go for it. Reform the animalistic, degenerate, darwinian, literal hell out of humans. All you have to do is convince every single person, from every corner of the planet, every culture and conversation to snap to it and transform themselves for the better good!

It’s so easy, and humans without any shred of belief in God have been frustratingly trying to pull it off for eons. The non-believer does have a hope outside of the Creator though. It will be a short-lived hope. There will come an anti-god, a demigod, the Bible calls the anti-Christ who will come with platitudes and promises to bring world peace. He’ll be so convincing that billions with believe. Ah, but in the end, he’s just the master trickster representative, the guy behind the scenes with the the red suit and the pitch fork just enjoying his temporary rise to power.

Isaiah called it thousand of years ago. This will all come to pass and I just plan to be on God’s side of it and not shake my little self-determined fist at Him.

Prayer

Dad,
So be it. Come quickly Lord Jesus. Come and make things right and just forever and for all. Amen.

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Our environment wants justice.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“The earth mourns and dries up, and the land wastes away and withers. Even the greatest people on earth waste away. The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted God’s instructions, violated his laws, and broken his everlasting covenant.” Isaiah‬ ‭24‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah picks up on this theme of of extreme eco-disasters coming to earth because of the sins of its inhabitants. Earlier, he had said that God would “destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland. He devastates the surface of the earth and scatters the people.” Human sin and our selfishness has deep and irreversible effects on our souls, our kind, plus the entire animal and plant kingdom of the world.

I’m sure environmentalist would quickly agree that, as humans, we misuse and abuse our own home. Isaiah’s point goes much further than our carbon footprint, plastics addictions, or pulling far too many precious metals out of the earth. Isaiah says the earth suffers because of our sins against God, not the planet!

I for one believe that believers in Christ should be the very best at caring for the planet and ecosystems of our world. We were in fact given that job back in the garden of eden. We have a responsibility as good stewards. But I would also be the first to say, in no way should our care for animals, plants and natural resources take priority over human life. I’m not a fan of saving whales and sea turtles only to end the life of infants in the womb. This is a gross misunderstanding and results of our sin. Isaiah states what much of our world has lost site of, God is the creator, is good and He alone dispenses justice and truth.

When we are in line with God’s laws, the planet, even in our sin, fares much better. The end is coming though. The finality of this planet, in anticipation of a brand new one, is approaching as each moment of time passes us.

It’s coming. Our culture senses it and it shows up most often in our entertainment of movies and shows. If someone were to map the amount and frequency of apocalyptic books, movies and shows, you’d clearly see that everyone believes there is a end coming. Some are some very dark, like “the walking dead,” or the Terminator or Matrix franchises. Others are oddly utopian in nature, thinking of some strange technological advancements that help humans achieve and neurochemical enlightenment of some kind. The movie, Moonfall finally told us some truth. People are ridiculously gullible, untrusting and turn back into base animalistic behaviors when the end finally comes.

All of these fantasy projections either resolve in perpetual misery or happily received annihilation. God’s story is very different. The planet will be destroyed and remade. Human life, our souls and bodies will not end in annihilation. We will find ourselves living in eternity in one of two places – heaven, where God continues to rule as He always has done. Or hell, a place of eternal separation from God and in that, a forever tortured soul in misery of never ending loops of pain, blame of selfish lonely conversations with themselves. I ask myself, “who wants that?” The possible answer, people who would rather live in misery than bow heart and knee, submitting to God’s authority and rule.

Prayer

Dad,
It is so interesting that you were speaking through Isaiah, thousands of years ago about all the events (Christ, the messiah coming and a lot of end times) that would take place in the future. I remember hearing that the prophecy had to make sense to people then and now. What a challenge for those back them. I’m pretty sure their world was more violent than even ours today. I would make sense to the listener back then. I don’t look forward to the world ending, but I do look forward for the finalizing of your plans for the Kingdom of God on earth to be here.