Encouragement

I was reading Isaiah 2-4 this morning. This is a heavy passage about the judgment of God coming with fury because the people practice false religion and are wealthy and proud. As I read the following verses in Isaiah 2, my spirit trembled as I thought of how closely America mirrors the description of Israel:

6 You have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. 7 Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. 8 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. 9 So man will be brought low and mankind humbled—do not forgive them. 10 Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty! 11 The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 12 The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled) . . . ."

I do not like the declarations of some that each bad event in the world is God's judgment for such and such. But I could not help thinking that this economic crisis, which apparently took the economists by surprise and seems to be spiraling, might very well be (part of?) our humbling, and my heart was fearful of what that might mean. I paused after chapter 2 to pray, confessing that I should long for God's glory and His purifying work and praying that God would provide for us and that we would honor Him, whatever comes. Then I continued reading.

For the most part, chapters 3 and 4 are similar to chapter 2 in their pronouncement of judgment, but in the middle of chapter 3, there is a wonderful verse, a striking contrast:

"Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds." (3:10).

Be encouraged, dear friends. God is gracious.