Thursday, December 9

Isaiah 7:1-9

Psalm 37

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Luke 22:1-13

Isaiah 7:1-9

In a recent Bible study, Mom and I learned how God judged then divided Israel. Then, He protected them against their enemies who had gone too far. This is an important lesson for us today. We as believers also have enemies in our daily lives. This does not necessarily mean being surrounded by people with weapons. We may not be soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan right now, or first responders, but we face many challenges as we strive to serve God. That is why we must take the Lord’s message through Isaiah to heart “Be careful, keep calm, and don’t be afraid…” (v.4, NIV). We must also take heart that God will deliver on what he promises his people. The evidence, in terms of what we see in the world around us, may seem to disagree. It certainly looked like Jerusalem was about to be destroyed. Yet, the city continues today, and the promised Messiah Jesus reigns. We must continue in faith, learning to know God well enough to trust Him.

Metaphorically speaking, we are confronted with numerous enemies as Israel was. We are surrounded by fears and doubts about the economy, the war, politics, as well as the health and safety of friends and loved ones. This is along with the future of homes, jobs, our country, the world and, yes, the cosmos in general. While these concerns are real and frightening, isn’t it good to know we serve a God who is prepared to deal with them?

Susannah Westlake